Ian Woodward shares his top tips on how to hone effective and focused paper-based, distance-learning material.
To make your materials more effective, I suggest that you first concentrate on the content and on the support that users will receive (even more than the design):
- Think carefully about your target audience (e.g. where and how they will use the materials.)
- Build in a review/support process with their line managers.
- Proof the materials carefully and get user feedback where possible.
On top of this:
- Use a bold design that looks light, bright and attractive, ideally with photographs.
- Be consistent in terms of layout, colour etc.
- Provide a good index.
- Try to avoid using clip art where possible (I'm finding that some people now react strongly against this).
- Put any answers well away from the questions (ideally at the back of the book).
- Give people plenty of space to make notes.
