Screen vs Print Document Design

According to (Reep 2006), it states that a document design indicates how it appears visually. It provides information and also visual representations about relevant design principles: balance, proportion, sequence and consistency.

"We can think of a document as a field of interacting rhetorical clusters."                                                     

                                                                                                       - Karen A. Shriver

When a reader reads a text, they begin to develop visual information (structured way of planning an interaction with the reader) about it such as size, colour, layout and more hence its importance (Hilligoss 2002).


Text is mostly scanned before reading hence readers map out reading paths before they read. It allows them to be exposed to values, salience, interpretations (Kress and van Leeuwen 1998, p.205)

According to Nielson (1999) it highlights the main differences about print and on-screen document designs. Issues such as dimensionality, interactivity, navigation, etc will be identified.

Differences in print and on-screen documents 

1. Dimensionality

Source: (notcot.com, 2000)

Print design is 2-dimensional, you can flip the pages. Its design is displayed on a large canvas for viewing information all at once.



Source: (Boolegenterprise.com, 2009)

On-screen designs are 1-dimensional and N-dimensional. It gives a scrolling experience that fits differently according to window size.

2. Interactivity





Source: (beate-epp.com, 2006)

An example of a print design (newspaper) that has high impact images to attract readers and bring interactivity.

Web designs have reached a new level in terms of interactivity. The technology incorporated to enhance multimodal texts and user interactivity is great.

(click here to view Cascading Style Sheets 3 example)

3. Navigation

In print designs, the main form of navigation is done by turning pages. It's simple and benefits the reader in terms of selectivity. 

In on-screen designs, web designs follow the hypertext navigation like the occurrence of links, where the link will lead and more.

I concur that both types of design are beneficial differently. Its' purposes can cater to our needs if we know how to apply it accordingly. 

References

1. Reep, D 2006, Technical Writing: Principles, Strategies, and Readings, Pearson, New York.

2. Holligoss, S 2002, Visual Communication: A Writer’s Guide, Clemson University, viewed 24 August 2011, <http://www.ablongman.com/mycomplab_content/pdf/long_hilligoss.pdf>.

3. Kress, G and van Leeuwen , T 1998, 'The Meaning of Composition: Linear and non-linear compositions', Reading Images, p. 205.  

4. Nielson, J 1999, Differences Between Print and Web Design, Alertbox, viewed 24 August 2011, <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990124.html>.