Seven Characteristics of Technical
Communication
• Addresses particular readers.
• Helps readers solve problems.
• Reflects an organization's goals and culture.
• Is produced collaboratively.
• Uses design to increase readability.
• Consists of words or graphics or both.
• Is produced using high-tech tools.
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© 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's
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Goals of Document Design
• To make a good impression on readers.
• To help readers understand the structure and
hierarchy of the information.
• To help readers find the information they need.
• To help readers understand the information.
• To help readers remember the information.
Chapter 13. Designing the Document
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Four Principles of Design
• Proximity – group related items together. Keep text
describing a graphic next to the graphic.
• Alignment – create a unified whole.
• Repetition – use consistent format for each level of
information.
• Contrast – use different type to emphasize important
points.
Chapter 13. Designing the Document
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Consider Cultural Preference in
These Design Elements:
• Paper sizes – different countries have different
standard paper sizes.
• Typeface – Pacific Rim countries prefer sans-serif
typefaces, while Western readers prefer serifs.
• Color – In China, red suggests happiness or
celebration, while in other countries it suggests
danger.
• Text direction – some cultures read left to right, others
read right to left.
Chapter 13. Designing the Document
© 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's
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Three Resources to Consider When
Planning the Whole Document
• Time
• Money
• Equipment
Chapter 13. Designing the Document
© 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's
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Four Elements
to Consider in Designing
the Whole Document
• Size
• Paper
• Bindings
• Accessing tools
Icons
Color
Dividers and tabs
Cross-reference tables
Headers and footers
Page numbering
Chapter 13. Designing the Document
© 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's
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Three Principles Used in
Designing Effective Pages
• Chunking. People understand information best if it is
delivered to them in chunks rather than all at once.
• Queuing. Queuing refers to creating visual
distinctions to indicate levels of importance.
• Filtering. Filtering is the use of visual patterns to
distinguish various types of information.
Chapter 13. Designing the Document
© 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's
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Two Kinds of Space on Every Page
• White space (or negative space)
• Space for text and graphics
• Page grids arrange elements into one or more
columns.
Chapter 13. Designing the Document
© 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's
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Three Advantages of Multicolumn
Design
• Text is easier to read because the lines are shorter.
• Columns allow you to fit more information on the
page, because many graphics can fit in one column
or extend across two or more columns.
• Columns let you use the principle of repetition to
create a visual pattern, such as text in one column,
accompanying graphic in an adjacent column.
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© 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's
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Four Purposes of Margins
• They limit the amount of information on the page,
making it easier to read and use.
• They provide space for binding and allow readers to
hold the page without covering up the text.
• They provide a neat frame around the type.
• They provide space for marginal glosses.
Chapter 13. Designing the Document
© 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's
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Four Aspects of Typography
• Typefaces: Serif vs. Sans-serif
• Type families
Arial
Arial Black
Arial Narrow
• Case
Lowercase letters are easier to read THAN UPPERCASE LETTERS.
• Type sizes
Chapter 13. Designing the Document
© 2004 by Bedford/St. Martin's
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Five Other Design Features Used
Frequently in Technical Communication
• Rules
• Boxes
• Screens
• Marginal glosses
• Pull quotes
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