OmniDoc# how to arrange the hierarchy? Let the reader's line of sight have priority
Explain the design principles behind PPT layout: how to divide the layout using grids and margins, organize information according to the four principles of alignment, contrast, repetition, and spacing, and choose appropriate common layouts.
#PPT layout design principles and common layout ideas
Key points of this article
- Define uniform margins and grids first, then put content on the page, and the layout will be naturally neat.
- The four principles of alignment, contrast, repetition, and spacing respectively solve the problems of cluttered pages, unclear focus, inconsistent styles, and scattered information.
- Use font size, thickness, color, and position to organize the hierarchy so readers can see the conclusion first and then the evidence.
- Choose a layout based on content type: use titles and text for opinions, left and right columns for comparisons, and charts for data.
When making PPT, many people spend a lot of time looking for materials and adjusting colors, but the page still looks messy: text is crowded together, pictures are of different sizes, and the title and text cannot be distinguished in order. The problem is often not the amount of content, but the way the layout is organized.
This article is written for those who need to make reports, courseware or programs. We don’t talk about which button to click, but about the design principles behind layout: how to divide areas, how to arrange white space, how to design levels, and what content each of the several commonly used PPT layouts is suitable for. After reading, you can first set up the layout skeleton in any software and then fill in the content.
How to layout each page neatly? One sentence conclusion
First decide on unified margins and grids, then choose a layout based on content, and finally use alignment, contrast, repetition and white space to connect the parts into a whole. Here’s what to do in common situations:
| your situation | Recommended practices | reason |
|---|---|---|
| One point of view plus several supports | Title with key points on the left and a picture on the right | Points of view at the top, basis at the bottom, the order is clear to the reader |
| To compare two options | Symmetrically divide the columns into left and right columns and put the same items in the same row | Symmetrical structure makes differences visible at a glance |
| data page | The chart occupies a large area and only one conclusion is left in the text. | The chart is the protagonist, the text is only for interpretation |
| Chapter transition page | Move large font titles to the left or center, leaving a large amount of white space. | The blank prompt page has been switched to a new section |
| A lot of text | Split into two or three pages, or change long paragraphs into short lists | The information density is too high and readers will skip it directly. |
What do the four major principles govern? why they work
The four principles are alignment, contrast, repetition, and intimacy (i.e., spacing). They are suitable for almost all PPT layouts and can explain most of the page problems that"look wrong"after understanding them.
Alignment: Let elements have common boundaries
Titles, text boxes, and pictures on the same page should be arranged along the same left, top, or center line. If the alignment is done well, the page will appear orderly; if the alignment is messy, even if every element is correct, the whole page will appear scattered.
Contrast: Make the key points visible at a glance
Contrast is created by size, thickness, color and white space. The title is larger than the main text, and the key figures are more eye-catching than the description text. This is the contrast at work. The contrast should have a clear priority, and all elements should be "eye-catching", which means there is no focus.
Repeat: Keep the style consistent
Use the same style for similar elements, for example, all chapter titles have the same font size, and all legends are placed below the pictures and use the same font. Repetition helps readers feel like this is a complete set of designs rather than just improvised pages.
Intimacy: Keep related content close together
Relevant content should be close together and irrelevant content should be separated. By placing the image and its caption close together and leaving more space between the two chapters, the reader can properly understand their relationship.
There are two common misunderstandings:
- Blank space does not mean empty. Blank space is reserved intentionally to highlight key points and reduce the reading burden. Leaving an empty space will only make the page look loose.
- Contrast does not equal fancy. Contrast relies on differences, not color types. The more colors there are, the more blurry the layers tend to be.
Hierarchy refers to the primary and secondary order of information on the page, usually the title, subtitle, text, and comments. The hierarchy is expressed in font size, weight, color and position. When readers see the page, they should pay attention to the title first, and then see the supporting content.
Grid and margin: the skeleton of the layout
A grid is a guide that divides a page into columns and rows. Text boxes, pictures, and charts are all placed along the grid boundary, and the layout will be stable. Margins refer to the white space around the page, and the margins in the same set of PPT should be consistent. When changing the page, the reader will feel the page bouncing if the margin changes from big to small.
Line of sight path: where does the reader look first?
Chinese readers usually read from the upper left to the lower right, so the conclusion or title of the page should be placed at the top left, and the key data or diagrams should be placed where the line of sight is easy to fall. It is easier to notice important information at the starting point of your line of sight than in a corner.
# Core comparison: common PPT layout
The following layouts are commonly used in ppt typesetting layouts, depending on the structure of the content.
| Overall Arrangement | Suitable for content | Pay attention |
|---|---|---|
| Title plus text | Opinion statement, conclusion page | Split the text as soon as it is long to avoid the whole page being full of words |
| Left and right picture | Explain a concept or a scene | The picture is aligned with the top of the text, and the note is close to the picture. |
| Three columns juxtaposed | Three juxtaposed points or steps. | The width of the three columns is equal, and the title style is uniform. |
| Left and right contrast | Before and after comparison, comparison of the two schemes | Compare items on the same line, so it is easy to look at them item by item |
| Chart-based | Data conclusion, trend display | The axes and labels are clear, and the text only retains the conclusion. |
| Chapter page | Switch to the new section | Leave enough space, only the name of the chapter |
# how to actually use it: do it again
The following steps apply to any PPT tool, as well as UniPPT slides in the OmniDoc desktop client.
- First write the conclusion of this page in one sentence and use it as the title. The title is what the reader should remember on this page.
two. Draw the margins and two or three columns of the grid on the blank page and align all the elements to the grid lines.
- Against the table above, choose a layout and put only the core information on this page.
- Check the four principles item by item: is the same kind of elements aligned? Is the focus more eye-catching than other content? Do similar elements use the same style? Is the relevant content close enough?
- Zoom out the page or throw it on the screen to see if you can get to the point in a few seconds. If not, reduce the elements or enhance the contrast.
If your material comes from PDF, you can first export it to PowerPoint format using the PDF editor of the OmniDoc desktop client, and then follow the above steps page by page. The exported layout needs to be checked manually and cannot be directly used as a finished product.
# which method is suitable for you?
- few pages and simple information : give priority to the title plus the text or the left and right image, the structure is stable, and the reader does not need to adapt. - A lot of data : mainly based on charts, the text only retains the conclusion, and put the interpretation next to the chart. - want advanced feeling *: reduce the variety of colors, increase white space, and unify fonts and margins, rather than stacking decorative elements.
# frequently asked questions (FAQ)
1. What should I look at when looking for typesetting reference pictures?
Look at the white space, alignment, and hierarchical relationships of similar pages, rather than copying colors and graphics. Write down the grid and title position of the reference page and apply it to your own content, the effect is more stable.
2. Do you want the font to be uniform? How many fonts can be used at most on a page?
It is recommended that the whole article use the same set of fonts, and the title and text should be distinguished by font size and weight. The fewer fonts, the cleaner the page, and the more focused the reader's attention is on the content.
3. How to keep the pictures neat when there are a lot of pictures?
Unify the size of the picture, or arrange it along the same grid line. The notes are placed at the bottom of the picture, and the spacing is the same everywhere, so that the layout will appear orderly even if the content of the picture is different.
4. What if the PPT exported from PDF is out of order?
After export, check page by page to see if the text box is aligned, the font size is consistent, and the picture is out of bounds. Complex tables and formulas usually need to be adjusted manually. If the original document is scanned, also check whether the text identified by OCR is accurate.
5. What else do you need to check after typesetting?
Check the typos and check whether the data and chart marks are consistent with the original text. Machine translation or OCR-generated content, especially to check important numbers and proper nouns, do not default that they must be correct.
# Summary
The core of typesetting is to build a skeleton first, and then fill in the content: organize the layout with uniform margins and grids, use alignment, comparison, repetition and spacing to make the information orderly, and then choose the appropriate PPT layout according to the content. By mastering these principles, you can maintain consistent judgment between different tools and templates and focus on the information itself.
