Document and information design principles applied to multimodal technical communication projects

1. Analyzing Multimodal Design Choices
Reader-Centered Documents for the Workplace
Susan Rauch, Ph.D.
Texas Tech University

2. Linguistic
Spatial
Aural
Visual Gestural
MODES OF
COMMUNICATION

3. Writing and Designing Rhetorically
RHETORICAL
SITUATION
AUDIENCE
PURPOSE
CONTEXT
OF USE
GENRE
TEXT

4. Analyzing Design Choices
• Emphasis
• Contrast
• Organization (Balance)
• Alignment
• Proximity
5 KEY
DESIGN
CONCEPTS
Source: Arola, Shepard, Ball

5. Balance
Source: bidsketch.com Source: designshack.net

6. Emphasis
• Stressing a word or group of
words. Font size, style.
• Visuals that add emphasis to
text
• How spatial arrangements play a
role in receiving information.

7. Visual Emphasis
Graphs, Charts, Tables, Data Visualizations
Source: Duarte Slidedocs

8. Contrast
• Difference
between
elements
 Whitespace
 Size
 Placement
 Shape
 Content
Source: Gurak & Lannon

9. Organization/Balance
• Arrangement of content
• Uses a grid system for layout
of content
• Use Levels of Headings for
hierarchy of ideas
• Also incorporates Emphasis

10. BEFORE AFTER
Colorful and broken into smaller, more
digestible, visual chunks of information.
Document design dull and dense. May
affect the comprehension of subject matter.
Organization
Sources: Duarte Slidedocs

11. Alignment
• How things line up and
are grouped on a page
• Controls how our eyes
move across the page

12. Proximity
• Closeness in space.
• Grouping of elements
• Relationships created by
spacing between
elements (words, images)

13. Design Analysis Activity
Web Source: TtU Cowamonus and Red Raider Meats

14. Source:www.k2.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp

15. Design Analysis Activity

17. References
• Arola, K. L., Ball, C. E., & Sheppard, J. (2014). Writer/Designer: A Guide to
Making Multimodal Projects.
• Duarte, N. (2014) Slidedocs.
• Gurak, L. J., & Lannon, J. M. (2012). Strategies for Technical
Communication in the Workplace. Pearson Higher Ed.
• Johnson-Sheehan, R. (2005). Technical Communication Today.
• Wijaya, H. (2016) “20 Creative Invoice & Proposal Template Designs.”