Re: Manual design 101

[Russell Kilday-Hick <rkilhick -at- SFSU -dot- EDU>]

>Anne Chenette said:
>
>>What I'm looking for is a book or list of Design 101 tips, like a
>>one-day class on the subject, so I don't have to spend too much
>>time researching the details.  (I will refine and improve the design
>>gradually, over the next year.)  Basically, I want a summary of the
>>things we all develop a feel for over time, like the "best" point size,
>>good fonts for legibility, rules of thumb for white space, headers
>>(run-in VS separate columns, etc, etc, etc.  I would especially
>>like to know the latest trends and research, all in an easy-to-skim,
>>list-oriented, exhaustively indexed format.  Something like a
>>"Dummy's Guide to Manual Design".
>
>Try "Looking Good in Print" by Roger C Parker. I'm not sure of the
>publication details, but try http://www.amazon.com or
>http://www.bookpages.co.uk for the information. I'm not sure if it covers
>everything you want (it's been a couple of years since I've looked at it)
>and it certainly covered more than just manuals, but I remember it had
>lots of very impressive "Before" and "After" comparisons illustrating the
>principles.
>
>Hope this helps,
>
>John Fulton
>
>|      John Fulton      |
>|    Technical Author   |
>| jfulton -at- lsi-dsp -dot- co -dot- uk |
>|   +44 (0)1509 634366  |
>

For the basics in an easy to digest format try "The Non-Designer's Design
Book" by Robin Williams (not the commedian) on Peach Press in Berkeley, CA.
Williams gives an excellent starter course in design principles and
typography using the "CRAP" system (contrast, repetition, alignment, and
proximity). Anything else by Williams is also recommended, oh and back
issues of "Before & After."

Russell Kilday-Hicks
Production Specialist
SFSU Publications Office
415/338-3008 * rkilhick -at- sfsu -dot- edu
http://www.sfsu.edu/~pubaff

~ The difference between
an amateur and a professional is . . .
the professional looks it up.

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