Designing for online document versus print document

Designing for online document versus print document

According to Nielsen (1997), reading from paper is about 25% faster than reading from computer screens. Therefore readers will feel unlikable when reading the online text. As they continue, designer for online webpage should write 50% less text and keep pages short in order to make the readers feel comfortable when reading an online document.

Nielsen (1999) states that printed document can stun the reader with high-impact visualization, but the online medium eventually wins because of the user engagement that is made possible by non-static design elements. As he continue, print design is based on letting the eyes walk over the information, whereas web design functions by letting the hands move the information (by scrolling or clicking).

Generally, there are three main guidelines when designing the online document. Niesen (1997) claims that, the three main guidelines are as below:
· Be succinct.
· Write for scannability.
· Use hypertext to split up long information into multiple pages.

Due to screen readability problem, designing for online document has to be succinct. That is, writing not more than 50% of text as compare to print document text. As skimming through an online document is a fact of the Web, we need to emphasize and highlighting the keywords of document in order to make the document scannability.

On the other hand, online document should integrate pictures and words together in order to help readers meet their goals (Scriver 1997, pg361). Scriver (1997) also states that a picture is only sometimes worth a thousand words.

Example of printed document

Example of online document

Best & Worst Weblog/Website

Nielsen (1999) claims that “Anything that is a great print design is likely to be a lousy web design.” Therefore designing a weblog or website should be different from print design, and should focus more on how to create interaction with the readers. Below is an example of bad Website.

Example of bad website (The worst website that I've ever seen.)

Reference Lists:

Nielsen, J 1997, Be succinct! (writing for the web), Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox, viewed 8 May 2008, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9703b.html.

Nielsen, J 1999, Differences Between Print Design and Web Design, Jakob Nielsen’s Alertbox, viewed 8 May 2008, <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990124.html>.

Schriver, K. A. 1997, ‘The interplay of words and pictures,’ in Dynamic in document design: creating texts for readers, Wiley Computer Pub., New York, pp.361-441.