Though people may think of writing as plain text, smart design and figure placement are key elements of the text. Well-designed texts in print and digital formats share all the characteristics outlined by Park and many of those addressed in the accessibility factsheet. In general, the writer or creator needs to balance simplicity and comprehensiveness, including all necessary information while presenting in a format that does not deter the reader with too many crammed details.
There are many ways to do this. Arrangement, including positioning of graphics and text, choosing whether to overlay text on other features, and the strategic use of white space should always be considered, since the reader forms their initial opinion partially based on these factors. For example, Park’s example of the car show flyer highlighted the importance of emphasizing the title, consistent graphic size, and removing redundant words such as “to be held at,” slogans, and the excessive use of exclamation marks. These changes would improve design whether this flyer was intended to be used electronically or printed out. The only difference between design in these two formats is the effect of window size for digital media. Websites should be able to accommodate smaller screens such as mobile devices, as well as desktops, so digital texts may want to avoid wide banners whereas physical banners are a great way to draw attention.
Accessible texts feature several elements of “good” design. The accessibility factsheet addressed the importance of structure and clear writing to account for people with cognitive disabilities and people of all literacy levels, but all text should be organized and coherent. Navigability is also important for the convenience of all readers, since taking too long to find information will easily deter readers from being engaged with the work. Prior to reading these two articles, I had never considered forms as a type of writing, but upon seeing Park’s example I also noticed how a simple form on donuts can become much more intuitive, and consequently more accessible.
As the accessibility factsheet states, color should be used to add emphasis or enhance comprehension, but should not be the focus of any piece. Excessive use of color can easily ruin a piece. For example, using bright colors in the design of a somber or dark piece would jeopardize the author’s purpose, and generally using colors that clash can deter any reader before they notice anything else. On the other hand, a good balance of harmonious and complex colors can enhance understanding to make text more accessible and easier to follow.
Regardless of format, accessibility and good design go hand in hand, and generally support one another. As long as both are kept in mind, I think it’s difficult for them to clash, since elements that make a piece more accessible generally makes it more appealing to any audience. Headers or captions for figures or pictures, meant to increase accessibility, will rarely ruin an otherwise good design, just as larger type and white space, which enhance design, actually increases accessibility by making the text easier to read and better organized.
You wrote:
“Prior to reading these two articles, I had never considered forms as a type of writing, but upon seeing Park’s example I also noticed how a simple form on donuts can become much more intuitive, and consequently more accessible.”
At my old job, we designed many a survey, and let me just tell you, surveys very much are a form of writing that a group of people can argue about for hours! I was heartened to see that doughnut example in Park’s text. From comma placement, to question order, to question construction (probably the most important), to layout, to navigability and skip logic…lots to talk about.
You hit all the high points talked about in the three articles regarding accessibility and good design. I agree with you that those two are hard to clash because they compliment one another; however, it can be hard to get that harmony between accessibility and good design. To achieve that harmony, one has to pay attention to the tiny details that most people wouldn’t think. For example, I learned about the effective use of white space and how white space can enhance a text. This isn’t something I’ve ever heard of, so if I were to design something before reading these articles, I would’ve made some design errors that would compromise the accessibility and good design. One has to be aware of both of these things in order to achieve them. Further, it is important to consider the audience because what may be pleasing for the creator of the text might not hold true for the audience. As the accessibility article discusses, it is important for digital texts to consider the use of mobile phones and tablets, which have smaller screens.
This was a great post for me to read specifically right now. I have been in between what kind of piece to include for my campaign. I didn’t consider the type of writing I would do per different item, rather I would think about how my piece would be effective for a target audience. My initial thought was to do a letter for a CEO however, it was quickly brought to my attention (by our professor) that the CEO would never get his hands on it. However, as I thought, even if he would get my letter how would we be able to communicate. I do not know as much about health insurance or policies or business as this CEO. I would not be able to write for him to completely understand me and let me persuade him. This is similar with survey writing or factsheets. The writing in these is entirely different. You need to brainstorm how to state your facts or ask your questions to get the response from your audience that you want.
In season 1 episode 2 of Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope has a great example of survey questions and how it is difficult to form them for an audience. http://www.criticalcommons.org/Members/BaileyNorwood/clips/a-biased-survey-question-on-parks-recreation/view
She forms questions so that the surveyer had no way to say no. This obviously isn’t something you can do for public writing but definitely a great example of form.