The Most Important Thing I Learned...

I’ve always viewed design as a method for presenting information in an eye-catching way, but I never gave much thought about how an end user may use that information. Therefore, the most important aspect of document design I learned this semester is visual rhetoric, especially with respect to user-centered design and usability.

I tried to remain true throughout the semester to Jakob Nielsen’s five variables of usability: learnability, efficiency, memorability, error avoidance, and subjective satisfaction. Some projects lent themselves better to a combination of the five variables, which allowed me to develop a better understanding of the various applications of document design.

My first redesign project was a business card for a construction company that focused on proximity and alignment. Then, I redesigned the cover for a business proposal that highlighted the use of contrast.  My third design was a marketing brochure that also highlighted contrast in color and alignment. My fourth redesign (and my favorite) was a business website that really concentrated on culture and perception. My last design, a graduation announcement, relied mostly on perception.

Even though my five designs focused individually on various other design elements, they all incorporated the concept of visual rhetoric. It was always important to keep the end user in mind when planning and executing my documents, especially the website redesign, because the sole purpose of creating a document in the first place is to relay important information to an audience and allow the audience to use that information in a productive way. As each design project came and went, I was able to more realistically evaluate my readers’ needs and develop a more comprehensive idea of how to present my information.

I appreciate the knowledge I gained about visual rhetoric because I can see the theory’s application in my career aspirations. My goal is to become a freelance editor, revising documents across a broad spectrum of industries. Having a solid background in the concept of visual rhetoric will enable me to analyze a document and to apply Aristotle’s Rhetoric Theory (ethos, logos, and pathos) to any document I edit. As I have learned throughout my studies, editing is not only about grammar, punctuation, and spelling; it is also about design and usability. A document may be free of grammatical errors, but that doesn’t really matter if someone can’t use the document for its intended purpose. Knowing how important visual rhetoric is in planning and editing a document, I can help a client develop an effective proposal, brochure, article, or even a book because I have the knowledge to do so now.

I think everyone has some sense of what visual rhetoric is. However, I think most people design a document based on their own assessments, needs, and wants. I did that before this class. Now, I know that my audience—the end user—is the most important aspect when planning a document, and my goal should always be to present the most learnable, efficient, memorable, error-free, and satisfactory document possible for a successful experience—for both my client and myself.