Chapter 3: Billboard Design 101
DESIGNING PAGES FOR READING, NOT SCANNING
Create a clear visual hierarchy
- The more important something is, the more prominent it is
- larger,
- bolder,
- distinctive color,
- set off by more white space, and/or
- nearer the top of the page
- Things that are related logically are also related visually
- grouping,
- similar visual style, and/or
- clearly defined area
- Things are "nested" visually to show what's part of what
Take advantage of conventions
- They're very useful
- Designers are often reluctant to take advantage of them
- "If you're going to innovate, you have to understand the value of what you're replacing."
Break pages up into clearly defined areas
- useful to narrow down the scanning
Make it obvious what's clickable
- stick to conventions
- keep links different from other images and type
Minimize noise
- Resist Busy-ness
- Avoid Background noise
- "...everything is visual noise until proven otherwise."
