screen design

"Screen Design" refers to making each Web page look readable, thereby inviting readers to scan it.  For effective screen design, you should work with three elements and make sure Web pages have two basic qualities.

Work with Text, Space, and Graphics You can make a Web page look readable by manipulating three elements:  text, space, and graphics.

Element 1: Text
Make sure you choose a font (a particular typeface) that can be read on screen.  You can select fonts in Composer by choosing "Fonts" from the "Format" option at the top of the screen; however, you may not have control over what your text looks like on someone else's computer.

Element 2: Space
Use space to accomplish at least three goals:

• Creating margins:  A screen full of text looks too intimidating, so be sure to include adequate margins.  (To add margins to paragraphs, click on a paragraph, then choose "Increase Indent" from the "Format" option on the menu at the top of the Composer screen.)

 element 3: Graphics
You need not be a graphic designer to pay attention to graphical elements.  Even if you're creating Web pages with no pictures, realize that you can still work with 

• Color:  You can use color to reinforce organization and highlight information; e.g., you can use a different colored text for headings.  (Note:  Reserve the colors of linked text for links only.  Otherwise, people will assume that the colored text is a link.)
• Line:  You can use horizontal lines to separate blocks of information.  However, do not overuse lines because it is easy to to clutter a page.

Ensure that Your Pages Do Two Things

Keeping in mind the differences between a printed page and a computer screen, remember that it's difficult for readers to get their bearings when reading a series of Web pages.  The usual cues that readers use to read a book or journal (such as page numbers and relative location in a series of pages bound together) aren't always so clear online.  Consequently,