Chapter 17

Ten Design Blunders

In This Chapter

Sending the wrong message

Failing to communicate with your print service

Creating underdone or overdone designs

Printing too little or too much

Going overboard on expenses

Violating copyrights

Be on the lookout for these ten design blunders in all your publications.

Not Designing Your Publication for the Right Audience

Not designing your publication for the right audience is the design-blunder equivalent of sending an invitation to file your publication in the circular file (the wastebasket). For example, if you’re creating a corporation’s annual report, using the Zapf Dingbats font might be deemed an RGE (résumé-generating event).

Not Communicating with Your Print Service Early in the Project

You can prevent a whole range of design blunders by consulting with your print broker or print service from the beginning of your project. For example, some print colors may not be available from your print service.

Using the Wrong Printer Driver

Congratulations! Using the wrong printer driver during the design process gives you the opportunity to reformat your entire document.

Using Too Little White Space

Well-designed publications leave 50 percent of the page for white space. Using less makes your publication seem “busy” and hard to read. That amount might seem like a lot of unused real estate, but it’s not, when you consider elements such as margins and the gutter space between columns.

Making Your Publication Too Complicated

A “busy” page with many different design elements can distract readers from the important points of your message. Highlight the important parts of your publication so that readers look at what you want them to see. A common problem is using too many fonts, which creates a “ransom note” effect on your page.

Making Your Pages Too Boring!

Mama always told me that variety is the spice of life. Spice up your pages — add contrast. Add graphics, drop or raised caps, color, rules, and other design elements meant to break up a repetitive page design. This advice is particularly important for long publications that use similar page styles. However, Mama also told me that too much of a good thing is, well, too much of a good thing! Publisher provides you with lots of cool design tools to use — just don’t try to use all of them on any single page!

Printing Too Many or Too Few Copies

Printing too many or too few copies of your publication is easy to do, but either case can cause you grief. Try diligently to print the appropriate number of copies. Think hard about just how many copies of a publication are required for your work. For example, try to calculate how many people walking past your trade show booth are likely to pick up your flyer or how many copies of the brochure you will mail out.

Designing a Publication That’s Too Expensive

It’s easy to overrun your publication’s budget. When you’re designing your piece, try to substitute less expensive elements or processes. For example, don’t use process color if you can’t afford it or don’t need it. Use spot colors instead. If you’re not sure exactly what your final product will cost, you probably should discuss the various pricing options with your print service before you get started rather than wait for your final bill to arrive!

Violating Copyright Laws

Know the source of your graphics, designs, and text, and know your rights to use them. Feel free to use the Publisher templates and clip art in your publications; however, do not “borrow” graphics that appear on someone’s Web site unless you have the owner’s permission to use them.

Scanning Your Files at the Wrong Resolution

Be resolution-appropriate. Don’t waste hard drive space and processing time by scanning a graphic at a high resolution when you’re printing at a low resolution. But don’t scan the graphic at a low resolution when you’re printing in high resolution; the image will look coarse and inappropriate.