Mastering Document Design

The design of your document outlines how your audience responds to its content. Therefore, understanding how to structure content effectively is just as important as the content itself.

Good document design is about presenting information in a way that magnifies readability and usability. This "cheat sheet" from studocu cover some basics.

We don't want our documents to be too busy, as visual "clutter" causes unnecessary distractions. It's best to keep your document clean with simple design so the content is more digestible for the readers. You want your readers to be able to easily navigate your document, so there needs to be somewhat of a "visual flow" that will lead the reader through it. 

This can be done by: 

⮞Avoiding too much of a variety of font style/sizes, colors, spacing, etc. (2/3 fonts)

⮞Being sure to organize your content with clear headings. 

⮞Using bullet points and numbered lists. 

Whitespace (negative space) around key points and images in your document can assist in making it easier to navigate as well.

TOOLS AND RESOURCES:

Microsoft Word has built in styles and templates for document creating.

MadCap Flare-Start your free 30 day trial now by clicking MadCap Flare

For visually appealing guides, you can use Canva

To help with grammar and clarity, use Hemingway Editor