Lesson 2
The Reading Module
Read the text: Web Design is 95% Typography
95% of the information on the web is written language. It is only logical to say that a web designer should get good training in the main discipline of shaping written information, in other words: Typography.
Information design is typography
Back in 1969, Emil Ruder, a famous Swiss typographer, wrote on behalf of his contemporary print materials what we could easily say about our contemporary websites:
Today we are inundated with such an immense flood of printed matter that the value of the individual work has depreciated, for our harassed contemporaries simply cannot take everything that is printed today. It is the typographer's task to divide up and organize and interpret this mass of printed matter in such a way that the reader will have a good chance of finding what is of interest to him.
Information designers are the typographers of the 21st century
With some imagination (replace print with online) this sounds like the job description of an information designer. It is the information designer's task "to divide up and organize and interpret this mass of printed matter in such a way that the reader will have a good chance of finding what is of interest to him.
Macro-typography (overall text-structure) in contrast to micro typography (detailed aspects of type and spacing) covers many aspects of what we nowadays call "information design". So to speak, information designers nowadays do the job that typographers did 30 years ago:
Typography has one plain duty before it and that is to convey information in writing. No argument or consideration can absolve typography from this duty. A printed work which cannot be read becomes a product without purpose.
Optimizing typography is optimizing readability, accessibility, usability(I), overall graphic balance. Organizing blocks of text and combining them with pictures, isn't that what graphic designers, usability specialists, information architects do? So why is it such a neglected topic?
I. Reading exercises:
Exercise1. Read and memorize using the dictionary:
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web designer, shaping written information, typography, information design, contemporary websites, mass of printed matter, imagination, job description, macro-typography, spacing, micro-typography, accessibility, information architects, graphic balance, usability specialists |
Exercise 2. Answer the questions:
1. What makes up to 95% of the information on the Web?
2. What is typography?
3. What is the information designer’s task?
4. What are micro and macro-typography?
5. What is optimizing typography?
Exercise 3. Match the left part with the right:
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1. Written language is |
1. to divide and organize and interpret the mass of printed matter. |
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2. It’s the typographer’s task |
2. 95% of the information on the Web. |
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3. Optimizing typography is |
3. to convey information in writing. |
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4. Typography has one plain duty |
4. optimizing the readability. |
Exercise 4. Open brackets using the right words:
A printed work which (can/cannot) be read becomes a product without purpose.
Organizing blocks of text and combining them with pictures, (is/isn't) that what graphic designers, do?
The Speaking Module
II. Speaking exercises:
Exercise 1. Describe web; web designer; written information; typography; information design; printed matter; micro-typography, information architects using the suggested words and expressions as in the example:
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web written language; web designer; information example: 95% of the information on the web is written language. |
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web designer information; get; good training; discipline; shaping; typography; divide; organize; interpret; printed matter |
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written information design; typography; web; information; convey |
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typography micro-typography; macro-typography; overall text-structure; in contrast to; cover; aspects; information design |
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information design typography; web-sites; contemporary websites; divide; organize; interpret, mass of printed information |
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printed matter the mass; a good chance; what is of interest; web description |
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micro-typography overall text-structure; in contrast to; detailed aspects; information design; do the job; macro-typography |
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information architect organizing; block of texts; combine; picture; usability specialists |
Exercise 2. Ask questions to the given answers:
1. Question: ____________________________________ ?
Answer: 95% of information on the web is written language.
2. Question: ____________________________________ ?
Answer: A web designer should get good training.
3. Question: ____________________________________ ?
Answer: It’s the typographer’s task to divide up, organize and interpret the mass of printed matter.
The Writing Module
III. Writing exercises:
Exercise 1. Complete the sentences with the suggested words: should get; written; training; it is;:
_____ only logical to say that a web designer _____ good _____ in the main discipline of shaping _____ information.
Exercise 2. Fill in the table with words and expressions from the text:
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A printed work |
Which? |
becomes a product without purpose. |
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Macro-typography providers convert |
In contrast to what? |
covers many aspects of information. |
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Information designers do the job that the typographers |
What? |
30 years ago. |
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Exercise 3. Compose a story on one of the topics (up to 100 words):
“A web designer should get good training”
“What is the typographer’s task?”
“Information designers are the typographers of the 21st century”