The way a document looks affects people’s opinions of the document—even before reading it. And the design affects how people use the document. This article outlines some basic issues to consider when developing materials for publication. After reading the article, try out a couple of the ideas. You may be surprised how much they can help improve your printed materials.

The primary goal of designing a publication, whether it’s an enrollment form, newsletter, brochure, or new student orientation handout, is to communicate ideas and information. If the piece does not communicate clearly, it is a failure. But the good news is that it can be re-designed into a successful publication. And if you’re starting from scratch, you’re even better off—you have a clean slate to start from.

Whether you have some printed materials in your department that could benefit from re-design, or you are designing new materials, here are a few ideas that may help you get started.

Note: these tips are written for printed materials, but also apply to web sites and other forms of visual communication.

Before You Start

Before you start to design, first make sure you have a clear picture of the audience and the goals of the publication. Then make sure the text is logically organized, clearly written, and well edited to meet the goals. You would not want to create a great design and then have to start over because the text required major revisions!

Visual Hierarchy: Is it immediately clear what the material is? Can you quickly find important sections?

If you glance at the front page for a second, what “pops” off the page? Can you immediately tell what the publication is? Can other people?

Busy students, staff, and faculty may not have time to read the fine print to figure out which form they need. And when they do have the right publication, can they quickly find the specific information that they are looking for?

Visual hierarchy is the order of what things we notice first, second, third, etc. on a printed page. To increase the prominence of some headline text or a graphic on a printed page, do one or two of the following:

• Increase size (larger and/or bolder).
  
• Increase contrast (black and white have the highest contrast).
  
• Add color (usually in just a few places).
  
• Move it towards the top and/or left side of the page.
  

Be moderate in using the list above, since the goal is to add just enough difference so that the hierarchy is clear. When you have developed a draft, tape it up to a wall and stand 10 or more feet back, squint your eyes, and observe what you notice first, second, third and so on. That is the visual hierarchy. Or have other people look at it very quickly. What do they see first?

Readability: Is the material easy to read?

When you pick up a document, you want to read it. So as a designer, you want to make it easy for your audience to read your publication. Here are a few tips to help.

• In general, try to use no more than two font families in the document. Designers often use one serif font (such as Times) and one sans-serif font (such as Helvetica). One font may be used for body text, and another for headlines and sub-heads. Occasionally designers add a third font as a graphic accent that is used in just one or two places.
  
• Choose fonts that are easily legible. Some ornate or grungy fonts are hard to decipher. Many fonts are easy to read, for example Palatino, Times New Roman, and Helvetica.
  
• Select type sizes that are easy for most people to read. As we age, small type becomes harder to read. Most people can read 11-12 point printed type.
  
• Make sure your type and background colors have high “value” contrast. Black and white have the highest contrast in values. If the printed material is in color (not grayscale) print it in grayscale once to see if the value contrast is good. If the text/background values are strongly different, then even if readers are color blind, they should be able to read the material. (Color blindness is not limited just to red-green blindness.)
  
• Use consistent paragraph styles. If you have three different styles of bullet-lists in one page, you will confuse your readers’ eyes.
  
• Use “white space” (open space on the page, without text or graphics). When too much information is crowded together, it can be overwhelming and difficult to read.
  
• In long sections of text, use sub-heads periodically so that readers can scan through quickly to find the sections they need (sub-heads such as the line below this).
  

Graphics: Do all the graphics help to communicate?

Is that picture worth 1,000 words?

As a designer, you want your graphics to be workers, not freeloaders. If a graphic is taking up space on the page, it should be helping to communicate something. Photographs, diagrams, and graphs can illustrate a point, sometimes more clearly than text.

Of course, what a graphic communicates could be ephemeral, such as a tone or mood (friendly or upbeat), or it could be metaphoric, not literal. A flying bird might represent the greater freedom of choices that students achieve through study, or it might represent the hopes and dreams of graduates. But each graphic, including background images, lines, and even colors, should be contributing something to the communication and supporting the goals of the publication.

• If the graphic does not contribute to the communication, then it should be removed or replaced.
  
• Some information can be communicated more quickly or clearly through graphics. Do you need to add a few graphics?
  
• Some people understand visual communication better than long sections of text. Would graphics help your readers?
  

Clarity: Is the material clear or is it visually “cluttered”?

When you look at a publication, (A) can your eyes calmly locate the important information, or (B) do your eyes skitter back and forth among a confusing jumble of competing text and graphics? If the answer is B, then the design is cluttered. Here are some possible solutions.

• Reduce the number of graphics.
  
• Reduce the amount of text.
  
• Increase the page size or page count (but don’t increase the content).
  
• Make the text more uniform (use just one or two fonts, just a few type sizes, and just a few paragraph styles).
  
• Make the graphics more uniform (use graphics in just one style or with compatible styles).
  
• Use fewer colors or use color in fewer places.
  
• Align the text and/or graphics in a uniform grid pattern.
  
• Be consistent in text alignment. Avoid mixing left-aligned text with centered text in one publication. (But centered text for titles can be used with justified body text.)
  

Unity: Making it all work together

Function wins over form. The most important goal is to have a publication that works. But good design supports and enhances the function and purpose of the publication, and makes it even stronger. A few more tips “for the road”:

• Use white space. “Empty” space on a page is powerful.
  
• Keep the design simple. This is a principle I always return to in my work.
  
• Keep the users happy. If the people who use a publication don’t want any changes, then the best solution may be to leave it as is.
  

With an open mind and wide open eyes, you can contribute to improving the design standards at your office.

Good luck, and have fun!

Senior Graphic Designer
Web Developer
Talino Corporation