Kostelnick's four levels of design in professional documents
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¶ … along with the guidelines for page and visual design discussed in chapter 8.
Looking Back
In order to properly evaluate the sample pages provided, it is important to look back at chapter 8. Chapter 8 explains the four levels of design. The four levels of design are demonstrated through analysis by visual communications expert Charles Kostelnick.
In the chapter he analyzes four levels of design that offer a way to categorize and organize design choices. Organization is key in properly developing and implementing concepts. Without cohesion and congruent thinking, an idea will not have sufficient clarity.
As described in chapter 8: design levels offer an organized approach in which to plan and contemplate over design decisions. Design decisions are often formulated when making documents, visuals, and presentations. They're also useful in analyzing documents encountered in a business setting/professional setting.
A great way as mentioned by Kienzler (2010), to acquire new concepts and ideas for documents is to analyze the design elements in successful documents. Utilizing others' successful structure and methods provides good direction for one's own approaches.
The four levels of design as described by Kostelnick's four levels:
Intra-Design choices for individual letters and words
Inter-Design choices for blocks of text. Inter-level design choices include
Extra -- Design choices for graphics that go with the text. Extra-level design
Supra -- Design choices for entire documents (Locker & Kienzler, 2010, p.220-221).
Evaluation
In "A Special Report: Living Healthy," there is use of color at the bottom of the two pages. The heading is large and helps the reader understand quickly what the topic is, preparing he/she for the content of the document. The document is separated in three columns, allowing for better reading of each paragraph and also quick reference. There is suitable white in between the columns and beneath the heading to separate everything. There are three different texts sizes to differentiate the content.
When applying the design steps, it appears the use of color in the bottom seems to serve no purpose. The separation of the content helps in containing important information separately and neatly, but the design aspect is confusing towards the end with the small sized text at the bottom below the big boxes of green. The sample pages fail to use color appropriately.
In "A Special Bulletin: Living Healthy," there is advanced use of color, design, and layout. Headings are put for each subtopic covered. Headings are also italicized and separated with white space. White space is used to separate the content into three columns with a block of color to highlight additional text on the second page.
Overall, the document uses color and design elements to not just organize things, but to emphasize and provide clarity to the reader. The ending even has "finis" in a border to provide readers with a distinct marker to stop reading.
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- Locker, K. O., & Kienzler, D. S. (2010). Business and administrative communication (9th Ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
- VanHuss, S. H., Forde, C. M., & Woo, D. (2004). Formatting and document processing essentials: Lessons 61-120: Microsoft Word 2002/Microsoft Word 2003. Mason, Ohio: South-Western.
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