e-Learning graphic design improves readability and helps learners to navigate through particular course content smoothly. Without the right graphic design, which includes images, typography, layout, and color scheme, even the best-written content would be confusing for learners.
If you are new to design, below are the e-Learning graphic design best practices that you should consider in your course to engage your learners.
How well do you know your learners
One of the beauties of e-Learning graphic design is the ability to manipulate the design elements to meet learner’s needs. Knowing your audience before including e-Learning graphic design to your course is vital. That enables you to include elements that serve their needs.
Every font style & size, images, and colors you select must greatly benefit your learners. They must be able to serve their needs and promote easy readability and smooth navigation.
Typography
I’m sure you’ll agree with me that good typography helps to create visual hierarchy, and enhances the readability of course content. Not all fonts work the same way on different devices, so use fonts that work perfectly on different kinds of devices.
While selecting your fonts, you should keep in mind the following;
- While developing your e-learning course, choosing more than two font styles will clutter the page and confuse your readers. Therefore, it’s a best practice to use one or a combination of two font styles to achieve an effective e-learning program.
- Use fonts that work well on both PC devices and mobile devices. Examples of font that will never fail you are Arial, Verdana, and Helvetica fonts. San serif fonts are much better on the PC devices compared to Serif fonts.
- Ensure the font size you are choosing is not too big or too small. In short, ensure you put legibility in mind while choosing font sizes. For instance, the size of 14-16pxs is okay for the body of your text.
Make use of just the right images
Whatever you include in your course, be it texts, images, or anything, you must possess the ability to support your course objectives. So far, it’s on the screen; it must add values and not detract from your course.
It’s not necessary to add decorative images to your course, all in the name of filling spaces if they’ll not add values to your course.
Use the right color
No doubts, choosing the right color mix are an essential part of your e-learning graphic design. The choice of color is way more than just your taste. It’s not just choosing colors that feel right to your taste, but rather selecting a color mix that complements well.
You need to choose complementary colors that possess the ability to evoke your emotions and connect them to your course. To enhance readability, opt for colors with high contrast for your typography. Usually, a black text is perfect and safe on a white background.
For your color scheme, you should avoid involving more than three colors in your design. It tends to distract the readers from getting the overall value and objectives of your e-learning course.
Use the right layouts to convey meaning
It’s not right to assume that your learners automatically understand the text and graphics you place on the screen. So, try and create relationships that help to guide their understanding. Layouts have a direct impact on learners’ knowledge and retention of a course.
Below are some guides to help you structure your layout to convey meaning.
- The positioning technique is an important thing to consider for effective e-learning graphic design. Ensure that you position similar objects next to each other to convey a relationship.
- Ensure that the layout and screen are easy to scan. That helps to attract your learners to your e-learning course.
- Make sure that relevant information gets placed at the right spot where learners can easily see it. It’s not advisable to put important information inside a click-to-reveal link.
White space
Using irrelevant graphics to fill up white spaces is not a good e-learning graphic design practice. Instead, leave white areas in your course to help in reducing cognitive overload and improving the visual presentation of your e-learning course.
Here are some guides to increase white spaces in an e-learning course.
- Shorter paragraphs and bullet points help to increase your course white spaces.
- To enhance attraction, use whitespaces between your paragraphs and graphics.
Keeping these e-learning graphic design best practices in mind while developing your e-learning course will help you to achieve the effectiveness of training.