Designing for Print Versus Online

The printing design for magazine and articles differs a lot from the design for the online design as both have different forms and function for the readers.

Example of the Magazine design of National Geographic

Source: Google (2009)

Pictures and words are being used in both of the print and web based design. This is because the words can specified a topic while the pictures will catch the readers attention (Shriver,1997). But in order for the pictures to be downloaded from the website within 10 seconds, the JPEG quality must be degraded that would be the disadvantage of web based informations (Nielsen, 1999).

Example of the Web design for National Geographic

Source: Google (2009)

Usually in the web, users would tend to scan at least 79% rather than reading everything that is posted on the internet or web (Nielsen, 2000, p. 107) and most of the reading time on the web will be slowed down by 25% compare to reading on the print based articles. Furthermore, Nielsen (2000, p.111) mentioned that the language should be kept simple and easy to understand on the web. In additional, the reading behavior of the web users will usually read with the F-shaped pattern mentioned by Nielsen (2006).

The F-shaped pattern of reading path on the Web

No matter what differences differs between the print based designing or web based designing, Reep (2006, p.134) mentioned that the writers' goals are all the same which is to provide the readers with informations that can be used by them.

List of References:

Nielsen, J. 1999, Differences Between Print Design and Web Design, useit.com, viewed on 22nd of November 2009,

<http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990124.html>

Nielsen, J. 2000, Content Design: Designing Web Usability, New Riders, Indianapolis, viewed on 22nd November 2009,

<http://www.library.unisa.edu.au/webservices/fedoraldap/default.aspx?bibid=641878>

Nielsen, J. 2006, F-Shaped Pattern For Reading Web Content, useit.com, viewed on 22nd of November 2009,

<http://www.useit.com/alertbox/reading_pattern.html>

Reep, Diana C. 2006, Chapter 4:Principles of Document Design: in Technical Writing, 6th ed., Pearson Edu, Inc., New York, p. 173–190.

Shriver, KA 1997, Dynamic in document design: creating text for readers, Wiley Computer Pub, New York.