Visual Design for Instruction: Using Graphic Design Principles to Improve Legibility and Readability Abbie Brown, PhD Professor and Author: Instructional Design/Technology
Legibility and Readability Readability = understandability One s ability to receive the intended message of the whole document Legibility = clarity of words and images One s ability to determine what the letters and pictures are supposed to be
Readability Example (the good) Comedy and Tragedy Classical comedy is often presented as the rise in fortune of a sympathetic central character. Classical tragedy is often presented as the downfall of a basically good person who suffers based on a fatal error or misjudgment. The masks of Thalia (the muse of comedy) and Melpomene (the muse of tragedy) are a traditional symbol of theater arts.
Readability Example (the bad) Classical comedy is often presented as the rise in fortune of a sympathetic central character. Classical tragedy is often presented as the downfall of a basically good person who suffers based on a fatal error or misjudgment. Comedy and Tragedy The masks of Thalia (the muse of comedy) and Melpomene (the muse of tragedy) are a traditional symbol of theater arts.
Legibility Example (the good) Comedy and Tragedy Classical comedy is often presented as the rise in fortune of a sympathetic central character. Classical tragedy is often presented as the downfall of a basically good person who suffers based on a fatal error or misjudgment. The masks of Thalia (the muse of comedy) and Melpomene (the muse of tragedy) are a traditional symbol of theater arts.
Legibility Example (the bad) Comedy and Tragedy Classical comedy is often presented as the rise in fortune of a sympathetic central character. Classical tragedy is often presented as the downfall of a basically good person who suffers based on a fatal error or misjudgment. The masks of Thalia (the muse of comedy) and Melpomene (the muse of tragedy) are a traditional symbol of theater arts.
We apply tested and reliable visual design principles to increase the readability and legibility of anything we want people to read and understand. Design Tip: Use images with faces to attract readers. People immediately focus attention on faces (human, animal, or cartoon).
Basic Visual Design Principles Contrast Repetition Alignment Proximity The unfortunate acronym - Williams, 2008 Why a duck? We ll be using this image in our examples of contrast, repetition, alignment and proximity. It s a thematic element (repetition) more on this in just a moment.
Examples of C.R.A.P. in action Getting our ducks in a row
Contrast Getting our ducks in a row
Repetition Getting our ducks in a row
Alignment Getting our ducks in a row
Alignment Getting our ducks in a row
Proximity Visual Design Principles! Getting our ducks in a row
Proximity Visual Design Principles! Getting our ducks in a row
Proximity Visual Design Principles! Negative Space Getting our ducks in a row
Design Critique
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Visual Design for Instruction: Using Graphic Design Principles to Improve Legibility and Readability Abbie Brown, PhD Professor and Author: Instructional Design/Technology