Document Design through Résumés and C.R.A.P.

Teaching Demonstration By: Mike Tardiff

Agenda (assuming 50-60 minute class) • A quick exercise (10 minutes)

-accessing already present knowledge/experience • Rationale, some background (5 minutes)

-transparency/heading of question: “why?” • A tool called C.R.A.P. (10-15 minutes)– Heuristic rule rather than algorithmic

• An exercise in reading and evaluating résumé design (20-25 minutes) – Experiential moment, capacity building, putting

theory into practice• Looking forward (5 minutes)

An warm-up exercise• Take the provided piece of paper and

pen and quickly sketch a résumé; you don’t need full detail… just create a visual represenation of what a résumé LOOKS like.

• Take 3-5 minutes.

An warm-up exercise• Let’s compare.–What are some shared features?–Why do you think a résumé looks the way it does? –How do you imagine reading a résumé? Is it different than reading regular prose?

Why résumés and document design?Résumés are: 1.) deeply rhetorical (i.e. they communicate and, ideally, make arguments) 2.) visual (i.e. their success is predicated, in part, on their design.)

Why résumés and document design?The average employer spends less than 35 seconds reviewing the typical résumé, meaning an attention to visual design is imperative.

Design helps information S TA N D O U T.

C.R.A.P: A tool for document design

Contrast Repetition Alignment Proximity

ContrastContrast simply means difference. • Used to differentiate, order

elements; • If things are not the same, make

them DIFFERENT;– Contrast can be achieved through

typeface (size, bold-face, etc.), color, spacing,

Examples of Contrast…

Examples of Contrast…

RepetitionRepetition simply means the reusing similar elements throughout your design.• Creates predictable patterns; • Develops sense of

cohesiveness;

Examples of Repetition

AlignmentEverything needs to be visually connected to something else; nothing should be out of place or random• Connects like elements through

shared invisible line

Examples of Alignment

Alignment

ProximityRelated items should be grouped close together so they become one visual unit rather than several separate units. • Reduces clutter; • Allows for easy access of

particular information;

Proximity

Let’s apply these ideas to some examples• In groups of 2, do the following.– Take exactly 45 seconds (we’ll pretend the

reader is being generous) to read the one of the sample résumés

–Write down on a separate sheet of paper what you remember from that reading

– Swap résumés. REPEAT. – Together, write a C.R.A.P. analysis of the

more effective résumé; comment on each of the four elements.

For next class…•Please bring a draft of your résumé; try your best to engage the C.R.A.P. principles.