Document Design

Document design is important and crucial in giving out information and messages to the audience, which are the readers. According to Reep (2006), document design refers to the physical appearance of a document. It is not only the written text is important, but its presentation is more important to provide the readers with information they need. There are many ways that can contribute in designing a good document.

According to Reep (2006), there are many purpose and advantages in designing document. Firstly, a good document design will guide the readers and help them in remembering the important and highlighted sections. Secondly, good document should increase the readers' interest to read it. This can be archived by includes eye-catching graphic aids to the document. And lastly, the documents must reflect the image you wish the readers to have. The designer should be able to identifies their audience before designing a document.

Before start any project, planning is the most important step as it will guide the writer to the end product. A document should be well planned and structured before designing it. Documents that are well plan will turn up good. The writer will know the flow of the document. The writer should organise the document starting with the most important section to the least important. This will help the readers when reading the documents.

Designing a document will make the document more interesting and will attract readers to read it. There are many ways to make the document more interesting. For example, the documents should have pictures, tables, figures and so on. This will not only make the document more interesting but will make it more reliable because of the proofs and examples shown.

In the example below from my group's presentation slides, the document is only have words. It is not interesting at all. To make it more interesting, pictures or figures should be added up.





Good writing is important in designing a good document. According to Putnis and Patelin (1996), there is no such things as right or wrong writing - just the most effective writing for a given situation and readership. In a good document, not all the important points should be written in full sentence. It is good sometimes to write it in point forms. It will be straight to the point and will not drag the readers to boredom.

For example from my group's presentation slides, the main points are in point form. The definition of information value short and can be easily understand by the readers.



references :

• PUTNIS, P. & PETELIN, R. 1996, Professional Communication: principles and applications, Writing to communicate, Sydney, Prentice Hall, viewed on 11th September 2009, from http://p8080-130.220.165.27.ezlibproxy3.unisa.edu.au/fedora/get/changeme:554412/CONTENT

• REEP, D. C. 2006, Technical writing, New York, Pearson/Longman, viewed on 11th September 2009, from http://p8080-130.220.165.27.ezlibproxy3.unisa.edu.au/fedora/get/changeme:931547/CONTENT

• ROTHMAN, S. 2005, What Makes Good Scientific and Technical Writing, viewed on 11th September 2009, from http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/9447/error

• NIELSEN, J. 1997, How Users Read on the Web, viewed on 11th September 2009, from http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html

• PUTNIS, P. & PETELIN, R. (1996) Professional Communication: principles and applications, Writing to communicate, Sydney, Prentice Hall, viewed on 1st September 2009, http://p8080-130.220.165.27.ezlibproxy3.unisa.edu.au/fedora/get/changeme:554412/CONTENT
  

• PUTNIS, P. & PETELIN, R. (1996) Professional Communication: principles and applications, What is good writing?, Sydney, Prentice Hall, viewed on 1st September 2009, http://p8080-130.220.165.27.ezlibproxy3.unisa.edu.au/fedora/get/changeme:554412/CONTENT
  

Purpose

According to Dictionary.com, a document is any written item, as a book, article, or letter, especially of a factual or informative nature. In order for the information to be reached by the audience effectively, the design of the document should be good. The purpose of this blog is to discuss what a good document design is. Document design is very important in media and in publication fields. the target audience for this blog is mostly students and everyone else who is interested in designing good documents.

reference:

Document, 2009, online, retrieved 10 September 2009, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/document?o=100074