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Layer the Details

Less is More

Chunking the Content

Writing Guidelines

Design Hints





[Web Advisory Group]




 MIT Libraries

Writing for the Web:
Guidelines for MIT Libraries

Layer the details

Do users ever read whole passages on the web?

Yes, but only when --

  • they are highly motivated to get the information.
  • the goal is to get extended information, like a report.
If it is long, they are likely to print it out to read it.
  • It is easier to read from paper than from the screen.
  • We see much less at a time on the screen than on paper.
Layer the details
  • Put brief info on a higher level.
  • Link to details on a deeper level.



Most of the content of this site is drawn from a workshop given by Janice (Ginny) Redish, Ph.D. at User Interface 2000 in November 1999.
http://www2.ari.net/redish

 

 

 

 

 

 

  hennig@mit.edu