Using Illustrations in Technical Communications
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Presentation delivered to the ASTC Conference in Sydney - October 27th 2011
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Using Illustrations in Technical Communications
- 1. Using Illustrations in Technical Communication ASTC Conference – October 2011 Charles Cave
- 6. Purpose of my talk Purpose of my talk • Types of illustrations – sketches technical Types of illustrations sketches, technical drawings, photographs, video • How to choose How to choose • How to make illustrations • Get your feedback and ideas charles.cave@ir.com
- 11. Callout two step lookup Callout – two step lookup Letters Callout – 2 step lookup
- 13. Callout with structure Callout – with structure
- 19. Drawings Vs Vs Photographs g p
- 21. Annotations
- 30. Flowchart
- 35. Icon Libraries Visio or Powerpoint Icon Libraries – Visio or Powerpoint
- 39. Uses of Illustrations Uses of Illustrations • Show finished result (cookbook) Show finished result (cookbook) • Label components (call out) • Show steps i Sh in a process ( i (origami) i) • Demonstration (cookbook) • Visual index (bird field guide) • Visual identification (spices, birds) Visual identification (spices birds)
- 40. Types of Illustrations Types of Illustrations • Sketches (hand drawn/scan, tablet) Sketches (hand drawn/scan, tablet) • Line art (scan) • Vector art (Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape) Vector art (Adobe Illustrator Inkscape) • Technical drawing (Visio, 2D or 3D CAD, Dia) • PowerPoint – D P P i t Drawings and Smart Art i dS tA t • Screen captures (Snagit) • Photographs • Video – YouTube ‐ Camtasia
- 41. Practicalities
- 42. Line Art Line Art • Drawing by hand scanner or camera Drawing by hand – scanner or camera • Drawing by computer • File sizes il i • Easy to update
- 46. Powerpoint ‐ Smart Art Smart Art
- 47. Seasons Summer Spring Autumn Winter
- 48. Visio
- 49. Photographs • Camera, tripod, lighting, Image editor – Photoshop, GIMP (software) • Composition, backgrounds p , g • Difficulty of updating or recreating • All the steps can be seen at once ‐ All the steps can be seen at once overview • File size – image size, compression (JPG)
- 50. Image Files Image Files • JPEG format • I Image size – width and height i idth d h i ht • Compression
- 51. Video • Camera, tripod, lighting • Composition, backgrounds, action • More effort to update or recreate p • Quicker to create than showing steps • User can pause, rewind and replay User can pause rewind and replay
- 52. Conclusion
- 53. How can you develop your skills? How can you develop your skills?
- 54. 1. Draw every day! 1. Draw every day!
- 55. 2. Storyboards 2. Storyboards • Sketches to show just enough information Sketches to show just enough information
- 56. 3. Carry digital/video camera always 3. Carry digital/video camera always • Photograph what you write about it Photograph what you write about it • Video record demonstrations and procedures
- 57. 4. Learn to use drawing s/w 4. Learn to use drawing s/w • Powerpoint – Shapes Smart Art Photo effects Shapes, Smart Art, Photo effects • Visio – Symbol libraries • Dia – O i Open Source program like Visio S lik i i • Open Office ‐ Draw • Inkscape (free equivalent Adobe Illustrator) p www.inkscape.org g
- 58. 5. Befriend your Graphic Designer 5. Befriend your Graphic Designer www.designcrowd.com g www.freelance.com www.elance.com
- 59. Think Visual!