Learn how document design and graphics help readers find, understand, and use technical information. Drawing on content from Michael Markel and Stuart Selber, authors of Practical Strategies for Technical Communication, published by Macmillan Learning, this focused course develops your ability to make effective visual communication choices for print and digital documents.

You will examine the goals and principles of document design and apply them to print documents, digital pages, and multimodal content. You will consider how different formats work together and how design choices support a document’s purpose. You will then study the functions of graphics, select graphic types for specific communication needs, and use color effectively. You will also evaluate graphics for reports and consider how visual choices affect readers from different cultural backgrounds. Through readings and applied activities, you will practice selecting and evaluating designs and graphics for technical communication. This course is part of the Technical Writing Essentials Specialization and can also be taken independently.