Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Document design

The question of what can be certified as a good document is something that needs to be looked at as a well constructed document enables the target audience to understand, accept and ponder on the message of it.


In my opinion, my group’s presentation slides manage to fully explain Karen Shriver’s reading. However, there are certain flaws that when we look back to, we had wished to improved on. For example, there is an inconsistency in term of slides usage on different chapters by each member. Some explanation could have been shortened whereas some could be lengthen on the slides.


As Putnis and Petelin (1996) mentioned, ‘we live in a knowledge economy that values information and constantly relies on communication, success in a profession depends on the ability to communicate well.’ Therefore, the overall consistency and execution of the presentation slides are important in bearing the right information to the audience. Kress and van Leeuwen (2006) highlight the importance of visual and textual communication. I think my group’s presentation slides manage to find a balance in this area.


Image 1: texual and visual intersect

Reep (2006) say that the purpose for design feature is to increase audience's interest, highlight key point to direct readers and 'to create a document that reflects the image you wish readers to have'. In order to do so, it is important to change the color of the text, size of the fonts, etc. in accordance to the importance of certain parts. As mentioned by Oakley, 'what catches your attention is the unusual composition and layout'. I think that the presentation slides in my group presentation were rather simple and usual but there is usage of photos to grab audience's attention.

Image 2: Simple layout with pictures used to grab attention

Similarly, Shriver (1997) mentioned about the way the sections in newspapers are assembled in accordance to how reader’s reading habits. The importance of headings appropriately positioned to grab reader’s attention is important. I think the presentation slides we did are neatly organize in that manner.

Image 3: Use of heading as key point


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References:

Kress & van Leeuwen, L. 2006, 'Chapter 1: The Semiotic Landscape-Language and visual communication', Reading Images

Oakley, T. 2005, 'Implied narratives of medical practice in learning-for-doing text: A simulation semantics approach to rhetoric analysis', Language and Literature, SAGE Publications

Putnis, P. & Petelin, R. 1996, 'Writing to communicate', Professional communication: principles and applications, Prentice Hall, Sydney

Reep, D.C. 2006, 'Document Design', Technical Writing, Pearson/Longman, New York

Shriver, K. 1997, 'The interplay of words and pictures', Dynamics in document design: creating texts for readers, Wiley Computer Publication, New York

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