What is Document Design?
Document design is ‘the field concerned with creating text’ (Shriver, 1997). It incorporate books, pamphlets, posters and other document that combined words and pictures on ways in order to help readers achieve their specific goals for using the text (Shriver, 1997).
Print document, can be defined as print-based document which belong to monomodal text, for example newspaper (Walsh, 2006). In contrast, screen document is considered as multimodal text in non-print form which may incorporate images, music, sound and other, for example email and internet (Walsh, 2006). Thus, there are some different between print document and screen document design.
Print Document
source: Google
Screen Document
source: Malaysia Kini
Differences between Print document & Screen document
Writing Structure
For print document, writer can write the whole content and build arguments carefully as they can “control” the reader (RedShaw, 2003). Reader will read the whole document from introduction to conclusion (RedShae, 2003). Thus, information can be presented in a logical sequence, supported by peripheral cues (RedShaw, 2003).
According to Dr Jacob Nielsen, 79% of web users only scan the webpage instead of reading word by word (RedShaw, 2003). This is because reading from a computer is 25% slower than reading a print document and it may increase eyestrain (RedShaw, 2003). Therefore, a web document must has a combination of concise, scannable and objective in order to improve its usability and attract reader (Neilsen & Morkes, 1997). Due to most people only scan the page, some guidelines must be used to employ scannable text (Nielsen, 1997):
- highlighted keywords
- meaningful sub-headings
- bulleted lists
- one idea per paragraph
- 50% word count than conventional writing
Layout
‘Print design is two-dimensional, which much attention paid to layout’ (Neilsen, 1999) whereas ‘web design is simultaneously one-dimensional and N-dimensional’ (Neilsen, 1999). On the other hand, each view of print design unit is created for a fixed size canvas while screen design allow a scrolling experience for the user as opposed to a canvas experience (Neilsen, 1999).
Reading Process
Print document reader read the whole content (RedShaw, 2003). Writer will know ‘what they have read previously and what they are going to read next’ (RedShaw, 2003). Reader will not get enough information if they scan print document without reading line by line.
Screen document reader always scan the page by picking out keywords or sub-heading (Nielsen, 1997). Reader for multimodal text (screen document included) need to simultaneously process the mseeage in words, images, movements and sound (Walsh, 2006).
References:
- Nielsen, J & Morkes, J 1997, Concise, scannable and objective: How to write for the web, viewed 24 August 2011, <http://www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/writing.html>
- Nielsen, J 1997, How users read on the web, viewed 24 August 2011, <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html>
- Nielsen, J 1999, Differences between web design and print design, viewed 24 August 2011, <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990124.html>
- RedShawn, K 2003, Web writing vs print writing, viewed 24 August 2011, <http://www.kerryr.net/webwriting/guide_web-vs-print.htm>
- Shriver, KA 1997, Dynamis in document design, viewed 24 August 2011, <http://www.bastoky.com/DocDesignDef.htm>
- Walsh, M 2006, The 'textual shift': examing the reading process with print, visual and multimodal text, Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, vol.29, no.1, pp.24-37.
