Design In ICT

1. Design In ICT

2. Designing in ICT involves making decisions about:• the appearance of an information product• how to produce an information product.

3. Design in ICT Information products Design elements Conventions checklist

4. Information products Fourteen different information products are provided.Each one is explored in terms of:• key design features• design tools• advice for producing the product• a planning checklist.

5. Information products Websites Letters and envelopes Charts and graphs Business graphs Résumés Reports Questionnaires Emails Slideshows Newsletters Brochures Invitations Posters Tables

6. Websites

7. Design in ICT - Websites Sample format Website for Boost Juice

8. Domain name (www.boostjuice.com) is concise and easy to remember Clear and concise navigation elements and consistent placement of navigation bar A heading hierarchy is used and text is left-aligned Design in ICT - Websites Design features Splash page gives user feedback on load time

9. Back button (not the best navigation location as it is difficult to see) Images complement the website’s content Consistent fonts Design in ICT - Websites Design features

10. White background All relevant contact details included Design in ICT - Websites Design features Colour combination is effective and visually pleasing Website design is appropriate for the intended audience Sound can be switched on or off to suit user

11. Design in ICT - Websites Design tools This is a sketch showing all pages in a website and how they are linked. Colour coding assists in identifying relationships. You can label each frame, indicating its purpose.

12. Design in ICT - Websites Task advice Saving images for use in a website •Image files used in websites need to be as small as possible, as large files can take a long time to download.• Images should be no more than 72 dpi (dots per inch).• There are two main file types for images used in websites: - JPEG (pronounced ‘jay-peg’) is used for photos - GIF (pronounced ‘Giff’ or ‘Jiff’) is used for most other types of images including animated images.• Both JPEG and GIF files compress efficiently. Compression causes data loss in a JPEG but not in a GIF. The user can choose the amount of compression when saving in JPEG format.

13. Design in ICT - Websites Task advice examples Examples of images saved with different compressions JPEG with high compression(10% quality, small file size 8 KB) Gif with high compression(8 colours, small file size 8 KB) Gif with medium compression(64 colours, larger file size 16 KB) JPEG with low compression(70% quality, larger file size 16 KB)

14. Design in ICT - Websites Checklist Think about these points when designing a website •Use a heading hierarchy.• Use a larger font size for headings.• Left-align text to aid readability.• Use only one or two fonts for the text.• Text size range 9-12 points, with 12 points for paragraph text.• Use sans-serif fonts to enhance readability.• Limit sentence length to 15-20 words.• Limit line length to 60 characters (approximately 10-11 words).•Limit paragraph size to 4-8 lines.• Avoid underlining (except for hyperlinks).• Use bold, ALL CAPITALS and italics sparingly.• Avoid red and green together for colour-blind people.• Sound should complement the content.• Limit the size of all graphics files on a page to 100 KB.

15. Design in ICT - Websites Notes There are two categories of fonts:• serif (e.g. Times New Roman)• san serif (e.g. Arial and Helvetica). Serif font Sans-serif font

16. Letters and envelopes

17. Design in ICT - Letters Sample format There are two types of formal letters:• personal business letters, which individuals send to organisations• business letters, which organisations prepare on letterhead paper. This is a sample format of a personal business letter

18. Design in ICT - Letters Design features R4-R6 and R2, etc.indicate the number of returns (or Enters) to insert. For example, insert two returns after a paragraph (R2). R4-6 R2 R2 R2 R2 R2 R2 R4-6 R2

19. Date in full Two spaces and no punctuation in address Formal closing Personal letterhead in a sans-serif font with minimal punctuation. This aids readability Correct title used One space after a full stop Enclosure indicated Design in ICT - Letters Design features

20. Bottom line all in capitals Postcode squares not used for machine printed envelopes or labels. Use only for hand-written postcodes Design in ICT - Letters Sample format Two spaces and no punctuation in bottom line

21. Design in ICT - Letters Design tools Structure outline • Using a computer or pen and paper, list the parts of a letter you plan to produce on and A4 page.• Position these on the page as they will appear in the finished letter.• Indicate the number or returns (R) or Enters after each part.

22. Design in ICT - Letters Task advice Creating a letter template • A template sets out a standard structure for an information product, such as a letter, but allows for variable information to be added in fields.• Prompts are given regarding the variable information to be inserted in these fields, for example, ‘(insert name)’.• Templates ensure consistency in layout and save time when creating new products.

23. Design in ICT - Letters Checklist Think about these points when designing a letter • Begin all text lines at the left margin.• Include your contact details at the top of the page• Use a serif font set at 10-12 points for the body of the letter. Serif fonts, such as Times New Roman, are easier to read in continuous lines of text.• Key the date in full in date/month/year format.• Do not include punctuation in the date or address.• Number any consecutive pages, but not the first page.

24. Charts and graphs

25. Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Sample format Sample format of a line graph

26. Title describes what the chart shows A scale is provided on the vertical (y) axis Colours are used to differentiate the lines A legend is included if more than one set of data has been plotted Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Design features

27. Source statement is included Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Design features The horizontal (x) axis is labelled Time is always shown on the x axis and quantity on the y axis

28. Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Sample format Sample format of a pie chart

29. The number of segments is six, the maximum recommended Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Design features Absolute values as well as percentages can be shown on the segments Different colours are used to differentiate the segments

30. Long category labels are placed in a legend. Short category labels can be placed beside the segments The ‘Other’ category is placed last Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Design features The title describes what the chart shows

31. Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Design features The segments are arranged from largest to smallest, starting at the 12 o’clock position

32. Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Sample format Sample format of a column chart

33. A scale is provided on the vertical (y) axis Each column starts at zero Colours are used to differentiate two sets of data Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Design features Title describes what the chart shows

34. A legend is included The horizontal (x) axis is labelled Source statement is included Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Design features A sans-serif font is used to assist readability

35. Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Design tools Data input table• To create a graph or chart, first identify the data you need and arrange it in a table in the order in which it should appear.• Based on the text shown a table has been created by entering the participation rates in the sports listed for each category (boys and girls), from most popular to least popular.• The column chart that can be created from this data will display the participation rates for each category in order of popularity. ‘For boys, the most popular sports are outdoor soccer (22% or 301,100), swimming (16% or 213,600), Australian Rules football (14% or 184,200), tennis (9% or 128,300), outdoor cricket (9% or 124,200), and basketball (9% or 116,100). For girls, the most popular sports are netball (18% or 233,000), swimming (17% or 225,500), tennis (8% or 100,100), and basketball (7% or 88,900).’ Source: ABS, Children’s Participation in Cultural and Leisure Activities, Australia, April 2003

36. Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Task advice Using a spreadsheet • A spreadsheet can be used to create different types of graphs and charts.• A spreadsheet is made up of cells, rows and columns.• Enter the data in separate cells, as illustrated.• Select the data (in the example, cells A3 to D5).• Click on the ‘Insert Chart’ option.• Select the chart type.• View the sample.• Complete the steps by adding a title, labelling the axes, and adding other features if required. Note: This dialog box may displaydifferently depending on thesoftware version used.

37. Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Checklist Think about these points when designing a chart or a graph • Choose a graph or chart type that suits the data to be presented.• Use column and bar charts to compare the value of an item or items over time or in categories.• Use line graphs to show trends and changes in values over time.• Use pie charts to compare the values of parts of a whole.• Include a clear, concise title at the top.• Differentiate the segments or lines with colour or patterns.

38. Design in ICT - Charts and graphs Checklist Think about these points when designing a chart or a graph • If the number of categories exceeds the maximum (6), combine the smallest categories in an ‘Other’ column, bar or segment.• In line graphs and column or bar charts include a legend if more than one set of data is plotted.• Use a sans-serif font to aid readability.• Show units of measurement that apply to values, such as millimetres or prices.• Include a statement about the source of the data.

39. Businesscards

40. Design in ICT - Business cards Sample format

41. Services offered are listed Design in ICT - Business cards Design features Standard size for a business card is 95 mm x 55 mm Harmonious colour combinations are used Landscape orientation used to complement imagery

42. Contact name is prominent All relevant contact details are included Design in ICT - Business cards Design features Most important information is placed most prominently (the name of the company or business) Black text enhances legibility

43. Design in ICT - Business cards Design tools • Establish a visual hierarchy for your business card by listing the data, analysing it and then ranking the elements in order of importance. • Begin with the most important information first. This will lead the reader through the information from one element to the next.

44. Design in ICT - Business cards Task advice The colour wheel and colour harmony Choose harmonious colour combinations:• for a reserved, professional or soothing effect, select colours that are adjacent on the colour wheel, such as lime and green.• for a dynamic effect, select colours that are directly opposite each other, such as orange and blue.Choose cool or warm colours to convey a message that reflects the type of business, for example:• cool colours, such as green and blue, convey a clean, reserved image and are more likely to be used by service businesses such as a beauty salon or a medical centre. • warm colours, such as yellow and red, convey an urgent, comforting or active image, and are more likely to be used by a restaurant or rock concert promoters.

45. Design in ICT - Business cards Checklist Think about these points when designing a business card • Use sans-serif fonts such as Arial, Comic Sans MS, Helvetica, Futura or Univers.• Use a larger font for the business name and use bold to highlight important text such as the contact person’s name.• A tag line can be used to describe the product or services offered.• Use minimal punctuation.• Limit the number of fonts to one or two.• Use empty space to increase the legibility and impact of your design.

46. Résumés

47. Design in ICT - Résumés Sample format

48. The bold headings divide the text into short segments Design in ICT - Résumés Design features This résumé is formatted on one page. They can be longer in length

49. The entries are in chronological order, starting with the most current date The size and placement of the name and contact details helps to draw the reader onto the page Design in ICT - Résumés Design features Indented text helps to distinguish the sections, making them easier to locate

50. Design in ICT - Résumés Design features White (empty) space gives the eyes space to rest on the page