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Subject:Re: Information Mapping From:"Michael West" <mwest -at- oz -dot- quest -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 8 Dec 2000 13:45:32 +1100
Kent Christensen wrote, regarding Information Mapping:
> My company got on this bandwagon in the early eighties,
> with lots of in-house training, etc. Since then it's mostly died out,
> because, IMHO, of the advent of PC-based word processing and especially
> choices of fonts.
>
> The "common sense" involved mostly use of white space, in this instance by
> putting paragraph titles in a left column and text in a right column.
Great
> for typewriters and Wangs. Now that alternate design and size and weight
> (and even color) fonts are available, much of the same "look" can be
> achieved using these tools. There's likely more to it today, but then the
> look was the thing. And, when you "chunk" the look of documents like that,
> they could accidentally get more organized
This isn't what Information Mapping is about.
If you get hung up on the "look" you're missing the point.
The point of IM is logical structure, consistency, and
accessibility -- not layout. Layout is only a reflection
of structure. You can't use "fonts" as a substitute for
rigorous content analysis and design -- although many
attempt it.
--
Michael West
Melbourne
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