8 Rules of document design

Are the documents being designed for your organization getting tossed or getting attention? Whether you're creating a business card, letter, brochure, advertisement, newsletter or proposal, effective design can sell your ideas and make them easier to understand.

The appearance of your print communications directly influences your ability to inform, motivate and persuade. Here's why. Just as you "read" people when you first meet them - forming impressions based on their posture, clothing, facial expressions and voice tone - readers judge your ideas based on first impressions of your documents. If the document is cluttered or disorganized, readers will likely disregard your ideas - no matter how brilliant they are.

The good news is that design basics are the same for most documents. To improve the design of all your organization's print communications, especially those you create electronically, look for these eight basic rules of effective design.

1. Communicate your purpose

Start by defining the purpose of your design. Parker suggests first determining whether you are designing the document for attention or for transparency. Design for attention when your message must compete for your reader's attention. Book covers and posters are two examples. Use the appropriate colors, type and striking visual images to "wow" your readers.

Design for transparency when you want to make it simple for readers to quickly understand your message. Create easy-to-read text columns so readers aren't distracted by design elements.

2. Simplify your message

Complicated information can be simplified in many ways. One technique is to insert subheads. Subheads guide readers through long articles by breaking them into easily read two- and three- paragraph topics. You can also simplify by replacing text with tables, charts and other graphics.

3. Use selective emphasis

Good design reveals your message's information hierarchy. Important headlines, for example, attract more attention than secondary headlines. Remember, though, never to overuse emphasis. In a room full of shouting people, one more shout is unlikely to stand out. But a shout in a library or church is certain to attract attention. Reserve emphasis for the most important parts of your message.

Pull quotes are a useful tool to add emphasis and reinforce ideas. A pull quote is a short quotation used as a graphic device to summarize surrounding material and draw attention to it. It is used to break up large amounts of body copy. As a design element, a pull quote can be set in large type, reversed or boxed.

4. Add contrast to add interest

Add visual contrast to your documents by using white space, typography and size. Setting headlines in a noticeably different typeface and type size will stimulate your readers' eyes.

Size of graphic elements can also add contrast to your pages. For example, two photographs of dramatically different size on a page are more appealing than a page with two photographs of equal size. Also, the size difference visually communicates which element is more important.

5. Don't overdo the design

Use a few colors and typefaces well. With hundreds of colors and typefaces at your disposal, it's easy to obliterate your message. The best looking documents use minimal colors and color effects.

6. Project the right image

Use consistent type, color and design elements for each document to ensure a distinct and easily identifiable "look" that distinguishes you from your competitors. Your design reinforces your message by projecting an image that creates the appropriate emotional response. The layout, typeface and color choices create documents that project images your readers relate to on an emotional level. Depending on how your design presents your image, readers may perceive your message as professional, friendly, warm, corporate, impersonal, cheap or expensive.

Although image operates on a strong emotional level, we often take it for granted. For instance, imagine your reaction to receiving a red and yellow funeral announcement, an orange and black Christmas card, or a red and green Halloween card.

7. Enhance your efficiency and production

Design tools such as document templates, styles and color palettes can be shared between documents to enhance efficiency and speed up production schedules. Templates are "empty" documents with preformatted margins, columns and sample text ready to be replaced with your message. Templates save time and contribute to consistency by eliminating the need to reinvent the design wheel every time you start a new project.

8. Edit without compromise

Design succeeds by eliminating words rather than reducing type size or line spacing to "fit everything in". Therefore, at every step in designing your next print communication, ask yourself:

• Is it easy for readers to understand my message?
• Does my design project a unique, appropriate and consistent image?

Consult with your graphic designer or printer early in the production process to find out how you can increase the impact of your print communications with effective design.

Articles main page