Document Design

In this post, I will discuss about the three main considerations of designing for the screen versus the print documents. With the proliferation use of internet, the amount of webpage has increase significantly and this also lead more competition between webpage. For example, one blog versus another blog and both also have discussion on the same field. In order to get attention from the internet users to look at the particular webpage, the web design plays an important role in getting attention. 

In the study of Nielson (1997) suggested that scannable, concise and objective writing styles can increase the usability of the webpage as opposed to promotional writing skills that had much lower scores on all usability measures. It is because each of the suggested writing styles offers a positive difference in Web users’ performance and subjective satisfaction. With the combining of the three suggested writing styles, it recorded a 124% improvement in usability measures (Nielson 1997). This shows that it is important to apply the appropriate writing styles in order to attract more internet users.

For better understanding on how the three writing styles work, I will briefly explain them. Basically, the webpage is needed to be scannable is because people do not often read a blog/webpage from top to bottom. Scannable is basically to encourage scanning, skimming of the text for information of interest. It can be bulleted lists, highlighted keywords and also shorter sections of text. Concise basically means writing the information in a shorter form and cut off the less-important information. The information has to be shortening appropriately to prevent from over-concise. The last writing styles is to write in an objective form. It means the presented information must not exaggerate subjective claims and boasting (Nielson 1997).

Besides the three main consideration of writing styles, designing screen layout is important for the readers to see the important information in the first eye. Normally people will have a specific reading stage in a webpage. Below is an example of conventions of western language readers.

1. Text will read from top left to bottom right
2. Larger items are more significant than smaller items
3. Items higher on the page have more priority than those lower down
4. Signals of continuation (“more to come”) appear at bottom center or bottom right

(Kristof and Satran 90 cited in Hilligoss 2002)

By fulfilling these elements, your blog might be able to catch the attention of internet users more effectively. Try it out.

Reference list

Nielsen, J 1997, How Users Read on the Web, viewed 24th August 2011, 

<www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html>

Hilligoss, S 2002, Visual Communication, A Writer’s Guide, 2nd edn, viewed 24th August 2011,

< www.ablongman.com/mycomplab_content/pdf/long_hilligoss.pdf>