2. Principles of design, layout,
and desktop publishing
Concepts that can increase
quality, effect, & efficiency

3. you’re working
in the post-revolution era.
the “electronic publishing revolution” has made
it both easier and harder for you to get your
message out.
example: http://www.hotbot.com

4. so, assume nobody’s interested.
in the information culture that we now live, why
should anybody read your work?
learn to trick your audience into paying attention.
treat your publication like any other presentation,
e.g.: a speech.
this is an absolutely key principle!

5. ask yourself ...

6. what’s your purpose?
- what do you want your web to achieve?
- determine this very early on in the planning stages of your design
to entertain
to persuade
to identify
to inform
to elicit a response
to provide a reference
?

7. what’s your image?
formal, informal, friendly, playful, elegant,
stylish, trendy, classic, adventurous,
conservative, scholarly, provocative, diverse,
spirited, generous, concerned
the design of your pages will create an image,
whether you like it or not

8. who’s your audience?
who do you want to experience your design?
what are they like? what do they know already?
learn everything you can about your audience

9. remember corporate image
Mangadine Systems
Where the future starts when it's good and ready

10. a good hammer does not equal
a nice birdhouse.
software is only a tool, and good design is not
one of it’s default settings.
in other words ...
having the tools of a designer does not
necessarily make you a designer.
example: http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com

11. don’t forget your hats.
designer/producer
writer
editor
artist
typesetter
technician

12. keep an extra set of eyes handy.

13. repetition gives cohesion.
a consistent “look
and feel” shows
planning and
professionalism
example: http://www.ccu.edu

14. variation gives interest.
small variations
within your
scheme keep
your audience
engaged
example: http://luke.ccu.edu

15. symmetry loses your attention

16. asymmetry holds your interest.

17. use the rule of thirds.
(a design principle taken from photography, fine art,
graphic design, et al)

18. keep the eye on the page.

19. Effect is
a product of quality and culture.
You might also want to
think of “effect” as
your audience’s
experience

20. effect is the result of
unconscious assessment.

21. effect (or experience) is the bottom line.

22. Form has function

23. Details are important.
They do contribute to the unconscious
assessment that is your audience’s experience.
"Details"
“Details”

24. Style means what?
Style means something.
Style means something.
Style means something.

25. and very important to realize ...

26. fashion exists.

27. but, you must also remember …
… ultimately,
content is as important as effect.

28. invention is …
the art of stealing creatively.
electronic publishing is perhaps the easiest medium
ever in which you can “steal” other peoples ideas
just be aware of copyright issues as you “create”
good design can be time-consuming, so ...
... “steal” from yourself to save time
example: http://www.netone.com/~wyllyamz

29. perfectionism wastes time.
most often it takes:
• 20% of your time to do 80% of the job.
• and 80% of your time to complete the final 20%
of that job.
• another way to put this ...

30. perfectionism wastes time.
80% effort = 99% effect

31. Strive for excellence …
not perfection.

32. Efficiency is
a product of effort and effect.
ReadRead
this.this.
Read
this.

33. less is more.
in designing a new "graphic piece," it is better
in the opinion of most professional layout
artists — though there are a few examples that
seem to demonstrate the contrary — to use
only a few elements and fonts than to use many
different kinds. the same is "true" for words.
example: http://www.netone.com/~wyllyamz/eMpTy/resume.html

34. In conclusion …
Keep in mind the law of computer-user
inverse inefficiency:
• A beginner wastes hours figuring out how to do
something that an experienced user could do in
just a few seconds.
• An experienced user wastes hours designing a
time-saving feature that will do something a
beginner could do in just a few seconds more.

35. remember Hofstedder’s law.
“everything you do will take three times longer
than you think it will, even when you take
Hofstedder's law into account.”

36. technology is not only your friend,
but also …
your enemy.
the computer can be a very distracting thing
to complete your task, you must exercise discipline