Architecture of Designing Documents  

Both parks and document design share the same goal: to satisfy patrons and entice them to return. The common characteristics - available for many activities, easy navigation and circulation, appropriate equipment, effective use of space, and patron safety - are applied to document design. So take a walk - in a park - to find out about document design.

Lisberg, Beth Conney. STC Proceedings (1999). Design>Document Design>Information Design

Black and White and Red All Over  

Color is a powerful motivation and selling tool. We can also use color to improve people’s performance. Color is comprised of hue, value and saturation. When selecting a color scheme for a web site or slide presentation select a pastel background, then a complimentary or contrasting secondary color for accents. Select black or neutral text. Avoid the jelly-bean syndrome of contrasting, saturated, adjacent colors that fatigue the eye. Instead, use bright colors only for accents, not for major areas.

Lisberg, Beth Conney. STC Proceedings (1998). Presentations>Graphic Design>Design

Seeing is Believing: Communicating Information Graphically  

Diverse work situations and varied skills, abilities, and motivation affect how users handle documentation to do their jobs. Communicating graphically challenges the communicator to 1) select illustrations that orient users ana' 2) use dynamic arrows to show the motion required. The communicator then 3) shows the order of steps within a task by using numbers with 'numberness.' Users' eyes seek information dynamically: help them find needed i$ormation by 4) keeping tasks within eyespan on a page. Then 5) use a grid to consistently layout an interesting page.

Lisberg, Beth Conney. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Graphic Design>Visual Rhetoric>Charts and Graphs

Wayfinding in Small Spaces: How to Create Job Aids  

Users reach for job aids for a range of reasons, from recalling the highlights of a task, to finding codes that are used infrequently. The compact size offers safe harbor after working through a detailed user’s manual. Creating a job aid, however, is quite time-consuming. You must select the content, then concisely and elegantly incorporate key tasks and codes. Finally, you need to produce the job aid in a functional format. The hardest task of all is to sell job aids to management. You need to sell productivity and results, not size. After all, good things come in small packages.

Lisberg, Beth Conney. STC Proceedings (2000). Presentations>Documentation