1.5 Presenting Information

What information you choose to convey and how you do so will depend on what you are trying to achieve. Your main aim must always be to produce documents that are fit for purpose.

You will learn how to present and communicate information effectively on paper and on screen.

Irrespective of the medium you are working in, you will need to make some generic design decisions, including:

•  content and structure

•  components to be included eg text, charts, diagrams, graphics, video, sound

•  position on page of key items

•  proportion of text to visual/audio information

•  writing style

•  formal/informal

•  simple/complex language

•  tone

•  presentation features and headings/sub-headings

•  layout and use of white space

•  font type and size

•  line spacing

•  alignment

•  bullets

•  text wrapping

•  colour and image resolution

•  tables

•  borders and shading.

You must be able to transfer information between different types of software, eg insert a graph produced in a spreadsheet into a word processed document or a presentation. You will be expected to carry out thorough proof reading/testing of your publications before releasing them. You should check for:

•  accuracy

•  clarity

•  readability

•  consistency

•  layout

•  overall fitness for purpose.