A good addition
http://www.digital-web.com/articles/principles_of_design/
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
Company Design Part 1
Develop Colour scheme(s)
then
Design logo(s)
Everything you do must be explained in words through what we have studied.
then
Design logo(s)
Everything you do must be explained in words through what we have studied.
assignments
Sebastian - ZIStore
Cindy - Urban Love
Gabe - MTV swtich one
Felix - Inner City
Nicki - MTV Switch 2
Ziv - Student Council
Janne - Gallo Nero
Ika - Student Council
Adrian - Inner City
Rob - Zistore
Cody - Urban Love
Sakktii - Eco Gen
Barak - MTV Switch
Hong Jin - Gallo Nero
Vincent - Student Council
Thomas - MTV Switch 2
Robbie - Inner City
Cindy - Urban Love
Gabe - MTV swtich one
Felix - Inner City
Nicki - MTV Switch 2
Ziv - Student Council
Janne - Gallo Nero
Ika - Student Council
Adrian - Inner City
Rob - Zistore
Cody - Urban Love
Sakktii - Eco Gen
Barak - MTV Switch
Hong Jin - Gallo Nero
Vincent - Student Council
Thomas - MTV Switch 2
Robbie - Inner City
MTV Switch 2
rebranding the website
awesome, badass, powerful
graphic images to shock and inspire to action
sensibility is fear (apocalyptic)
slogan
it's now or never
awesome, badass, powerful
graphic images to shock and inspire to action
sensibility is fear (apocalyptic)
slogan
it's now or never
MTV PIMP MY Environment
Cult feel of belonging, inspiring to action
key words are, destruction, power, exclusive
waste hierarchies are created
Sensibility is one of fear, of destruction
baby images?
slogan, you can save her
key words are, destruction, power, exclusive
waste hierarchies are created
Sensibility is one of fear, of destruction
baby images?
slogan, you can save her
companies 6
Inner City
Exclusively for girls aged 12-17
inner-city cool with a focus on uniqueness
New York sensibility black and blue are the dominant colours
snow board and hip hop are also influences
Blake Lively is the model Type
slogan
you can't resist
Exclusively for girls aged 12-17
inner-city cool with a focus on uniqueness
New York sensibility black and blue are the dominant colours
snow board and hip hop are also influences
Blake Lively is the model Type
slogan
you can't resist
Thursday, 4 December 2008
MTV Switch
It's a whole new approach to environmentalism, aimed at teens.
sensibility is on eyes; eye contact with others, with the camera
movement from light to darkness
key words are beauty, darkness, fresh
idea of acceptance of a challenge in spite of it's difficulty
Time's UP
sensibility is on eyes; eye contact with others, with the camera
movement from light to darkness
key words are beauty, darkness, fresh
idea of acceptance of a challenge in spite of it's difficulty
Time's UP
Companies 4
Urban Love
It's an fashion line, targetting hip urban teenagers.
big city feeling, warm climate, clubbing and friendship
sexy, fashionable and casual, but exclusive in it's feeling
the target is a 17 year old male /female
a target model/spokesperson would be good looking not lots of make up early 20's
Leighton Meester
slogan
New Generation Style
It's an fashion line, targetting hip urban teenagers.
big city feeling, warm climate, clubbing and friendship
sexy, fashionable and casual, but exclusive in it's feeling
the target is a 17 year old male /female
a target model/spokesperson would be good looking not lots of make up early 20's
Leighton Meester
slogan
New Generation Style
Companies 3
Gallo Nero
An Italian Restaurant with traditional cooking in a warm setting above the town. Warmth, comfort, good food and fellowship are the key ingredients.
slogan
come home
An Italian Restaurant with traditional cooking in a warm setting above the town. Warmth, comfort, good food and fellowship are the key ingredients.
slogan
come home
Companies 2
Student Council.
We have decided that we would like the student body to see us primarily as a bridge carrying their voice to the administration. We would also like the students to see us as a realistic agent of change, meaning that we have the ability to get stuff done as long as they help us out by sharing their opinions and voicing their needs.
We have decided that we would like the student body to see us primarily as a bridge carrying their voice to the administration. We would also like the students to see us as a realistic agent of change, meaning that we have the ability to get stuff done as long as they help us out by sharing their opinions and voicing their needs.
Companies 1
Eco Generation (EcoGen)
The company will import environmentally friendly products, we would sell the Eco Ball, Dryer Ball, Magno Ball and the Eco Stapler. Our target consumers are the low income families who want to save up to Fr500 every 1000 washes they do. We will also target people who are environmentally conscious and want to help the environment. With the Eco Stapler our target audience are companies who want to become environmentally friendly and people who want to save resources. We envision selling the products that we import in established Swiss stores and to assist people to become more environmentally conscious by offering them Eco friendly goods.
The company will import environmentally friendly products, we would sell the Eco Ball, Dryer Ball, Magno Ball and the Eco Stapler. Our target consumers are the low income families who want to save up to Fr500 every 1000 washes they do. We will also target people who are environmentally conscious and want to help the environment. With the Eco Stapler our target audience are companies who want to become environmentally friendly and people who want to save resources. We envision selling the products that we import in established Swiss stores and to assist people to become more environmentally conscious by offering them Eco friendly goods.
Logos 101
Designing Logos
The one thing you should always be able to determine from a business card or business publication is its origin. If you do not notice the company or division responsible, then the document failed.The two most common devices used to identify documents are logos and nameplates. A logo is an artistic element or graphical treatment of a company, product, or division name. A logo can be as simple as Mercury’s winged foot or as elaborate as the custom lettering on a soda can. Some logos combine art and lettering, others rely solely upon art. No matter what, a logo must be easily identifiable as yours and yours alone.
Nameplates
A nameplate is the name of a publication.A nameplate is nothing more than the name of a publication as it appears on the first page of the publication. A nameplate is most often plain text, with little or no art. Yet “plain” text can be as distinct as artwork. The nameplates of the New York Times and USA Today would never be confused. A nameplate conveys an image. The Times is an old, traditional newspaper. USA Today wants to look more up-to-date and modern. In many cases, a nameplate and logo are one and the same.
Keep It Simple
Simple nameplates and logos work best.We keep repeating this, but it is the mantra of business document design – keep it simple. Unless you are preparing publications for a design studio, artistic talent takes a back seat to clear communication. A logo is the single most important design work you will ever be assigned. No other design is recycled with the frequency of a logo. It must stand the proverbial test of time.
Name Your Image
Your design process began when your company was named. In a corporate setting, you might not have had any say in the company name. Many companies are older than any living employees, so you have to make do with what you have. If you did select the name, consider how your clients react to it. Names should be short and to the point. If possible, work a descriptive noun into your company name or logo.
Before you get too far into logo design, think about your company, division, or publication name. Your name should convey who and what you are. With the exception of professional corporations, such as law or medical offices, most business names should meet the following criteria:
Short,
Informative,
Owner independent, and Non-regional.
These are suggestions based on the notion you want to expand the business beyond a region, especially in this Internet age. Local celebrity does not matter, and regional loyalty can be a detriment.
Short
People are more likely to remember a short name.Short names are easier to remember – and easier to work with from an artist’s perspective. If a name is long, consider testing out an acronym. International Business Machines takes a bit of time to say and a lot of real estate on a business card. IBM is short. Consider American Telephone & Telegraph. The company’s name has long been AT&T. No one we know uses a telegraph.
Informative
Descriptive names are not original, but they are remembered.Notice that both of the company names we have mentioned describe what the company is. Everyone knows a business machine in today’s world is a computer. AT&T is “Ma Bell” to a lot of people. A name, at least in its long form, should inform the public. Telephone & Telegraph states exactly what the company originally did.Blue, Inc., tells the public nothing. If your name is not informative, it might not be the first one clients think of when under pressure. If you make widgets, mention it. Then, when a client wants a widget, they already are thinking of part of your name.
Owner-Independent
Naming a business after an owner – unless the owner is a celebrity – serves no purpose.The most common naming sin is a company named after an owner or founder. You could argue that many companies are named in this manner without dire consequences. Many more businesses have had to change or modify their names – hence you do not remember them. Businesses are sold. A new owner might damage the business and the founder’s name. Pinacle Widgets and Widget World are possibly better names than Smith’s Widgets.
Non-Regional
Use a regional name only if it defines the product.Finally, a name should be non-regional, unless the region is strongly associated with the product. While Maine Lobster might be a great resturant name anywhere, Boise Pizza doesn’t have the same charm. New York or Chicago describe pizza, but Boise? We think not. Word’s like national and global work well, since they are vague. Still, it is best to not use geography most names.
Thankfully, company names can be changed. If you think that the name you have to design a name for is not a great starting point, mention it to your superiors. Maybe thay have an alternative. Then again, maybe your boss likes his name on everyone’s business card. If so, change the name when you buy company.
One Logo (Almost) Fits All
A logo must be used constantly to be effective. You should not have a collection of logos. Good logos work in a variety of formats without losing their usefulness. The most common mistake is designing a logo at a large size, in color. The result is a logo that does not work well for all types of documents.
Size
Design logos which work well at any size.Strong logos work at sizes from one square inch up to a square foot or larger. The easiest approach is to avoid fine lines and details. Good designs are quite bold. A logo might appear on a business card or on a magnetic sign stuck to the side of a car. Moving signs have got to be easy to read.No matter how solid your design is, you might have to perfrom some touch-up work at various sizes to improve the quality. For example, if you include a globe in a logo, the larger the logo appears in a final document, the more detail you might allow.
Color
Avoid extravagant use of color when designing logos.Never assume that a logo desinged in color will reproduce well in shades of gray or in black and white. Reproduction quality is more important than ever with facsimile machines and photocopiers which convert your beautiful color logo in a black blotch. Therefore, you have to design a logo with everything that might happen to it.As you design a logo, test it by faxing it to yourself, photocopying it, any anything else you can do to test the resiliancy of the design. These tests make designing a color logo more time-consuming, but the results are worth the effort.
Selecting Typefaces
Typefaces leave impressions.Typefaces convey information.
There are traditional, classic, modern, and wild faces – each implying your business fits into a category. The best way to classify the image of a typeface is to look at it and consider the first thing that comes to mind. Most likely, the image you receive from a face is the same your clients will entertain.One thing to consider is the availability of the typeface. Availability is important to sign makers and commercial printers. A custom or rare typeface can add to the cost. Examples should attempt to match typefaces to company names. With thousands of typefaces available, it should be possible to find the ideal match for your needs.
Quality Matters
Typefaces used in a logo must work well at a variety of sizes. Lettering styles are as distinctive as artwork, so you do not want to change typefaces as a logo is enlarged or reduced. Using only the best typefaces will make your design life much easier.Recall that True Type and Adobe Type 1 faces are hinted. Smaller fonts are less detailed than larger fonts of the same face. Scalability is essential for good logo designs.Using ArtArtwork for logos always falls short of masterpiece status – there is only so much you can do that works on a business card.
Never forget that the purpose most logos is to communicate, not to impress clients.
Many business logos rely on “meaningless” dingbats or clipart. Remember, many print shops actually send business card work to dedicated service bureaus. These cookie cutter cards tend to use the same few symbols.You can desing your own, unique artwork that is simple, yet effective. The artwork should reflect what your company does. Simple polygons and circles with lines removed, swirled, or other simple effects are not effective. If your company sells sport fishing equipment, then use a fishing pole, fish, or hand-tied fly for your logo. Do not try to use landscapes such as images of streams unless the connection is obvious.
Use vector based illustration software in order to create logos which look good at any size. We favor Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator, but you can use any major illustration software.SummaryKeep logos simple and easy to reproduce. Select a meaningful name, when possible. Match the typeface to the business.
http://www.tameri.com/dtp/logos.html
The one thing you should always be able to determine from a business card or business publication is its origin. If you do not notice the company or division responsible, then the document failed.The two most common devices used to identify documents are logos and nameplates. A logo is an artistic element or graphical treatment of a company, product, or division name. A logo can be as simple as Mercury’s winged foot or as elaborate as the custom lettering on a soda can. Some logos combine art and lettering, others rely solely upon art. No matter what, a logo must be easily identifiable as yours and yours alone.
Nameplates
A nameplate is the name of a publication.A nameplate is nothing more than the name of a publication as it appears on the first page of the publication. A nameplate is most often plain text, with little or no art. Yet “plain” text can be as distinct as artwork. The nameplates of the New York Times and USA Today would never be confused. A nameplate conveys an image. The Times is an old, traditional newspaper. USA Today wants to look more up-to-date and modern. In many cases, a nameplate and logo are one and the same.
Keep It Simple
Simple nameplates and logos work best.We keep repeating this, but it is the mantra of business document design – keep it simple. Unless you are preparing publications for a design studio, artistic talent takes a back seat to clear communication. A logo is the single most important design work you will ever be assigned. No other design is recycled with the frequency of a logo. It must stand the proverbial test of time.
Name Your Image
Your design process began when your company was named. In a corporate setting, you might not have had any say in the company name. Many companies are older than any living employees, so you have to make do with what you have. If you did select the name, consider how your clients react to it. Names should be short and to the point. If possible, work a descriptive noun into your company name or logo.
Before you get too far into logo design, think about your company, division, or publication name. Your name should convey who and what you are. With the exception of professional corporations, such as law or medical offices, most business names should meet the following criteria:
Short,
Informative,
Owner independent, and Non-regional.
These are suggestions based on the notion you want to expand the business beyond a region, especially in this Internet age. Local celebrity does not matter, and regional loyalty can be a detriment.
Short
People are more likely to remember a short name.Short names are easier to remember – and easier to work with from an artist’s perspective. If a name is long, consider testing out an acronym. International Business Machines takes a bit of time to say and a lot of real estate on a business card. IBM is short. Consider American Telephone & Telegraph. The company’s name has long been AT&T. No one we know uses a telegraph.
Informative
Descriptive names are not original, but they are remembered.Notice that both of the company names we have mentioned describe what the company is. Everyone knows a business machine in today’s world is a computer. AT&T is “Ma Bell” to a lot of people. A name, at least in its long form, should inform the public. Telephone & Telegraph states exactly what the company originally did.Blue, Inc., tells the public nothing. If your name is not informative, it might not be the first one clients think of when under pressure. If you make widgets, mention it. Then, when a client wants a widget, they already are thinking of part of your name.
Owner-Independent
Naming a business after an owner – unless the owner is a celebrity – serves no purpose.The most common naming sin is a company named after an owner or founder. You could argue that many companies are named in this manner without dire consequences. Many more businesses have had to change or modify their names – hence you do not remember them. Businesses are sold. A new owner might damage the business and the founder’s name. Pinacle Widgets and Widget World are possibly better names than Smith’s Widgets.
Non-Regional
Use a regional name only if it defines the product.Finally, a name should be non-regional, unless the region is strongly associated with the product. While Maine Lobster might be a great resturant name anywhere, Boise Pizza doesn’t have the same charm. New York or Chicago describe pizza, but Boise? We think not. Word’s like national and global work well, since they are vague. Still, it is best to not use geography most names.
Thankfully, company names can be changed. If you think that the name you have to design a name for is not a great starting point, mention it to your superiors. Maybe thay have an alternative. Then again, maybe your boss likes his name on everyone’s business card. If so, change the name when you buy company.
One Logo (Almost) Fits All
A logo must be used constantly to be effective. You should not have a collection of logos. Good logos work in a variety of formats without losing their usefulness. The most common mistake is designing a logo at a large size, in color. The result is a logo that does not work well for all types of documents.
Size
Design logos which work well at any size.Strong logos work at sizes from one square inch up to a square foot or larger. The easiest approach is to avoid fine lines and details. Good designs are quite bold. A logo might appear on a business card or on a magnetic sign stuck to the side of a car. Moving signs have got to be easy to read.No matter how solid your design is, you might have to perfrom some touch-up work at various sizes to improve the quality. For example, if you include a globe in a logo, the larger the logo appears in a final document, the more detail you might allow.
Color
Avoid extravagant use of color when designing logos.Never assume that a logo desinged in color will reproduce well in shades of gray or in black and white. Reproduction quality is more important than ever with facsimile machines and photocopiers which convert your beautiful color logo in a black blotch. Therefore, you have to design a logo with everything that might happen to it.As you design a logo, test it by faxing it to yourself, photocopying it, any anything else you can do to test the resiliancy of the design. These tests make designing a color logo more time-consuming, but the results are worth the effort.
Selecting Typefaces
Typefaces leave impressions.Typefaces convey information.
There are traditional, classic, modern, and wild faces – each implying your business fits into a category. The best way to classify the image of a typeface is to look at it and consider the first thing that comes to mind. Most likely, the image you receive from a face is the same your clients will entertain.One thing to consider is the availability of the typeface. Availability is important to sign makers and commercial printers. A custom or rare typeface can add to the cost. Examples should attempt to match typefaces to company names. With thousands of typefaces available, it should be possible to find the ideal match for your needs.
Quality Matters
Typefaces used in a logo must work well at a variety of sizes. Lettering styles are as distinctive as artwork, so you do not want to change typefaces as a logo is enlarged or reduced. Using only the best typefaces will make your design life much easier.Recall that True Type and Adobe Type 1 faces are hinted. Smaller fonts are less detailed than larger fonts of the same face. Scalability is essential for good logo designs.Using ArtArtwork for logos always falls short of masterpiece status – there is only so much you can do that works on a business card.
Never forget that the purpose most logos is to communicate, not to impress clients.
Many business logos rely on “meaningless” dingbats or clipart. Remember, many print shops actually send business card work to dedicated service bureaus. These cookie cutter cards tend to use the same few symbols.You can desing your own, unique artwork that is simple, yet effective. The artwork should reflect what your company does. Simple polygons and circles with lines removed, swirled, or other simple effects are not effective. If your company sells sport fishing equipment, then use a fishing pole, fish, or hand-tied fly for your logo. Do not try to use landscapes such as images of streams unless the connection is obvious.
Use vector based illustration software in order to create logos which look good at any size. We favor Corel Draw and Adobe Illustrator, but you can use any major illustration software.SummaryKeep logos simple and easy to reproduce. Select a meaningful name, when possible. Match the typeface to the business.
http://www.tameri.com/dtp/logos.html
Wednesday, 26 November 2008
shapes, layers, vectors and logos
You will be creating,
smileys, a made up logo
both of which are to be posted on your blog by class end Tuesday, December 2nd.
Remember...
300dpi
a different layer for each piece
colour schemes must suit the product/company 'message'
What works for web 2.0 doesn't necessarily work for paper.
smileys, a made up logo
both of which are to be posted on your blog by class end Tuesday, December 2nd.
Remember...
300dpi
a different layer for each piece
colour schemes must suit the product/company 'message'
What works for web 2.0 doesn't necessarily work for paper.
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
Layer Blending Modes in Photoshop and Elements
all you need to know.
seriously
http://www.northlite.net/ps/blend.htm
rest of sight looks pretty cool too
seriously
http://www.northlite.net/ps/blend.htm
rest of sight looks pretty cool too
Colour meaning
this link has an extended discussion of colours and their influences and meanings, globally as well as through time
Colour Baby!
http://www.color-wheel-pro.com/color-meaning.html
Colours and their Meanings
colorsontheweb.com
home of the colorwheel spin machine, the color wizard and the contrast analyzer
the discussion of web-safe colors and the actual colors and their hexadecimal values is brilliant
the color scheme tool is also very cool.
colorschemer.com
very cool site with amazing apps
great blog to get lost in also
worqx.com/color
an excellent introduction to color theory and its applications
U must play with the palette picker
Colours and their Meanings
colorsontheweb.com
home of the colorwheel spin machine, the color wizard and the contrast analyzer
the discussion of web-safe colors and the actual colors and their hexadecimal values is brilliant
the color scheme tool is also very cool.
colorschemer.com
very cool site with amazing apps
great blog to get lost in also
worqx.com/color
an excellent introduction to color theory and its applications
U must play with the palette picker
Tuesday, 30 September 2008
21 Ways Your Audience Affects Your Design
If you look around at websites that are well-designed and are effective, you’ll see that the target audience of a website has a profound impact on the design of the site. Obviously, different audiences prefer different types of websites and they will also have different needs.
The term user-focused is commonly thrown around. In this article I’ll take a look at a number of different ways (in no particular order) that the audience of your site will affect they way it is designed. This is an attempt not to be all-inclusive, but rather to show just how many ways the audience of a site can impact its design.
1. Colors
Deciding on a color scheme is a huge step in the process of a design. The specific target audience of the site should be considered during this decision. Different audiences will sometimes have specific tastes in color. For example, you see a lot of web 2.0 sites that target the same audience using light pastel colors. Websites that focus on celebrity news/gossip often feature many bright colors. When children are the target audience, a lot of color will be used. In certain cultures and religions, specific colors can sometime create negative feelings or emotions. Whatever audience you are targeting, make an effort to find a color scheme that will be appreciated and considered to be attractive.
2. Page Load Speed
Different audiences will have varying speeds of internet connections. A high percentage of users today have high speed connections, especially if you are targeting a technologically savvy audience. However, don’t automatically assume that your audience will have a high speed connection. Websites that are bogged down with slow-loading elements are unlikely to be successful if the audience primarily consists of visitors with dial-up connections.
3. Images
The types of photographs and images that are used throughout a website should be appealing to the target audience. A site that targets photographers should obviously use very high quality photos in order to create a good impression. The people that are shown in photographs on a site are often chosen because they resemble someone that would be typical of the website’s audience.
4. Targeted Keywords and Phrases
Every well-built website should target specific words and phrases. The entire website may target similar phrases or each page may target its own set of words and phrases. Whatever the case, the target audience of the site and what they will search for should be the major deciding factor when choosing words and phrases to target.
5. Content
Obviously, the written content of a website should be influenced by the target audience. They type of content should be something that appeals to the audience (examples, the use of humor, news-related content, etc.) and the voice of the writing should also be consistent with the interests of readers. Additionally, the amount of content should also be influenced by the audience.
6. Level of Interaction
Different audiences will expect to be able to interact with a website in different ways. There are increasing numbers of internet users that appreciate being able to watch video on a site. Additionally, you may have an audience that will be eager to leave comments and feedback. Does your website allow visitors to interact in a way that will appeal to them?
7. Integration of Social Media
More and more websites are including integration of social media. This can mean anything from including a “Digg this” or a link to bookmark with del.icio.us, to a system for visitors to vote content up or down right on the site itself. Will your visitors be familiar with social media? If so, which social media sites are they most likely to use? Don’t forget about niche social media sites, which will obviously be influenced by the specific audience of the website.
8. Language
The terminology used on a website should always consider the audience. Are users going to be familiar with certain words, phrases, and acronyms? Jargon should be avoided unless the audience will clearly understand the meaning and appreciate the use of it. Additionally, a website should not use harsh words or vulgarity unless the audience will be ok with this type of language, as some visitors can be turned off.
9. Fonts
On some website the fonts and typography are clearly intended to appeal to a certain audience. For example, a site that is targeting young people that are interested in skateboarding, snowboarding, or other extreme sports may use a grunge-style font.
10. Styles
There are a number of different general styles of websites, and these are used to appeal to specific audiences. For example, a community site for designers may use a minimalist approach with a clean and crisp look. The website of a photographer will probably focus primarily on photos, graphics and color. The website of a musician will reflect the style of music that is played, and the style of the people that listen to the music. In all of these cases, the site is created in a way that will appeal to the typical user of that site.
11. Level of Accessibility
Designers should strive to make every website accessible, but sometimes decisions are made that will affect the level of accessibility of site. With some audiences this can be even more important. For example, if a high percentage of your visitors use dial-up connections, you will want to keep that in mind and create pages that will load as quickly as possible. A website that sells goods and services to handicapped individuals will obviously want to be as accessible as possible. This seems like a no-brainer, but I’ve actually spoken with non-profits that cater to handicapped people, and they’ve told me that their website isn’t accessible.
12. Advertisements on the Site
Many websites and blogs include advertisements in order to make some money. The specific products and services that are advertised on a site should be interesting and useful for as many visitors as possible. Visitors generally won’t mind seeing advertisements if they are well chosen and appealing to them, but if they are for completely irrelevant products and services they are much more likely to be a turn off. Well-targeted ads are best for the website owner, the visitors, and the advertisers.
13. Monetization Choices
Placing ads on a website isn’t the only option for making money with the site. Whatever method you choose, it should be something that your target audience will approve of. Monetization choices that don’t fit well with the audience will produce poor results and they will likely not be appreciated by visitors.
14. Width of the Design
One of the biggest headaches of web design is dealing with the different ways that visitors can see your site, and one of the factors is the screen resolution that they are using. Fortunately, programs like Google Analytics will help you to know this type of information about your visitors, and you can make decisions accordingly.
15. Outbound Links
What websites do you link to? Are those sites appropriate, interesting, and useful for your target audience? Outbound links will be the most effective if they provide some type of additional value for visitors.
16. Attention Grabbers
What you use to grab the visitors’ attention will depend on what audience you are targeting. Something that will interest one audience will do nothing for a different audience.
17. Subscription Options
If your website offers a subscription, be sure to give your visitors what they want. Technically savvy audiences are likely to prefer RSS subscriptions, but many non-technical visitors probably aren’t even aware of what RSS is, and they will prefer email subscriptions.
18. Affiliations
Does your website mention or list any affiliations? If so, these should mean something to your target audience. If you are targeting local visitors, displaying a membership in the local chamber of commerce may be a good idea.
19. Communication Options
Some audiences prefer to communicate in specific ways. Of course, publishing a phone number and providing an email address or a contact form are the traditional choices. How about social networks that target a young audience? Instant messaging may be a preferred method of contact. How about the drastic increase in microblogging services and networks? These clearly are not appealing to all audiences.
20. Call to Action
Most websites involve some call to action, whether it’s selling a product, asking for an email address, seeking RSS subscribers, clicking on ads, soliciting referrals (email addresses of friends), etc. The call to action should always consider the audience. Sites that target children and teens will usually be more successful if they are attempting to get clicks on ads as opposed to selling products. On the other hand, a different audience may be interested in providing an email address but not something else. The action that you expect from your visitors should partially depend on the characteristics of those visitors.
21. Mood of the site
Many websites have an overall mood that is apparent to visitors. This is a way of making your target audience feel at home and helping them to connect with your site. The mood of the site should accurately reflect the mood that you expect visitors to have and to associate with.
Conclusion:
All of the items listed above are affected by a website’s audience. Effective and successful websites will always have the user in mind when decisions are being made and when the site is being designed.
http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/design/audience-affects-design/
The term user-focused is commonly thrown around. In this article I’ll take a look at a number of different ways (in no particular order) that the audience of your site will affect they way it is designed. This is an attempt not to be all-inclusive, but rather to show just how many ways the audience of a site can impact its design.
1. Colors
Deciding on a color scheme is a huge step in the process of a design. The specific target audience of the site should be considered during this decision. Different audiences will sometimes have specific tastes in color. For example, you see a lot of web 2.0 sites that target the same audience using light pastel colors. Websites that focus on celebrity news/gossip often feature many bright colors. When children are the target audience, a lot of color will be used. In certain cultures and religions, specific colors can sometime create negative feelings or emotions. Whatever audience you are targeting, make an effort to find a color scheme that will be appreciated and considered to be attractive.
2. Page Load Speed
Different audiences will have varying speeds of internet connections. A high percentage of users today have high speed connections, especially if you are targeting a technologically savvy audience. However, don’t automatically assume that your audience will have a high speed connection. Websites that are bogged down with slow-loading elements are unlikely to be successful if the audience primarily consists of visitors with dial-up connections.
3. Images
The types of photographs and images that are used throughout a website should be appealing to the target audience. A site that targets photographers should obviously use very high quality photos in order to create a good impression. The people that are shown in photographs on a site are often chosen because they resemble someone that would be typical of the website’s audience.
4. Targeted Keywords and Phrases
Every well-built website should target specific words and phrases. The entire website may target similar phrases or each page may target its own set of words and phrases. Whatever the case, the target audience of the site and what they will search for should be the major deciding factor when choosing words and phrases to target.
5. Content
Obviously, the written content of a website should be influenced by the target audience. They type of content should be something that appeals to the audience (examples, the use of humor, news-related content, etc.) and the voice of the writing should also be consistent with the interests of readers. Additionally, the amount of content should also be influenced by the audience.
6. Level of Interaction
Different audiences will expect to be able to interact with a website in different ways. There are increasing numbers of internet users that appreciate being able to watch video on a site. Additionally, you may have an audience that will be eager to leave comments and feedback. Does your website allow visitors to interact in a way that will appeal to them?
7. Integration of Social Media
More and more websites are including integration of social media. This can mean anything from including a “Digg this” or a link to bookmark with del.icio.us, to a system for visitors to vote content up or down right on the site itself. Will your visitors be familiar with social media? If so, which social media sites are they most likely to use? Don’t forget about niche social media sites, which will obviously be influenced by the specific audience of the website.
8. Language
The terminology used on a website should always consider the audience. Are users going to be familiar with certain words, phrases, and acronyms? Jargon should be avoided unless the audience will clearly understand the meaning and appreciate the use of it. Additionally, a website should not use harsh words or vulgarity unless the audience will be ok with this type of language, as some visitors can be turned off.
9. Fonts
On some website the fonts and typography are clearly intended to appeal to a certain audience. For example, a site that is targeting young people that are interested in skateboarding, snowboarding, or other extreme sports may use a grunge-style font.
10. Styles
There are a number of different general styles of websites, and these are used to appeal to specific audiences. For example, a community site for designers may use a minimalist approach with a clean and crisp look. The website of a photographer will probably focus primarily on photos, graphics and color. The website of a musician will reflect the style of music that is played, and the style of the people that listen to the music. In all of these cases, the site is created in a way that will appeal to the typical user of that site.
11. Level of Accessibility
Designers should strive to make every website accessible, but sometimes decisions are made that will affect the level of accessibility of site. With some audiences this can be even more important. For example, if a high percentage of your visitors use dial-up connections, you will want to keep that in mind and create pages that will load as quickly as possible. A website that sells goods and services to handicapped individuals will obviously want to be as accessible as possible. This seems like a no-brainer, but I’ve actually spoken with non-profits that cater to handicapped people, and they’ve told me that their website isn’t accessible.
12. Advertisements on the Site
Many websites and blogs include advertisements in order to make some money. The specific products and services that are advertised on a site should be interesting and useful for as many visitors as possible. Visitors generally won’t mind seeing advertisements if they are well chosen and appealing to them, but if they are for completely irrelevant products and services they are much more likely to be a turn off. Well-targeted ads are best for the website owner, the visitors, and the advertisers.
13. Monetization Choices
Placing ads on a website isn’t the only option for making money with the site. Whatever method you choose, it should be something that your target audience will approve of. Monetization choices that don’t fit well with the audience will produce poor results and they will likely not be appreciated by visitors.
14. Width of the Design
One of the biggest headaches of web design is dealing with the different ways that visitors can see your site, and one of the factors is the screen resolution that they are using. Fortunately, programs like Google Analytics will help you to know this type of information about your visitors, and you can make decisions accordingly.
15. Outbound Links
What websites do you link to? Are those sites appropriate, interesting, and useful for your target audience? Outbound links will be the most effective if they provide some type of additional value for visitors.
16. Attention Grabbers
What you use to grab the visitors’ attention will depend on what audience you are targeting. Something that will interest one audience will do nothing for a different audience.
17. Subscription Options
If your website offers a subscription, be sure to give your visitors what they want. Technically savvy audiences are likely to prefer RSS subscriptions, but many non-technical visitors probably aren’t even aware of what RSS is, and they will prefer email subscriptions.
18. Affiliations
Does your website mention or list any affiliations? If so, these should mean something to your target audience. If you are targeting local visitors, displaying a membership in the local chamber of commerce may be a good idea.
19. Communication Options
Some audiences prefer to communicate in specific ways. Of course, publishing a phone number and providing an email address or a contact form are the traditional choices. How about social networks that target a young audience? Instant messaging may be a preferred method of contact. How about the drastic increase in microblogging services and networks? These clearly are not appealing to all audiences.
20. Call to Action
Most websites involve some call to action, whether it’s selling a product, asking for an email address, seeking RSS subscribers, clicking on ads, soliciting referrals (email addresses of friends), etc. The call to action should always consider the audience. Sites that target children and teens will usually be more successful if they are attempting to get clicks on ads as opposed to selling products. On the other hand, a different audience may be interested in providing an email address but not something else. The action that you expect from your visitors should partially depend on the characteristics of those visitors.
21. Mood of the site
Many websites have an overall mood that is apparent to visitors. This is a way of making your target audience feel at home and helping them to connect with your site. The mood of the site should accurately reflect the mood that you expect visitors to have and to associate with.
Conclusion:
All of the items listed above are affected by a website’s audience. Effective and successful websites will always have the user in mind when decisions are being made and when the site is being designed.
http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/design/audience-affects-design/
When Legibility, Readability & Usability Intersect, Then We Reach Our Target Audience
by Suzanne Webb
Unless we move legibility, readability, and usability to the forefront of our design practices, we will unquestionably lose our audience.
If we want to reach our target audiences when presenting text-based information, we as content specialists (designers, programmers, writers, and project managers) need to constantly consider usability. "Usability is often measured by studying the design of the table of contents, index, headings and page layout as well as determining the appropriate technical level" (5) according to Laura Gurak; moreover, "for maximum usability we must write from the user's point of view" (42). To accomplish this, we must move these crucial concepts of legibility, readability, and usability to the forefront of our design practices else we will unquestionably lose our audience. Too often we seem to overshadow them with other "more serious" concerns when these are the serious concerns in terms of satisfying our users..
Strong Contrasts Grant Legibility
Legibility refers to how easy it is to recognize bursts of copy. Headlines, callouts, signs, buttons and the like all affect the legibility of a product. Robin Williams, author of The Non-Designer's Web Book, offers help to ensure legibility; use a strong contrast between the type and the background color. She suggests we use the standard of black-on-white for the highest contrast (214). A reverse type (white-on-black) while striking, may alienate older readers as their eyes are not as geared for lengthy reading in dimmer conditions as Kevin Connolly's research indicates. "A sixty-year-old retina only receives one-third as much light as its twenty-year-old counterpart" (Connolly Thesis). Connolly confers with Williams; "legibility is enhanced by high luminance and color contrast, larger targets, [and] increased...spacing" (Thesis).
Perceived Legibility and Font Choice
Looking past how legibility relates to contrast, psychology students in the Software Usability Research Lab (SURL) at Wichita State University conducted studies on the legibility of different typefaces; these studies did not produce scientific results, but participants perceived Courier, Verdana, Georgia, and Times as most legible. If perceived legibility works for the end-user, then it is our duty as the designer to adhere to their perceptions.
Can Users Read Page After Page of the Text?
The separation of legibility and readability is oft misunderstood. Williams says readability is how "easy it is to read a lot of text, extended text, pages and pages of text" (214). Connolly confers saying readability is also measured by reading rate and comprehension (Thesis). While many decisions directly affect the readability of a project, both type font choice and line length are at the forefront. Making a font choice is a complex issue. Serif? San Serif? Bold? Regular? 10-point? 14-point? More than likely, according to Robin Williams, in a long passage of text a serif typeface will be easier to read. The serifs help to guide the eyes along the line. Furthermore, the optimal type size is between ten- and fourteen-point for on-screen reading (214). And, while more users are attempting to read our texts on-screen, we must also address those who wish to print our information.
What is Suitable Word Choice?
Specific word choice too, affects readability. Agricultural Communications reports that the Rudolf Flesh formula should govern all typesetting decisions. This formula combines reading ease (readability) with human interest (usability). There are four main points: 1) The more syllables, the harder to read and understand; 2) The more words, the harder to read and understand; 3) The more words about people, the more interesting, and; 4) the more sentences addressed to an audience, the more interesting (Readability). Agricultural Communications' suggestions demonstrate that even when we present technical information to an audience, traditional Anglo-Saxon words instead of Latinate as well as concise wording will help to incorporate our end user into the work and give them a more enjoyable experience. This improves the readability and therefore the usability of our information.
What is Optimal Line Length?
A substantial share of readability is attained by employing an optimal line length. Some controversy exists. Williams states that shorter line lengths are better because the eyes can't follow as well across the whole screen (214). Susan Wheeler, author of The Visual Design Primer finds that "lines ... too short or too long disrupt the reader's rhythm" (46). Wheeler believes these disruptions are 100% preventable. "A long line causes doubling (rereading the same line) because the reader has trouble finding the start of the next line. A shorter line constantly sends the reader back to the left edge after only a few words, so a comfortable rhythm is never established" (46). Humanfactors.com compiled data from several studies and reported "users preferred" a four-inch line length. While users read faster at a longer line length, the "users tend to prefer four to five-inch-wide lines" (UI Design). Discovering what the users prefer is the important finding-the finding we developers must adhere to. It's not about the reading speed; it's about usability and that translates to user preference.
Positive User Opinion is the True Measure
In Web Design Concepts and Best Practices, Carolee Cameron defines usability as "the degree to which a web site is efficient and easy to use. Ease of use, efficiency of the design, visual consistency and a clear focus on meeting the needs of users are hallmarks of usability. A usable website should also be memorable, result in few errors, and provide a level of satisfaction for the user" (160). Cameron also stresses that usability "is as important to the site's owners as it is to its users. Web sites need to be efficient and easy to use or they will lose visitors, which could result in the loss of revenue. Visitors who experience the smallest degree of confusion or frustration while on a site will leave" (160). One of the ways to we developers and writers can ensure these things do not happen is to utilize focus groups and beta testing. Cameron believes that rules of thumb should include: "90% of users should be able to find the information they need in less than one minute. 90% of users should say they like the site and will return" (164). There is no substitute for the end-users' opinions and their interpretation of a product's performance.
Who Is Our Target Audience?
We designers must continue to ask, "Who is our target audience" and channel a majority of our efforts into reaching and pleasing that audience. We will reach them through our planning for who they are and only then through our design or our words. "The more precisely defined [our] target audience is the more efficiently and effectively [we] can present the information" (Williams 81). And, while each of these interrelated concepts - legibility, readability, and usability - is much of much broader scope than can be addressed in this particular paper, let's face it, only when our information is efficient and effective - is it then usable. By gaining a deeper understanding of these graphic design considerations along with constantly considering usability, we can enhance our audience's experience and keep them consuming our works.
To Ensure the End-User's Best Experience, Answer These 5 Questions:
1) How can I create contrast?
2) What font should I choose?
3) Can I use about a 5-inch line length?
4) Should I re-word anything? Is it difficult to understand? I know it, but will they understand it?
5) Employ a focus group or perform beta testing on a sampling of your future audience.
https://www.msu.edu/~webbsuza/atw/index.html
Unless we move legibility, readability, and usability to the forefront of our design practices, we will unquestionably lose our audience.
If we want to reach our target audiences when presenting text-based information, we as content specialists (designers, programmers, writers, and project managers) need to constantly consider usability. "Usability is often measured by studying the design of the table of contents, index, headings and page layout as well as determining the appropriate technical level" (5) according to Laura Gurak; moreover, "for maximum usability we must write from the user's point of view" (42). To accomplish this, we must move these crucial concepts of legibility, readability, and usability to the forefront of our design practices else we will unquestionably lose our audience. Too often we seem to overshadow them with other "more serious" concerns when these are the serious concerns in terms of satisfying our users..
Strong Contrasts Grant Legibility
Legibility refers to how easy it is to recognize bursts of copy. Headlines, callouts, signs, buttons and the like all affect the legibility of a product. Robin Williams, author of The Non-Designer's Web Book, offers help to ensure legibility; use a strong contrast between the type and the background color. She suggests we use the standard of black-on-white for the highest contrast (214). A reverse type (white-on-black) while striking, may alienate older readers as their eyes are not as geared for lengthy reading in dimmer conditions as Kevin Connolly's research indicates. "A sixty-year-old retina only receives one-third as much light as its twenty-year-old counterpart" (Connolly Thesis). Connolly confers with Williams; "legibility is enhanced by high luminance and color contrast, larger targets, [and] increased...spacing" (Thesis).
Perceived Legibility and Font Choice
Looking past how legibility relates to contrast, psychology students in the Software Usability Research Lab (SURL) at Wichita State University conducted studies on the legibility of different typefaces; these studies did not produce scientific results, but participants perceived Courier, Verdana, Georgia, and Times as most legible. If perceived legibility works for the end-user, then it is our duty as the designer to adhere to their perceptions.
Can Users Read Page After Page of the Text?
The separation of legibility and readability is oft misunderstood. Williams says readability is how "easy it is to read a lot of text, extended text, pages and pages of text" (214). Connolly confers saying readability is also measured by reading rate and comprehension (Thesis). While many decisions directly affect the readability of a project, both type font choice and line length are at the forefront. Making a font choice is a complex issue. Serif? San Serif? Bold? Regular? 10-point? 14-point? More than likely, according to Robin Williams, in a long passage of text a serif typeface will be easier to read. The serifs help to guide the eyes along the line. Furthermore, the optimal type size is between ten- and fourteen-point for on-screen reading (214). And, while more users are attempting to read our texts on-screen, we must also address those who wish to print our information.
What is Suitable Word Choice?
Specific word choice too, affects readability. Agricultural Communications reports that the Rudolf Flesh formula should govern all typesetting decisions. This formula combines reading ease (readability) with human interest (usability). There are four main points: 1) The more syllables, the harder to read and understand; 2) The more words, the harder to read and understand; 3) The more words about people, the more interesting, and; 4) the more sentences addressed to an audience, the more interesting (Readability). Agricultural Communications' suggestions demonstrate that even when we present technical information to an audience, traditional Anglo-Saxon words instead of Latinate as well as concise wording will help to incorporate our end user into the work and give them a more enjoyable experience. This improves the readability and therefore the usability of our information.
What is Optimal Line Length?
A substantial share of readability is attained by employing an optimal line length. Some controversy exists. Williams states that shorter line lengths are better because the eyes can't follow as well across the whole screen (214). Susan Wheeler, author of The Visual Design Primer finds that "lines ... too short or too long disrupt the reader's rhythm" (46). Wheeler believes these disruptions are 100% preventable. "A long line causes doubling (rereading the same line) because the reader has trouble finding the start of the next line. A shorter line constantly sends the reader back to the left edge after only a few words, so a comfortable rhythm is never established" (46). Humanfactors.com compiled data from several studies and reported "users preferred" a four-inch line length. While users read faster at a longer line length, the "users tend to prefer four to five-inch-wide lines" (UI Design). Discovering what the users prefer is the important finding-the finding we developers must adhere to. It's not about the reading speed; it's about usability and that translates to user preference.
Positive User Opinion is the True Measure
In Web Design Concepts and Best Practices, Carolee Cameron defines usability as "the degree to which a web site is efficient and easy to use. Ease of use, efficiency of the design, visual consistency and a clear focus on meeting the needs of users are hallmarks of usability. A usable website should also be memorable, result in few errors, and provide a level of satisfaction for the user" (160). Cameron also stresses that usability "is as important to the site's owners as it is to its users. Web sites need to be efficient and easy to use or they will lose visitors, which could result in the loss of revenue. Visitors who experience the smallest degree of confusion or frustration while on a site will leave" (160). One of the ways to we developers and writers can ensure these things do not happen is to utilize focus groups and beta testing. Cameron believes that rules of thumb should include: "90% of users should be able to find the information they need in less than one minute. 90% of users should say they like the site and will return" (164). There is no substitute for the end-users' opinions and their interpretation of a product's performance.
Who Is Our Target Audience?
We designers must continue to ask, "Who is our target audience" and channel a majority of our efforts into reaching and pleasing that audience. We will reach them through our planning for who they are and only then through our design or our words. "The more precisely defined [our] target audience is the more efficiently and effectively [we] can present the information" (Williams 81). And, while each of these interrelated concepts - legibility, readability, and usability - is much of much broader scope than can be addressed in this particular paper, let's face it, only when our information is efficient and effective - is it then usable. By gaining a deeper understanding of these graphic design considerations along with constantly considering usability, we can enhance our audience's experience and keep them consuming our works.
To Ensure the End-User's Best Experience, Answer These 5 Questions:
1) How can I create contrast?
2) What font should I choose?
3) Can I use about a 5-inch line length?
4) Should I re-word anything? Is it difficult to understand? I know it, but will they understand it?
5) Employ a focus group or perform beta testing on a sampling of your future audience.
https://www.msu.edu/~webbsuza/atw/index.html
The Secret Lives of Fonts
The Secret Lives of Fonts
Posted by Phil Renaud on March 12th, 2006.
Phil Renaud is a Canadian blog design and web design enthusiast, with a particular admiration for web standards and CSS innovation. Ruby on Rails, xhtml/css, ajax, and a whole lotta love.
http://philrenaud.com
I’m nearing the end of my sixth semester of university, and things are going pretty well: I’m clearing a decent grade point average, enjoying my major, and just having wrapped up my semester’s “essay alley”, wherein all my courses require a term paper or two, and getting my results back telling me that I’m doing much better than usual.
At first, I’m just relieved to be doing so well. Still, ever the skeptic, I start to wonder: what exactly am I doing differently now to be getting all these A-range paper grades all of the sudden?
I haven’t drastically changed the amount of effort I’m putting into my writing. I’m probably even spending less time with them now than I did earlier in my studies, and while I guess you could argue that I’m probably just being a great example of practice making perfect, I’ve got my doubts; I even used to take courses concentrating on writing better essays, and in the time surrounding that, my grades were pretty low.
Then it hits me: the only thing I’ve really changed since I’ve been getting these grades is…
my essay font.
Long story short, this throws me into something of a panic: I keep all my essays’ final copies in storage, so I go through every scholarly paper I’ve written for the past few years in hopes of garnering some sort of makeshift empirical results with regards to my essay styles. Here’s what I’m working with:
Total Number of Essays Written: 52.
Fonts Used: Georgia, Trebuchet MS, Times New Roman.
Let me explain what I found; I think the results might be a little bit surprising.
Times New Roman
Total Times New Roman styled essays: 11
Average Grade: A-
Everybody starts out using Times New Roman, I think. It’s the default in most text editors, and the natural tendency of first-year college students being lazy, it’s unlikely too many of them bothered messing around with the fonts until at least later in their studies. I was in the same boat. Anyway, the A- average is pretty close to where my GPA stands, and assuming that the professor marking the papers generally sees a few hundred in Times font every semester, I imagine he/she really just marked the paper on the basis of its integrity.
However, I don’t think I can say the same about the next two fonts…
Trebuchet MS
Total Trebuchet MS styled essays: 18
Average Grade: B-
Ouch! Nobody likes to see a B- on papers that they put serious effort into. Unfortunately, these guys made up more than a third of my total essay output.
So what gives? Was I just neglecting my papers around this time? Personal crises bogging me down? Partying a little too hard?
Actually, none of the above. I wrote most of these in second-third year, where I had a good bit more free time to study than usual, and as it turns out, I got some of my best overall marks. I checked my exam/non-essay grades from around that time, and they were through the roof! “A”-range grades on pretty much everything that didn’t give me the option of styling my font.
Well, before I start chanting “Academic Objectivity is a myth”, there’s still one more font to investigate
Georgia
Total Georgia styled essays: 23
Average Grade: A
Well, would you believe it? My essays written in Georgia did the best overall. This got me thinking as to why that might be: maybe fonts speak a lot louder than we think they do. Especially to a professor who has to wade through a collection of them; Times seems to be the norm, so it really doesn’t set off any subconcious triggers. Georgia is enough like Times to retain its academic feel, and is different enough to be something of a relief for the grader. Trebuchet seems to set off a negative trigger, maybe just based on the fact that it’s not as easy to read in print, maybe on the fact that it looks like something off a blog rather than an academic journal. Who knows.
So, what are you trying to say?
I want to say that serifs appeal to academics more than sans-serifs do. I even briefly hypothesized that potential students would be innately drawn towards a the site of a college with a serif font more than one with a sans-serif.
I didn’t go into this hoping to try and make any claims against academic integrity here; I can’t imagine this is something that a professor would do knowingly.
What I’m not opposed to saying, however, is that the style used in an essay certainly seems to influence grading tendencies, even if that is at an unconcious level. I think that it’s possible that a person sees a Serif font and thinks “proper, academic”, and sees a Sans font and thinks “focus is on the style, not the substance; must lack integrity”. Maybe.
But, it’s hard to deny this, evidenced over 52 papers. Within each of the three fonts I used, there wasn’t terribly much variance, either. It’s not like these were just written for one subject, either: a wide range of disciplines were included, from Philosophy to Economics to Marketting to Political Science to Computer Science, even having paper on Computational Neuromodelling thrown in there.
So, be mindful of your target audience when you’re marking up a document, whether it’s a university essay or a commercial website. You never know just how loudly a font speaks.
http://fadtastic.net/2006/03/12/the-secret-lives-of-fonts/
Posted by Phil Renaud on March 12th, 2006.
Phil Renaud is a Canadian blog design and web design enthusiast, with a particular admiration for web standards and CSS innovation. Ruby on Rails, xhtml/css, ajax, and a whole lotta love.
http://philrenaud.com
I’m nearing the end of my sixth semester of university, and things are going pretty well: I’m clearing a decent grade point average, enjoying my major, and just having wrapped up my semester’s “essay alley”, wherein all my courses require a term paper or two, and getting my results back telling me that I’m doing much better than usual.
At first, I’m just relieved to be doing so well. Still, ever the skeptic, I start to wonder: what exactly am I doing differently now to be getting all these A-range paper grades all of the sudden?
I haven’t drastically changed the amount of effort I’m putting into my writing. I’m probably even spending less time with them now than I did earlier in my studies, and while I guess you could argue that I’m probably just being a great example of practice making perfect, I’ve got my doubts; I even used to take courses concentrating on writing better essays, and in the time surrounding that, my grades were pretty low.
Then it hits me: the only thing I’ve really changed since I’ve been getting these grades is…
my essay font.
Long story short, this throws me into something of a panic: I keep all my essays’ final copies in storage, so I go through every scholarly paper I’ve written for the past few years in hopes of garnering some sort of makeshift empirical results with regards to my essay styles. Here’s what I’m working with:
Total Number of Essays Written: 52.
Fonts Used: Georgia, Trebuchet MS, Times New Roman.
Let me explain what I found; I think the results might be a little bit surprising.
Times New Roman
Total Times New Roman styled essays: 11
Average Grade: A-
Everybody starts out using Times New Roman, I think. It’s the default in most text editors, and the natural tendency of first-year college students being lazy, it’s unlikely too many of them bothered messing around with the fonts until at least later in their studies. I was in the same boat. Anyway, the A- average is pretty close to where my GPA stands, and assuming that the professor marking the papers generally sees a few hundred in Times font every semester, I imagine he/she really just marked the paper on the basis of its integrity.
However, I don’t think I can say the same about the next two fonts…
Trebuchet MS
Total Trebuchet MS styled essays: 18
Average Grade: B-
Ouch! Nobody likes to see a B- on papers that they put serious effort into. Unfortunately, these guys made up more than a third of my total essay output.
So what gives? Was I just neglecting my papers around this time? Personal crises bogging me down? Partying a little too hard?
Actually, none of the above. I wrote most of these in second-third year, where I had a good bit more free time to study than usual, and as it turns out, I got some of my best overall marks. I checked my exam/non-essay grades from around that time, and they were through the roof! “A”-range grades on pretty much everything that didn’t give me the option of styling my font.
Well, before I start chanting “Academic Objectivity is a myth”, there’s still one more font to investigate
Georgia
Total Georgia styled essays: 23
Average Grade: A
Well, would you believe it? My essays written in Georgia did the best overall. This got me thinking as to why that might be: maybe fonts speak a lot louder than we think they do. Especially to a professor who has to wade through a collection of them; Times seems to be the norm, so it really doesn’t set off any subconcious triggers. Georgia is enough like Times to retain its academic feel, and is different enough to be something of a relief for the grader. Trebuchet seems to set off a negative trigger, maybe just based on the fact that it’s not as easy to read in print, maybe on the fact that it looks like something off a blog rather than an academic journal. Who knows.
So, what are you trying to say?
I want to say that serifs appeal to academics more than sans-serifs do. I even briefly hypothesized that potential students would be innately drawn towards a the site of a college with a serif font more than one with a sans-serif.
I didn’t go into this hoping to try and make any claims against academic integrity here; I can’t imagine this is something that a professor would do knowingly.
What I’m not opposed to saying, however, is that the style used in an essay certainly seems to influence grading tendencies, even if that is at an unconcious level. I think that it’s possible that a person sees a Serif font and thinks “proper, academic”, and sees a Sans font and thinks “focus is on the style, not the substance; must lack integrity”. Maybe.
But, it’s hard to deny this, evidenced over 52 papers. Within each of the three fonts I used, there wasn’t terribly much variance, either. It’s not like these were just written for one subject, either: a wide range of disciplines were included, from Philosophy to Economics to Marketting to Political Science to Computer Science, even having paper on Computational Neuromodelling thrown in there.
So, be mindful of your target audience when you’re marking up a document, whether it’s a university essay or a commercial website. You never know just how loudly a font speaks.
http://fadtastic.net/2006/03/12/the-secret-lives-of-fonts/
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