- Experts in Document Design Although technical writers do not need to be experts in semiology, psychoanalysis, or content analysis, we need to know enough about document design to create manuals, web sites, brochures, and other communication packages that speak to the audience. We need to know enough about the audience's eye movement across the page to make a page that flows. That is, for English speaking audiences, we need to know that the audience's eye will track from the upper left to the lower right of the page. For audiences who primarily read Chinese, Hebrew, or Arabic, those eyes will track in different directions.
Additionally, we need to be aware of the limitations of the fonts we incorporate (Are the lines so thick that they are hard to read from a distance?), the mix of colors we use (Can the elements of our pictures be distinguished as separate elements?), and the amount of white space incorporated in our illustrations and text. Although Jan White claims that serifs have a functional value in that they direct the eye and san serif fonts anchor the eye (Kostelnick and Roberts, 1998, p142), there have not been corroborating studies confirming these findings. Therefore, other than my own anecdotal evidence in support of White's study, I really cannot recommend this limitation on use of fonts. However, I can point to more than a few sources that would confirm that using more than two or three fonts on a page will reduce the readability of the page (Becker, 2009)(Krug, 2006, p36).
As mentioned previously, we also need to consider the cultural side of our pages and illustrations. Do procedural photos that are directed at Americans include someone pointing to the audience with the middle finger? Does a photo for an Arabian audience show the sole of a model's foot?
Becker, E. (2009). AMWA Presentation to UHD.
Kostelnick, C., & Roberts, D. D. (1998). Designing Visual Language: Strategies for Professional Communicators. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Krug, S. (2006). Don't make me think: A common sense approach to web usability. Berkeley, Calif: New Riders.
Source: http://techwritingprof.blogspot.com/2012/12/things-that-technical-writers-need-to.html
aurora Angie Everhart tom hardy British Open leaderboard Jessica Ghawi People Water Fred Willard
Source: http://clementscarey.typepad.com/blog/2012/12/the-tech-writing-prof-things-that-technical-writers-need-to-provide.html
NBA jfk airport faith hill metro north taco bell taco bell Breezy Point
Source: http://wslost883.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-tech-writing-prof-things-that.html
best picture 2012 oscar winners channel 3 news j lo j lo sacha baron cohen ryan seacrest octavia spencer
Source: http://tylerlogan23.posterous.com/watson-the-tech-writing-prof-things-that-tech
the notebook duke basketball miranda july joe paterno near death joepa sc primary bill moyers
কোন মন্তব্য নেই:
একটি মন্তব্য পোস্ট করুন