Document Design Project:
Guidelines for an Appropriate Original Document
Guidelines for an Appropriate “Original” Document
Because this project will ask you to take a rhetorical approach to in analyzing, critiquing, and recommending changes to an existing document, you’ll have to know about the business or organization from which the document came — their purpose and goals, their ‘personality’ and public image, and their audience (existing clients and potential new ones). Small, local businesses are most “knowable” in terms of their services, audience, market, goals, etc.
For that reason (the rhetorical approach!), I strongly encourage you to look for documents from local (nearby), independent (not chain), family owned (not corporate) businesses (or organizations, non-profits, churches, clubs, rescues, outreaches, educators, service providers, etc).
Besides being more knowable, smaller groups (without lots of money to work with) are more likely to have documents appropriate for redesign than established, multimillion dollar groups that already spend lots of money on professional document design.
In general, the document should
- be print/paper, of almost any genre. Consider flyers, posters, brochures, menus, lists of services (like you might receive at a salon, barber shop, or auto mechanic), newsletters, calendars, etc. You may use a portion of a longer/larger work (the front cover and first month of a calendar, a section of an instruction manual or guide, etc.).
- include text and purposeful non-text elements (elements include non-traditional fonts other than the most common serif and sans serif fonts, lines, blocks, outlines, symbols, etc. Documents do not need to include images, logos, photos, line art, etc.)
- be of “average” quality in terms of its design. The document shouldn’t be the ugliest, most ineffective design you’ve ever seen (it shouldn’t require a completely new design), but it shouldn’t be well-designed, either (there should be room to make improvements).
Also, a quick reminder that you don’t have to know the business or owners personally, nor do you have to contact them — in fact, if you don’t already know them or know they’re looking for design ideas, it’s probably best if you don’t contact them.
However, if you do know someone who has a business or organization, or someone looking to start one, you’re more than welcome to actually work with them as your client. Besides, if you come up with an idea or a document they adopt, you can add a great “professional writing consulting,” or “marketing consultant” line to your resume. :)