Overview of TCO 285

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Overview of TCO 285
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Course Web site

• www.mercer.edu/oie/tco285.
• There you will find
• Syllabus
• Schedule (subject to change as class progresses,
  please check this site often)
• Assignments/Rubrics
• Resources
• Previous student sites

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Basic Principles of Design
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Focus/Emphasis

• The element your eye goes to first on the page.
• The aspect that catches your attention.
• The most important element on the page should be
  the most prominent.
• Usually the biggest, boldest element, such as
  headlines or titles
• Separate from the lesser details

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Balance

• The distribution of visual elements
• Ideal to achieve a pleasing, clear layout
• Symmetrical vs. asymmetrical
• Group information in a logical way without
  overloading the page

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Visual Weight

• Impact a single element has on a page
• Can use size and typography, density, page
  position, or anomalies
• Dont forget the importance of space on a page
  (often called white space). Sometimes less is
  more.

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Directional Flow

• Visual or verbal path of movement one follows
  through the page or sequence of pages
• Requires purposeful arrangement of visual
  elements to control the viewers eye through your
  design
• Can use lines, shapes, or text

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Unity

• Overall look that holds the composition together
• Do all the elements belong together?
• Is the product cohesive?

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Visual Identity

• Nonverbal image closely associated with the
  company or organization
• Often colors or schemes are used to subliminally
  communicate the organizations brand (for
  example, the gray, black, and orange in my
  materials to represent Mercer).

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Audience Analysis
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TCO Mantra

• Know your audience
• Determine the purpose of your design
• Informational
• Instructional
• Persuasive

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Basic Categories of Audience

• Expert highly trained individual who needs
  little background information. Okay to use
  familiar jargon and abbreviations.
• Technician takes experts ideas and make real
  products. Know less about the theory or jargon.

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Categories cont

• Manager usually making decisions and directing
  information. Needs less information. May or may
  not be familiar with the technology, jargon, or
  theory.
• General reader has little or no background in
  the topic and is not familiar with jargon or
  theory.

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Considerations

• Education
• Professional experience
• Job responsibility
• Personal characteristics/demographics
• Personal preferences
• Cultural characteristics
• How the design product will be used