TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
RE: Re: Single Spacing, Double Spacing, and Doing It Ones Own Way
Subject:RE: Re: Single Spacing, Double Spacing, and Doing It Ones Own Way From:"Wright, Lynne" <lwright -at- positron911 -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 11 May 2004 15:06:27 -0400
In response to Dan Goldstein's comment: "Practical experience" is anecdotal
by definition. Usability ought to be determined by reproducible research
with statistically significant results."
We're talking design issues here, not scientific experiments. While some
design issues ... such as what combinations of point sizes, line lengths,
and line spacing provide maximum readability ... can be determined using
mathematical formulae, its absurd to discount less tangible factors that
determine what works best, in a visual sense, to deliver information.
That's why trained publication designers will produce stuff that looks and
works way better than what an amateur can create. Good design is a balancing
act between applying standard graphic and typographical concepts with a more
ephemeral visual sense that can only be developed through experience. And
each document is different, so how can you imagine that there would be one
set of rules to fit all? Its not a question of that experience being
"anecdotal". Good designers just don't make stuff up according to the urges
of their spleens.
Lynne Wright
Technical Communications
Positron Inc.
5101 Buchan St. H4P 2R9
(514) 345-2200
fax: 345-2272
SEE THE ALL NEW ROBOHELP X5 IN ACTION: RoboHelp X5 is a giant leap forward
in Help authoring technology, featuring Word 2003 support, Content
Management, Multi-Author support, PDF and XML support and much more! http://www.macromedia.com/go/techwrldemo
>From a single set of Word documents, create online Help and printed
documentation with ComponentOne Doc-To-Help 7 Professional, a new yearly
subscription service offering free updates and upgrades, support, and more. http://www.doctohelp.com
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
