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Principles
1. Understand who and why2. Understand the text3. Choose what to say4. Slash everything else5. Edit sentences6. Put into logical order7. Demolish walls of words8. Use links in the right way9. Rest it then test it |
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7. Demolish walls of words. Solid blocks of text are intimidating. Break them up.
Use bulleted lists for items or choicesIf you have a selection of different items separated by commas then try writing them as a bulleted list. Use numbered lists for instructionsIf you want people to do things in a specific order, such as following instructions, then use a numbered list. Use visuals when they helpHere are some of the places where something visual may help:
Try to make sure that any visual element that you use is beautiful or useful. Use tables to organise repetitive text or dataThink of tables as a collection of 'if... then' sentences. Read the first column as the 'if' part of the sentence, and the other columns as the 'then' parts. We put an example just above. |
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Screen readers, used by blind people, can't 'see' the meaning of a table. Check that your table continues to make sense when it is read row-by-row across the table. A great photo can lift your page; a discordant one can ruin it. PhotoUX explains how to choose and use photos. The idea of breaking up solid blocks of text has been around since journalists started using headlines in the 1870s.
chapter 11: Using lists and tables chapter 13: Using illustrations effectively |
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