Designing my instructions is going to be a real task. I wouldn’t consider myself at all creatively inclined and I am a bit worried about my overall design skills. I have certainly learned some useful things from these chapters and from the instructor’s blog.
I found it interesting and understandable that a good design should be invisible. We don’t really think about the design of documents (especially instructions) unless there is some sort of issue with it. As I develop my instructions I will remember the design and integrate it into the process of creating the instructions themselves. I will try to make them so that design adds to the overall functionality, and guides the reader to the most important aspects of the instructions. I will also try to include pictures within the design so they compliment the other information discussed.
The images that I will be using will all be taken with a High Definition camera and I will attempt to make them all similar in color and appearance. The other very important feature of these pictures will be that they will be of the actual product being discussed and they will display the most important aspects of the installation process. I will have more trouble placing pictures in the correct locations within the document opposed to taking the pictures themselves.
With the amount of information and images that I will have in my instructions, I will have to be careful to place it all properly so it pleases all of my readers. The alignment and proximity will be the main aspects I will focus on, as these will either make or break my instructions as far as design is concerned. I will also make sure to test my design by doing some user testing on some test subjects. This will certainly be an interesting experience!
Thanks
JFlitt
Designs
Like you, I am rather worried about this project because of my lack of creativity. I have been in engineering for so many years that writing and designing effective literature is tough for me now. I am so used to just cranking out math problems and engineering models that I am really going to have to think and work hard on this instructions project.
The hardest thing about this instructions project for me will probably be making the design invisible. I am forever critiqueing my work and it never feels good enough to be turned in. Good thing I have the instructor blog to help with that.
An Engineering Approach
You might begin to think of "creativity" in design from an engineering perspective (rather than, let's say, an artist's perspective). Math problems and engineering models have their own creative logic, their own design. Thinking like an engineer makes you just as suited to design instruction sets as a graphic designer. Focus on how visual elements work and how they work together.
While this certainly sounds
While this certainly sounds like a good idea, this will be a difficult task. I have often tried applying my “technical” thinking to some sort of creativity and it hasn’t gotten me too far! I see what you mean though, in that as long as you follow the set and proven rules you will prevail. I will certainly follow exactly what is recommend of us and will try to do my best to create an invisible design also. This should be a good test of my current skill set and hopefully I can utilize it to improve upon my future work.
www.JFlitt.com
My Mind Would Rather be Somewhere Else
Creativity and “technical” thinking do not go hand in hand at all. I would much rather create a children’s book rather than some dull users manual. For one you cannot add personality to a user manual. Everything must be in the same monotone writing voice. They end up reading like a recipe you find in a cookbook. The pictures are dull because it is usually a square box with no cartoon characters in site saying something funny. I guarantee that once you write one or two you feel your creative energy escaping your body. You best get it back before you lose your imagination.
Creative ≠ Artistic
As an engineering student, I'm surprised to hear other engineering and technology students say they believe they aren't creative. Technology is creation, isn't it? I'll buy that you don't have an eye for visual design, but in my mind creativity is what separates engineers from scientists and technicians.
Right now, our classes are teaching us methods and procedures for solving problems. However, no matter what area of engineering we go into, applying these concepts, not just knowing them, is what will make us successful engineers. There's no real method or procedure for applying technical knowledge. That's why professors will tell you analytical thought is a vital tool for engineers, and why our problems are situational. Engineering is all about coming up with creative solutions to various problems. Don't forget, product design is still design.
So maybe you can't just instinctively spit out good visual design. You should still be able to use analytical thought to piece together the concepts that you've learned in TH, TCT and the other materials and apply them in a creative, well-planned document. After all, creative technical thinking is what engineers are supposed to specialize in.
Engineering is design
I agree completely with TANoNati’s response. Engineering is practice of applying the rules of science and physics to create. A common concern in engineering is the integration of systems. I think it might be a good idea for a technical thinker to approach the instructions project as a system; with the aspects of design, layout, and content all interacting and affecting one another. As the engineer of our instruction sets, it’s our job to integrate the systems in a way that maximizes efficiency and effectiveness to the user’s needs. Design doesn’t have to be about fancy color schemes and over-the-top graphic, but rather a way to make the document most functional.
Creativity?
I am actually concerned with the outcome of these instructions also. You would think a lot of engineers would be creative but I’m not really sure that’s the case. I know some of us have been doing it so long it’s rather mind numbingly monotonous, using the same engineering paper and following the same format for every class. It really seems like most of the creativity has been has been taken away from us and we are left with just doing the work. I imagine I will not be the only one over thinking their instructions and having a hard time making them not only functional, but also attractive.
Designing for your audience
Designing your figures and graphics can be a challenge to the uncreative group of us. You need to definitely take proximity into mind and alignment. These can really throw your document off if not done correctly. You need to analyze your audience and think how they will be interpreting your document. One audience will have a very different audience to another. Design isn’t the same overall; it will definitely differ based off of your content and audience. I like your idea of using a high def. camera for your pictures. This will definitely enhance your diagrams and graphics if they have some sort of text to read or need to be very sharp.
design
I’m actually not worried about the creative aspect for the instruction project, but rather the technical writing part. I can see how maybe not being “creative inclined” can make you worry about the project. As stated in the Instructor Blog #5, “design is how users interact with data” which is critical part to your instructions. Being a computer graphic major, I have a stronger background with more of the creativity side, in which this worries me. I don’t want to make my instructions look like a coloring book and lose my audience attention. I’ll try to use the “invisible” method in my design to help out my problem. I think you got some good advice on your creative dilemma from other comments. Good luck!