Revising for an audience starts with the reader, not the page. You name a problem a real reader would have, change one thing to fix it, and record the reason.
This lesson is part of SPM subjects and learning resources. It builds on connecting a brief with a concept.
What do you change first?
Change the thing that stops the reader getting the main message. Size and contrast usually come before style, because unreadable text fails everyone.
Make one kind of change at a time and give it its own row, so you know which change caused the improvement.
Worked example: an invented notice
Imagine a one-page notice inviting residents of a neighbourhood, most of them elderly, to a health talk. It will be pinned to a board in a shaded corridor. Version one uses 10 pt grey text in a light script typeface, tight line spacing and the date in the bottom corner.
| Element | Version one | Version two | Reader problem fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body size | 10 pt | 16 pt | Small text is hard to read at arm’s length |
| Colour | Light grey on white | Near-black on white | Low contrast in a shaded corridor |
| Typeface | Light script | Plain, sturdy sans serif | Script letters blur for tired eyes |
| Line spacing | Tight | Loose, with gaps between blocks | Lines run together |
| Date and time | Bottom corner | Directly under the heading, largest body text | The key fact was missed |
Every row names a reader problem. That is what makes this a revision for an audience and not a restyle.
Tie the layout to reading order
Number the order in which a reader should see things: heading, date and place, short description, contact line. Then check the layout shows that order by size and position.
In version two, the heading is largest, the date and place come second, and the description is plain body text.
The mistake to avoid
The common slip is to justify a change by taste: “I think the script looks elegant”. The script may well look elegant, but that does not say who reads the notice.
Turn taste into a reader statement. “The script looks elegant but elderly readers in dim light struggle with thin strokes” is a reason that supports the revision.
Check yourself
A poster for a Form 1 science club uses all-capital text in a condensed typeface at a small size, placed in two narrow columns. Name two reader problems and one change for each.
Answer
Problem one: all capitals in condensed type at a small size are slow to read, so use sentence case in a wider typeface. Problem two: two narrow columns break sentences into short lines, so use one wider column with comfortable spacing.
Other valid problems exist, such as low contrast. Each change should be tied to what the reader experiences.
What to study next
Record your revisions with the structured-answer self-review tool. To go through your own layouts with a teacher, see online one-to-one Graphic Design tuition.