document design customized & workplace training aai/portland community college facilitated by...
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Document Design
Customized & Workplace TrainingAAI/Portland Community College
Facilitated by George Knox
Style: Business vs. Technical
Business Writing: Purposeful Persuasive Flexible Economical Reader-focused
Technical Writing: Purposeful Informative Structured Economical Product/process-
focused
Style: Business Writing
Strategies: Gain attention early Clarify benefits to
readers Frontload a positive
message Backload a negative
message Always include a
“request for action”
Use keywords Explain technical or
unfamiliar terms Prepare for multiple
audiences Avoid conversational
and narrative styles Consider multiple
modes of delivery
Style: Technical Writing
Strategies: Design document to be
“used” rather than “read”
Provide for document navigation
Frontload most technical documents
Use appropriate technical & industry terms including acronyms
Create distinct document sections based on use
Provide necessary caution and warning messages
Prepare document for use within technical setting
Consider multiple modes of delivery
Use technical graphics whenever possible
Style: Proper Citation
Use the correct style– (Academic/industry standard, in-house guide,
editor/reader preference)
Document your sources in progress– Take notes with source info– Place citations/short-cuts in drafts
Proofread for citations– Citations matched with sources?– Correct style and punctuation?
Combining Technical & Business Styles
Use correct style for document sections– Function (Purpose of each section)– Audience expectations
Separate sections written in different styles– Differentiate between sections– Headings, titles, text, graphics, etc.
Consider linking separate documents
Document Design: Format
Informative
Introduction of problem
Main point Details Summary
Persuasive
•Introduction of problem•Main point (or after supports)•Supports•Summary•Request for action
Instructional
•Introduction of problem•Steps in sequential order•Additional resources
Document Design: Flow Front load vs. back load Roadmap
– Statement of purpose– Overview of content
Signposts (Visual)– Visual elements guiding reader– Headings, highlighted text, dividers, white
space Cues (Text)
– Transitional phrases and words Chunking (Grouping related elements) Linking (Transitioning between elements) Parallel form
Document Design: Focus
“The Rule of Ones”
– One idea per sentence– One topic sentence per paragraph– One thesis/main point per document
Document Design: Graphics Integrate graphics into text
– See Tips for Using Visuals Maintain a graphic theme Generally do not use clip art or extraneous
graphics for formal documents Follow corporate/publication guidelines Adhere to copyright law
Remember: Graphics are included to communicate
Tips for Using Visuals Only use visuals when
useful/necessary Refer to visuals in the text
(see Figure 1) Place visuals near and
after references Label figures and tables
with a number and caption Label the important parts
of visuals Cite your sources when
necessary Use white space to
improve impact and readability
Figure 1 Advice
Source: Webmuseum,http://metalab.unc.edu/wm/paint/auth/caroll/
Document Design: Other Issues
Headings, spacing, pagination, type Titles, length, submission Documentation of sources Electronic format Preparation for delivery
All of these are dependent upon the publisher and style guide
Formatting Text
Common format:
10-12 point type (body text) Serif vs. San Serif Consistent type styles (“Magic 3”) Bold/italics to emphasize Avoid all capitals and underlining Ragged right – justified left margins Text boxes, large size, color for emphasis
Mini-Documents
Supplemental documents that summarize or overview a full document– Executive Summaries, abstracts, chapter
summaries, detailed contents, etc.– Used by audiences to preview longer
documents– Helpful tool to target multiple audiences– May be used separately from full document