Everyone Should Have an Eye for Design

I know I’m making a pretty pretentious statement. I’ll preface my argument by saying that I have no claim on the definite definition of design. Yet coming from a communicator’s perspective, I believe that at the heart of any good communication is clear and organized design.

When I open an email or view a document, I usually make a decision to continue reading or to look away within the first ten seconds. A gigantic block of text, a colorful array of boxes with drop shadows, or headers in 32 pt. Comic Sans is guaranteed to send me running.

You could say that these things naturally peeve me because I’m a graphic designer. Rather, I’d like to argue that this is about not obscuring important information behind bad organization.

What folks need is an eye for design. 

To have an eye for design means to have an eye for clarity and organization. The pretty aesthetics are just a bonus.

Good visual design is not an impossible thing to attain. It doesn’t take Photoshop or InDesign or any other fancy tool to accomplish. Below, I’ve compiled a short list of design principles that I believe are key in being able to communicate with clarity—and a lot of these principles can be executed with just Microsoft Word.

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I’ll start off with the easiest principle: use imagery. 

When people talk about the “visuals,” this is what they mean. Wherever possible, incorporate imagery alongside your text. An article, an advertisement, or an email is always more compelling to read if there are accompanying images.

On top of making materials more attractive, images can also reduce text by showing something that doesn’t need to be said. Lower word counts = higher chances of being read. 

When you think of headers, think of headlines in a newspaper. They’re usually bigger and bolder than regular copy text because their role is to capture attention and summarize the content beneath them.

Similarly, you need to consider headers in your long pieces of text. Most computer programs and online tools will come with preset header formats (“Heading 1,” “Heading 2,” etc.; in HTML, h1>, h2>, etc.). If you want to be more creative, you can make your own headers by playing around with the formatting options—use bold, change the point size, and maybe even experiment with colors. Italics will sometimes work, but underlines are generally not aesthetically pleasing.

Another tip: differentiate your headers from your copy by using typeface contrast. For example, one popular way to do this is to choose a serif font for the header and a sans serif font for the copy. See below if you’re confused with this jargon, or click here for a quick explanation of “serif” vs. “sans serif” fonts. 

Why use one giant column of text when you can make two?!

Columns (when done right) are very powerful in segmenting content and making a page more readable. 

Columns serve a few purposes:

1. It gives the appearance that a block of text is smaller than it is
2. You can give multiple pieces of information the same priority position on a page
3. When combined with boxes, you instantly distinguish the content from everything else.

With that said, try to avoid juxtaposing two similarly formatted columns right next to each other (especially if you lack a line, box, or white space to separate them). It makes the columns seem like one continuous, run-on piece. 

The below examples show how to incorporate all of the first three principles. 

People get nervous when there are blank and empty spots on the page. There’s a tendency to want to fill white space with pictures, extra text, links, or even completely random shapes, as if the white space is a sign that something is missing.

(nervous yet?)

Consider white space as room to breathe. Which would you rather choose: clutter, or space? 

Evaluate the balance between these two, and you’ll see why white space is never a bad thing. By leaving out the clutter, you draw attention to the important elements on the page—the actual information you want to convey. 

Simplicity is best. 

WordArt, clip art, shadows, strokes and outlines are all extremely tacky—not to mention, they usually take a while to create and place on a page.

You could make one clean header followed by a few images in just a few seconds—in most cases, this is enough to communicate information much, much more effectively. When you start layering on the additives, you’re adding unnecessary fluff to what should be precise and direct.

Avoid Papyrus. And doubly avoid Comic Sans, at least in professional communication. Comic Sans is a typeface hated in almost every facet of design (poor thing). There’s even a website pledged against its use. If you’re curious, here’s an explanation of how it came to be.

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An eye for clarity benefits everyone, and when approaching communication—whether in business, academics, marketing, or otherwise—being able to communicate with some design principles could help your audiences read a little easier. 

It’s true that designers look at the world a little differently. We notice details. We seek a sense of purpose. We appreciate clarity. But deep down, I believe everyone wants those same things.

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Do you agree, or disagree? Have other design tips to share? Horror stories? Let me know what you think in the comments below!

Calvin Lam is a fourth-year at UCLA studying Communications and Cognitive Science. Follow @calvinqlam on Twitter or Instagram.

This post was edited by LinkedIn Campus Editor @Cheechee Lin. 

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