Design so people can read

Here’s an excellent set of design principles from Direct Creative Blog: Design and legibility: 7 tips for high ad readership. The focus is on print (publication) ad design, but you’ll find these things useful any time you’re putting ink to paper with the intent of communicating clearly:

• Assist the left to right Eye Rhythm. (Using serif type, avoiding steeply angled type, not too wide leading.)
  
• Avoid unnecessary Fixations and generate necessary ones. (Only use things like italics, underlines, and bold subheads, where you want to eye to stop.)
  
• Work within the natural Eye Span. (Use narrow columns with 5 to 8 words per line.)
  
• Divide the copy into logical Thought Units.
  
• Stick to standard Configurations. (Don’t use all caps or put spaces between letters.)
  
• Use Familiar type and layouts.
  
• Help the reader avoid Eye Fatigue. (Use large enough type, break up long copy into smaller chunks, indent paragraphs, use black type on white paper.)
  

These principles are widely ignored by designers in all fields. Your work will stand out if you pay attention.

Lots more details at the post. Don’t miss.