Reading Response 1

Prompt 1

I like how the article started off with printer instructions. I've hated the appalling instructions that have come with my printers at home, and I'm sure that it struck a chord with the judges. If the question in the prompt is referring to the printer instructions, I can understand it perfectly.

The article makes good use of visual examples and more importantly, does a good job explaining why the said visual examples were as good as they were. The underlying point the author seems to try to make is that getting the subject across in a piece of informative writing is much more important than sounding like a guru on the subject. I think this is reflected in the article itself.

Prompt 2

I honestly don't think there is much more to say about the weather channel websites structural arrangement that wasn't said in the article. I do like how the most pertinent information, that being the doppler image and news articles, are placed near the middle of the page (when viewed from my resolution, at least) and catches my attention first. I also like how they cram the less urgent materials such as video links into smaller spaces, while still giving them an appealing niche on the page.

1. The documentation was clear and concise. It displayed detail information with a bubble that directed your attention, and delivered the necessary information in a minimal amount of steps. The act of communicating usability and efficiency was in no doubt executed within those instructions.

This diagram was a quick reference guide to using this printer so that being as it was it fulfills its purpose adequately. With the help of prior experience it was clear to understand what each step was trying to convey to the user. Even on the more technical parts (steps 4 & 5) it gave a list of instructions to guide yourself through operating the printer.

2. This site is a weather information site so it gives you all the important weather information on the left side. I'm guessing that's so because of the habit of reading from left to right. It starts with the current weather with the radar image and links related. Then it continues to current highlights. Overall it gives you the more desired information right there as the site loads up. Not much need for scrolling down for more information. All you want to know, now. The right side is full of other, less important, information. Being that you pay attention to them last or later.

-Prompt 1-
The judges probably liked how effectively the document conveyed the instructions. The design was simple and informative with no extra clutter. Unnecessary information such as the printer's available features and options were not included in the document. Arrows and numbering made the process easy to follow. The caption bubbles provide a close up for instructions that may not be clearly visible in with the regular image.

The document does a great job visually explaining the steps of the process. The instructions were very easy to understand without the use of written instruction.

-Prompt 2-
The website shows that there is a lot of information available to the viewer. Most of the important information is at the top and to the left, which is where most people start reading. It even says Welcome. The left side of the page is dominated with pertinent information which is clearly divided from the right side of the page containing ads and less important information. The radar is in the left column and toward the center, so that when the window is pulled up it's one of the main focuses of the page. The page does however seem a little cluttered.

The weather channel is also available for mobile phones. The webpage is most likely set up in such a way that the most important information can be accessed from mobile devices. Today, mobile devices are being used more and more to connect and site designs must compensate for this.

Question One

The Judges might have been impressed by the amount of information the finalist gave with limited written instruction. For example, when demonstrating how to load the printer paper the finalist also demonstrates how the paper will travel within the printer. This strategy saves the employer great money by condensing their instructional manual and possibly reducing the amount of angered costumers.
The design is easy to understand because the observer just needs to mimic what the pictures shows to succeed with their project. It is quick, simple, and little reading is required which helps simplify a possible complex task.

Question Two

Contrast

Using contrast as a primer element each link is emphasized more with
bold green or blue color effects within this website. This element helps draw the reader to areas of importance or help guide them to further information parallel to their topic of interest.
In textbooks the strategy of bolding or using another color to accent vocabulary words is very similar on how website contrasts strategies. It guides the observer’s attention to key points or areas of further interest.

Repetition

The Top (site-Wide) Navigation is consistent when the reader clicks on a new tab and subtopic. The Section header reminds the navigator which tab they are under and what subtopic they are in. This repetition technique aids the navigator to side track of where they came from and their navigation history. In case they have to refer this to someone or note it down for future navigation. Another good repletion is the website’s logo on the upper left hand corner. This helps the navigator identify whether or not he/she has left the site.
Usually on the top left or right hand corner textbooks will have that particular chapter and/or topic labeled to continually inform the reader of their present location.

Alignment

By just having two columns framed within a large pale template this tactic helps the navigator feel more at ease when searching for their topic of interest. Websites like http://finance.yahoo.com/ or http://www.fox.com/home.htm have multiple of columns or rows containing additional columns which can be overwhelming when searching for one particular item of interest. This tactic is good because it helps the reader feel calmer especially when searching for updates on a possible catastrophe that is currently affecting them.
Newspapers have followed this type of technique when aligning key stories in their paper. Often times the front page’s picture would take over the entire page or just half. This element draws the readers’ attention to their paper because of their simplicity leading to higher revenue to their company.

Proximity

Overall the navigation of this site is true to their proximity promise by directing their links to the correct corresponding topic presented.
Eg. When I click on Killer twisters, deadly snow the next page will have the video and story of the killer twister they speak of and the deadly snow as well. The link does not lead me to “This page is under construction” or another topic but only the topic that is advertised, and subtopics of parallel interest on the side of it.
Sometimes in newspapers an article can be too long for one page that it must continue on another. At the end of first article portion a small amount of information will be present and help direct the reader to the specific page and new title of the article to look for.

Helpful Sites

http://www1.eere.energy.gov/communicationstandards/technical/printable_v...

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/communication/design-better-with-crap.h...

#1

The printer instructions are very clear and easy to understand. The images offer most of the relevant information and the text further supports the concepts being portrayed by the images. The images are very detailed because they include such action inducing representations such as arrows, magnification bubbles, human hands, etc. This makes it very easy for the user to see how to interact with the printer properly. Also the instructions are organized such that they are easy to understand and follow with clearly labeled steps. Despite the fact that the text is unclear I can gather most of the necessary information from the images.

#2

Other elements that the website uses to add structure is the use of contrasting colors to place emphasis on the important pieces of information. While I feel that this particular website includes WAY too many advertisements I can still easily find the information I need because of how the ads are used to guide the flow of information and further add structure to the site. Other forms of multimedia writing can utilize the same methods as this website to guide the reader's eyes down the page (or in any direction). Contrasting colors, texts and their sizes, adding borders, repetition, etc. are all ways that can effectively get a message across to the reader.

1. I think the judges liked the simplicity of it. A lot of printers now are complicated and can do more than just print. This shows how to print and nothing more which the consumer is most interested about.

The article was very easy to follow because of its detailed pictures and clear order of operation. The zoomed in pictures also help to make sure you are doing it correctly

2. What i like about the weather channel website is that the home page is basic. It is easy to punch in your area code and find the weather, and it also shows the current country view. also the other accessories to the website are smaller but available.

Prompt 1:
One reason why the judges really liked the documentation is that it is easy to read. The diagram is very clear. There's not a lot of extra stuff in the way. The top shows that there are two methods to use the printer, then the directions clearly show the two different routes for using the printer. When they do this, they make it very natural, going from left to right. I also think they liked how it showed how to print, and nothing more than that. That's what people wanted to know how to do. They did it with very few steps, and showed how the user is to handle the printer.

I can easily understand these directions. It clearly shows that there are two different ways of printing. With my prior experience with printers, I can see what the steps are telling me to do. At this point in time, most people have had some kind of experience with printers, so they've been able to simplify the steps involved in printing.

Prompt 2:
One other structural element I see appearing on weather.com is that there are two boxes to enter your city/zip code to get your weather quickly. They're also appearing right at the top of the page and in the center point of your vision on the site. Its very quick and easy to find these, as they are the only boxes to enter text into. This is good because its what most people want to know when they go to the site. One other good structural element going on is that it is using two columns for the main part of the page. The left side is slightly wider than the right side. This left, wider side is where most of your new news is posted. Its the news people want to know the most. The smaller right side is basically advertisement. You are naturally drawn over to the larger area, which is exactly where you want to be.

In other types of media, they can use the idea of making the main information that people want to know the largest and positioned in the most natural places people look. They can also use repetition, whitespace and other objects to create something all fits together and displays the information in a good way.

1. I believe that the judges saw a mix of strong visual and written communication. The printing manual gives a five step instruction to set-up and begin using this printer. Instead of giving a lot of written directions using technical language that can easily confuse the reader, the writer uses multiple pictures to convey each step. This gives a complete, but simple, explanation which I believe appealed to the judges. This guide also gives written instruction for the last two steps which involve the settings of the printer as well as the printer driver.
After viewing the document, I was able to understand the instructions without difficulty. With the help of this guide, I would be able to set-up this printer by myself.

2. The Weather Channel website uses photos and maps to convey areas of weather interest. It also has a search that can be used to find the weather pertaining to a local area of interest. Each map has bright colors and patterns to illustrate the type and intensity of weather along with a legend to explain what the colors and patterns mean. Each map is dated to maintain time sequence and the website even includes video footage of major weather phenomenon.
These types of structural elements can be used for many websites, especially scientific sites that compare information over large distances (continents, countries, etc.). Video footage can be used to convey information about specific dances, certain types of art, and to describe any chore that can be done with the hands.

Question 1
The judges probably liked that the manual explained how to use the printer while using good descriptive images and few words. They also probably liked that the few words that were used contained only the essentials in order for good printer operation and installation. Also the basic printing guide showed exactly how to install the printer from start to finish with pop ups that showed how individual mechanisms that could be essential for installation worked. Additionally the judges may have liked that there was enough detail given in the installation guide that some troubleshooting could be attempted based solely on the printer guide set up manual. Oh and the guide was simple enough that my grandma could figure it out.

As for my own understanding of the guide, I must disclose that it was very easy to understand and follow. I am pretty well versed with computer related equipment, but I believe practically anyone could follow this guide with ease.

Question 2
Some other structural features that can be seen in the website are that it is arranged into columns and rows. The weather channel website seems to be arranged into two main columns with multiple rows with stories of more interest on the bigger left hand column. Also there is a location at the top of the page where a zip code can be entered in order to obtain weather information from any zip code. In addition the left side seems to be the more important side which makes sense because people read from left to right. Finally most of the pertinent information that the makers of the website want you to know are contained within the top rows of the website so that the viewer sees what the weather channel website producers want them to see; in other words weather information big to the left and local and national ads to the right.

A strategy that may be useful for other forms of multimedia writing may be that pertinent information is the first information that is seen when the website is opened, that the left side contains the more important information, and that there is local information targeted at the intended viewer. For example a school newspaper may have ads that target college living or college shopping and also have big stories located on the left hand side of the pages with ads on the right.

1) The judges probably liked the documentation because it's the next closest thing to an instructional video...through the use of essentially a detailed storyboard the consumer can easily follow this instructional booklet with little to no reading...I can follow these instructions easily and probably better than if it were straight text

2) I dislike the weather channel webpage because I can't make too much sense of it. Obviously the most emphasized piece of info is the doplar radar, but I don't pay any attention to anything else on the page just because it looks similar to advertisements. so from that aspect I think it needs reworked...structural elements I see are chunking, which is the grouping of material into sections to make it easier to absorb the content..this is the component I would emphasize in a multimedia writing project...it allows for the most important content to be viewed and absorbed first while also providing less important supplemental content that the consumer can reference if need be

1. I love white space, so I automatically like that aspect. I find that a lot of directions that are only in text seem to be wordy and not straight to the point. When my printer is eating 10 papers at once I really would like to fix it instead of reading a preface about my awesome new printer. The pictures are clean/crisp, numbered and detailed so that they can actually see what part of the printer they should work with. Sometimes with text-only they use names for printer parts that I don't personally understand, so pictures work. I think the judges would have appreciated the bubbles used to show better detail. I also like how they involved the hand of a "guide" in the document, there is something about an illustrated action that makes doing it yourself easier and I guess you don't feel so alone. The color choice was consistent and reasonable. The designer used red arrows to show movement and yellow as a sign of caution. I believe if this document were in black and white it would have lacked the same effect.

Our copier at work had the same type of pictures inside the door that helped you fix it when it broke and it always worked. The copier parts were color coded on the actual parts and on their representation in the illustrations. I was thrilled because I worked with engineers and I was already a common name in the office after I almost burned downt he building while making popcorn. I liked the ability to easily fix the copier without their help or causing fire.

2. When I first opened the site I thought...newspaper layout. I actually use this website myself because I like having a grasp on the weather. One particular element I like as a user is the zip code box at the top. It is information you should know as a citizen and it gets you to the information you want fast. There was also a link on the top that allowed you to customzie your own weather.com page, which would be helpful to frequent visitors, and if not...its invites you to be a frequent visitor. I think elements like this should always be included in multimedia writing: What can we do to make it easier for the user to get to the information they want?

The most important information seems to be on the left side, which makes sense; as Americans we read left to right. The right side seems to be a section for advertisements for their own site and sponsors. I think placement plays an important role in how the reader reads the document. Where the information goes should be thought out and I find when I work on my own documents I list its aspects from most important to least important before even considering the layout.

There is a repetition of colors and informaton, but this makes it easier to fidn information, because if you can't find it one location you can always find it another. I think its good to provide multiple avenues to information sometime.

1. I believe that the instructions were communicated well if you are technally savvey. These instructions would be hard to understand if you are a person that is not saturated in technology. The judges of the contest would of seen this piece of material to have to ability to present the information based on the target audience. If a person that was not technally savvey read these instructions they would have a tough time understanding the information.

2. The weather channel website has a feel as if you are reading a newspaper. The website has other information rather than just what the current forcast is. Like in a newspaper you have each section you have the main topic with a picture. The text will either be on the right side or wrap around. The information is skewed so it dosent look linear.

1. The printing instructions shown on page 337 were clear, easy to understand, and sufficiently detailed, without giving an abundance of unneeded information. As the exert before it says, writing instructions for what seems like a simple task can prove to be an extremely difficult task, and I think it was well executed here. There were a good amount of pictures, and not too many words, which simplifies the instructions and makes it easy for people who might not understand the technical jargon; ex: insert the printing paper in tray 1 beneath the toner. The instructions were also very efficient, and got across necessary information in a limited amount of space. However, even in the small area used, the information does not seem cluttered or excessive.

2. I agree with mostly everything said in the excerpt. The Weather Channels website faces a difficult task of having to give a good amount of information, and I think it does so in a quick and easy format. All the information needed is at the touch of a click on the top tabs, and the maps are not overly large, but big enough to be able to see what you need to see. I also like being able to type in your zip code at the top and getting all your needed local information all on one page. I actually use this feature myself almost daily, so I am very familiar with the site.

It seems fairly evident the judges were impressed by the liberal use of graphics, the layout of steps, and the added detail of arrows and other symbols to help guide a user through the installation process. I was able to follow it for the most part, however I had difficulties ascertaining the functions behind the "No" signs, which still mean little to me. The printer driver installation graphics also seem to be a bit too oversimplified, unless the manufacturer expects the usb functionality to take care of itself. However this does not seem explained, and therefore limits the understanding of the installation to the more tech savvy users. Perhaps it's explained later, but directions to plug it in are actually pretty important.

The Weather channel also utilizes advertising frames, containing related links to user-related information, and seems to be polling and developing a community within the site. Blogs, weather video uploading potential, and even family events are listed within the top lists of the main index. Of course some types of multimedia writing may make use of this as well to emphasize a more personal touch to the layout of information, allowing the reader to find insightful information they can relate directly with and share their own experiences in turn.

1)
There is a lot of visual information instead of written instructions. Also, there are a lot of close-ups on specific parts. They also show the path that a piece of paper follows through the printer, which could clear things up about where the blue tray is. Otherwise, it would be really confusing in the parts for steps 1 and 3. The amount of information in such a small space also must have impressed the judges.
The instructions seem pretty straightforward. Steps 1 through 3, especially 2, seem very easy to perform. Steps 4 and 5 seem a little underdone, since I don't know which settings to conform. Maybe a written set of steps to follow would be nice.
2)
The main thing that stands out to me is the use of color, specifically blue. The designers also make good use of borders and subtle colors as background behind information. Both of these seem to be very important in data mapping, and also in advertising and other multimedia forms that need to catch your eye.

Question 1:
I like the idea of putting things simple by having organized icons and words. For people who just want to setup the printer and use it right away, I find it better if we can convey the information as quickly as possible without giving too much technical jargon that we might not have to know.
The judges might like the arrangement of the steps from left to right which is a very natural way of how we read any instruction manual. And it controls the flows of how we read the manual by providing the step number in highlighted bubbles.
As far as I can see, it does not give any unnecessary information other than set it up and use it.
The judges also might like the idea by how the tray, which is very important part of the setup processes, is presented in highlighted color. So that it gives impression that this should be the thing that the user might want to pay more attention to. And more detailed view of the tray picture is shown in the bubble so that the manual can make sure that the user is given a correct instruction.
I like how the user use a lot of easy-to-understand symbolic icons such as checkmarks and do-not signs to simply say what to do and what not to do. This manual has clear and concise way of presenting things in providing user friendly interface for something that otherwise be so complicated to setup such as in this case, Laser printer.

Question 2:
Some other feature that you can see in the weather homepage is that it is grouped in a cluster of rows and columns. For example, there is a row that holds the navigation bars, there are columns that hold the weather actual weather forecast information and there are columns that hold the advertisement.
One interesting feature is that it uses the color and boxes to group the clusters. This can make user to easily classify the type of information in the cluster.
The idea of clustering information can make users easier ways of reading the information that interest them or skipping any unnecessary information that the reader might not want to know.
In the weather.com/maps page, we can see that the designer place some sort of steps to question the reader to know what is the reader’s main interest and then takes the reader to the proper page. Such as information that is related to outdoor activities.
I think the advantage of this website’s strategy is that we can use its ability to let the user define the kind of information the user wants to know and giving it right away. This can easily eliminate all the unnecessary information therefore it makes the writer to be able to convey the information as quickly and as concisely as possible.

1. The document is very clear and simple. It is easy to follow the steps to see what exactly you need to do. There isn’t any extra clutter or useless information to distract you from what you are looking for.

2. The weather channel website is a great example of a well structured multi-media document. The most important and most commonly used features are positioned to stand out to the viewer. They are mainly positioned on the top of the page, and are easy to find. As you travel down the page the information that is presented becomes less and less important. This strategy can be seen in several other web based documents also.

Question 1

• There are many strong pictures in the documentation. Each one of the pictures is strong and potentially can say more than the amount of words taking up the same space can say.
• The topic is readily apparent and the information is presented in the fashion with which most are acquainted, left to right, top to bottom.
• The most general pictures are the first pictures to be seen. They convey general knowledge such as how the paper proceeds through the printer so that one knows how to orient paper in the printing tray properly.
• The following two lines are two ways the printer can be used. Following this line logically, as one reads a book, the information is in chronological order.
• In order to reduce redundancy and make the document cleaner, once the two different sets of instructions converge to have the same final steps, the different paths merge.
• The bottom of the document includes a clean reference to support if it is needed. All of this makes the document helpful and easy to read.

Question 2

• The Color scheme
  • The color layout follows the time of the year. This isn't as much helpful as anyone who looks outside can see what time of year it is, but is more there to set the appropriate mood for the weather.
  • The colors also seem to lead the eye to the most important elements of the page.
• Organization
  • The entire website is organized in order of usage and importance.
  • The top of the page includes a search bar which would be used every time the site is opened. Also in the middle of the page is an important scan, which everyone would find helpful.
  • After selecting a location, the links at the top are in chronological order. The information below is organized by importance from top to bottom which makes the information logically simple to read.

For the "Basic Printing" excerpt, there are many things that the judges probably liked. First, the excerpt is not cluttered with information, only the most basic and most essential is presented. Second, labeled step-by-step pictures are presented illustrating the process from start to finish, even including the options to select on the computer. Last, the simple overview of the entire process at the top allows the user to get a light grasp on what is actually going on inside the printer. With the instructions using easy to see red arrows for important items and clearly numbered steps, the information is easy to understand and comprehend.

The Weather Channel website has many examples of repetition and arrangement. Another structural element is the usage of larger fonts for ads and the most likely wanted material. Lesser used items have small fonts. This is visible in other forms of multimedia writing where the information you want conveyed immediatly like the title and other headings are in a larger font than the bulk of the article.