Training in effective document design and layout
Harness the power of desktop publishing to produce layouts that work
Document design isn't about ‘prettying up’ the page — good design makes your message stand out from the rest with a layout that gets attention, is easily read and builds your corporate brand image.

By the end of the course, delegates will be able to:
- Apply a knowledge of how readers engage with documents to produce effective layouts that lead the reader through the message;
- Produce professional documents that reflect the corporate image whilst delivering information that is easily read;
- Apply a range of techniques to deliver great manuals, fliers, reports and brochures.
- Use the features of Word and DTP packages to make better documents and produce them with confidence.
Training topics include
General principles
- Design: the marriage of form and function
- Underlying structures
- Static and dynamic design elements
Common errors
- Amateur DTP traps
- Typeface mayhem
- Spur of the moment decisions
Techniques and Trends
- Contemporary design elements
- Non-textural elements
- Kerning, tracking and justification
Typeface
- Understanding typeface
- Legibility vs. Style
- Using type for emphasis
- Corporate house-style
It's all in the preparation
- 7 steps before you start
- Grids and columns
- Building templates
Creating a path for the reader
- The Z-pattern
- Optical weight and eye-dwell
- Symmetry vs. balance
Creative design
- Creative design
- Overcoming designer's block
- Developing a creative approach
- Tricks of the professionals
Effective graphics
- Text as a graphic element
- Using illustrations
- The impact of colour
Please contact us if you require any further information.