The following is a list of possible message design variables. As you can see from viewing this list, message design requires quite a few decisions. I believe that while each individual factor is important, the gestalt is the most important.
| Message Design: Possible Variables of Interest | ||
| Factors | Physical Aspects | Conceptual Aspects |
| Shape | Size (height, width, length) Type (circle, square, triangle) Amount (one – many) Layout (focus) Figure/Ground (primary, secondary, tertiary) Arrows (directionality) | Complexity (meaning) Clarity (recall) Organization (attention, recall) Flow (meaning) Ordering (sequence, meaning) |
| Color | Contrast (light, dark) Combinations (complementary, analogous) Amount (one – many) | Symbolism (meaning) Highlighting (attention) Mood (emotional processing) |
| Text | Size (height, width, length) Color (see COLOR above) Spacing (line, letter, word…) Variety (consistency) Font (serif vs. sans-serif) Amount (little – much) Text Boxes (location) As Graphics | Readability (meaning) Complexity (meaning) Clarity (recall) Organization (attention, recall) Flow (meaning) Symbolism (meaning) Highlighting (attention) Organizers (previews, summaries) |
| Graphics | Shape (location, use of figure and ground) Size (height, width, length) Color (see COLOR above) Type (photo, drawing) Amount (few – many) Content (amount) Sequencing (order) Placement | Readability (meaning) Complexity (meaning) Clarity (recall) Organization (attention, recall) Flow (meaning) Symbolism (meaning) Highlighting (attention) Organizers (previews, summaries) Relevance (content, supports text) Recognition Value (attention, recall) |
| Evidence | Text (account) vs. Graphic (representation) Amount (how much?) Type (appeals, arguments, stats, stories…) | Testimony vs. Statistics Type (expert, anecdotal, research, experience) Credibility (person, message, evidence) Processing & Persuasion (relevance) |
| People | Gender (male?/female?) Ethnicity Age Intelligence (IQ’s, learning styles, cognitive complexity…) Sensation Seeking (high/low) Need for Cognition (high/low) Abilities (physical, disabilities, color blindness, mobility…) Motivation (intrinsic, extrinsic) Impulsivity (high/low) Need for Stress (high/low) Previous Knowledge (high/low) | Attention Memory Sense-making Behavioral intentions Attitude change Behavioral modification Behavioral change Depth of processing |
| Media | Affordances (behaviors, processing, emotional reactions) Accessibility (fee vs. free, searchability…) Speed of Dissemination (real time, asynchronous) Interactivity Sensory Data (see, touch, smell, hear, taste) Speed of Delivery (fast, medium, slow) | Attention Memory Sense-making Behavioral intentions Attitude change Behavioral modification Behavioral change Depth of processing |
| Context | Health Work Religion Education Politics Entertainment No. of People (intrapersonal, interpersonal, small group, network, mass) | Attention Memory Sense-making Behavioral intentions Attitude change Behavioral modification Behavioral change Depth of processing |
| Content | Type of message (persuasive, informative, personal, tailored…) Aesthetics vs. Pragmatics | Attention Memory Sense-making Behavioral intentions Attitude change Behavioral modification Behavioral change Depth of processing |
| Language | Native/nonnative Formal/casual 1st person/3rd person Vividness (imagery) Ambiguity/Concreteness Metaphors Analogies | Attention Memory Sense-making Behavioral intentions Attitude change Behavioral modification Behavioral change Depth of processing |
| Symbols | Complexity Familiarity Abstraction/Concreteness Sequencing Culture | Attention Memory Sense-making Behavioral intentions Attitude change Behavioral modification Behavioral change Depth of processing |
No comments:
Post a Comment