A designer will organize type, graphics, words, and pictures in the most appealing and legible way possible, to give a form to an idea.

As in other aspects of rhetoric, knowledge of the audience is critical to graphic design. And as in other aspects of rhetoric, the successful approach to visual communication varies with the audience. Sometimes wildly. We know that most people dislike

• change
• inconvenience
• being marginalized or made fun of
• being overwhelmed

It's a good idea to avoid these in a graphic design strategy -- except for change, which may be unavoidable. In that case, we must at least take pity on the audience and break it to them gently. :-) Your considerations in preparing or selecting graphics are then

• their contribution to your argument
• the feeling they convey to your audience
• the flexibility they offer (e.g. formatting rules, publication methods, etc.)
• their significance (e.g. meaning, useful life, number of copies to be distributed)

Companies will use graphic design as a fundamental part of developing an identity system -- a package of elements that visually identifies a company. This can include logos, business cards, letterheads, envelopes, and type styles and colors for company publications. An identity system contains company standards (developed by a graphic designer) on printed and online materials, ensuring consistency no matter who designs and/or prints them. It lends legitimacy and professionalism to a company.

The logo is probably the cornerstone of an identity system. A company usually wants a logo that's

• simple and works well in all media
• visible even when reduced
• reproducible in black and white, either positive or negative (which probably means limited in colors)
• distinguished from other existing logos
• readable (if it contains lettering)

1. lines
2. space (two kinds: two- and three-dimensional; the latter adds depth)
3. colors
4. shapes
5. volumes/sizes
6. textures
7. contrast
8. highlights
9. patterns and groupings
10. proportions
11. balance
12. symbols
13. subtlety v. direct meaning (you choose)
14. interaction with text
15. variations in text (e.g. font, spacing, highlights)

If you create a diagram via clip-art or other standard means, you may bypass some of the decisions above.

Here are the adjustable characteristics of type fonts:

1. serifs (appendages on top/bottom of Roman letters)
2. contrast (between thick and thin strokes)
3. stress (the angle at which contrast occurs)
4. kerning (the spacing between consecutive characters)
5. punctuation style (e.g. "smart quotes")
6. proximity of different fonts (e.g. headings and text)
7. text decoration (e.g. bold, italic, underscore)

When your graphic work is to be printed, keep these things in mind the services a printer provides:

• color pre-press (i.e. four-color film, separations, color proofs)
• digital proofs
• high-resolution scans (in color or black and white)
• image manipulation
• film makeup
• slide production
• camera services
• color transfers
• software sales
• typesetting

Tips on dealing with a printer can be found in the sci.engr.* FAQ on Innovation and Product Development, under the section "On Dealing With Vendors."

Photographs

Engineers typically have difficulty communicating information through photographs. Photos of a static subject, such as a computer or test fixture, provide the audience with neither information nor excitement. Photographs also sometimes don't reproduce well in other media. A couple of tips:

1. Don't use photocopies of photographs, especially if the copier is black and white. It is almost impossible to get a decent black and white copy of a color photo. Consider instead paying for a single high-fidelity color copy for a viewgraph, or displaying the image on the Web.
2. Digital copies of photographs (or digital photos) do not have the information content of an actual photograph, though they can be quite convenient. If you try with a large color palette or increased resolution to narrow the information gap between digital and film images, you will quickly run into the Law of Diminishing Returns.
3. Digital photos compress better in JPG format than in GIF. (GIF is, on the other hand, better for diagrams, line drawings, etc.)

Computer hardware is a commonly used object of static images. What alternatives do you have to presenting static photos of hardware?

• what hardware analyzes/is used for
• who's using the hardware
• what the hardware replaces
  • previous hardware
  • previous level of effort
• how it's operated
  • still photo of operational step (if any better)
  • series of steps (e.g. installation, start-up)
• diagram of features
• image of boards or other internal components
• exploded view of components (if any better)
• block diagrams of system connections

Jacqueline Gikow is a freelance artist, craftsperson, designer, and writer. Find out more about her HERE.

References

an excellent, annotated glossary of design terms
Bauermeister, B. A Manual of Comparative Typography. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1988. ISBN 0-442-21187-2
Bringhurst, R. The Elements of Typographic Style. Hartley & Marks, 1992. ISBN 0-88179-033-8
Byers, S. The Electronic Type Catalog. Bantam Books, 1991. ISBN 0-553-35446-9
Eisenstein, E. The Printing Press as an Agent of Change. Cambridge University Press, 1979. ISBN 0-521-29955-1
Lemay, L. and C. Perkins. Teach Yourself Java 1.1 in 21 Days. Indianapolis: Sams Publishing, 1992. ISBN 1-575-21142-4
Tufte, E. Visual Explanations. Graphics Press, 1997. ISBN 0-961-39212-1
Tufte, E. Visual Display of Quantitative Information. Graphics Press, 1992. ISBN 0-961-39210-X
Tufte, E. Envisioning Information. Graphics Press, 1990. ISBN 0-961-39211-8
Zapf, H. The Expression of Our Time in Typography in Heritage of the Graphic Arts. R.R. Bowker Company, 1972. ISBN 0-8352-0213-5
The semiotics of multimedia
Image and visualization links
Bob Horn on Visual Language
Visual Rhetoric (New Mexico State Univ.)
Visual Rhetoric bibliography (Syracuse Univ.)

1. See what others think works in graphic design, through
   • magazines
   • museums and galleries
   • signs and billboards
   • newsletters and brochures
   • any business that caters to creative people (e.g. upscale supermarkets, hair salons, etc.)
2. Experiment to find what will work for you!
3. Gain some familiarity with a graphic language to assist you with experiments. Even a simple one will do.
4. Establish a relationship with a printer if you think you will be mass-producing graphic materials.