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Document Design: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

7/24/2014

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PictureImage courtesy of Kromkrathog/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. 

However, a recent factoid challenges that adage. According to http://visualteachingalliance.com, our brains process visual information 60,000 times faster than text. Therefore, it's no surprise that pictures and words pair together like pb and j to help a reader understand a document.  

But you still need to lay it out well...

Entertain the Brain.

When designing a document, think about ways to keep your reader engaged. Invest time in researching and selecting the right colors and shapes to use. Of course, much like stars, no two brains are exactly alike. What draws one person's attention may be overlooked by another.

However, there is something to the science. Research it. Know your audience. If you click on a website and it makes your eyes hurt and your head spin, it's safe to say the chosen design may be a bad one.

Your document must be aesthetically pleasing. Here's an interesting and very visual read with examples, http://www.slideshare.net/hollykatharine/understanding-the-basics-of-document-design.

Get Graphic.

We all remember the 80’s ad campaign with a small kid telling bigger guys how he may look like this now, but just wait and see. “Milk, it does a body good.” The images are iconic. The phrase is catchy and fairly short.

In the 90s the phrase evolved with the simple, yet legendary, “Got Milk?” campaign and the world's largest celebrities became immortalized wearing a milk mustache. The milk campaigns still offer some of the most powerful images today and show just how important visual elements are in conveying a message.

If your pictures are strong enough and the words are selected wisely, the combination of text and graphics are uniquely powerful.

Get Some Help.

If you need a little assistance, there are many websites out there to guide with design and graphics. Whether designing curriculum, marketing literature, or a direct mail campaign, If you'd like a more personal touch in blending text and design, Juniper Shore Publications is here for you.



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