You wouldnt think that such small things could have such a big impact Even minor punctuation and speling errors – or those irritating ones wear you used the same sounding word but its a different spelling \u2014 inconsistencies in use of symbols \u2013 they all add up to you\u2019re learning outcomes crumbling under the weight of all that extra cognitive load, not to mention unhappy clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve all read it in a job ad \u2013 \u2018attention to detail required\u2019. It may not be an exciting thing to list on your resume, but it is important. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Attaining attention to detail requires three key elements: the attitude<\/strong> to desire excellence; knowledge<\/strong> about what the details entail; and skills to use processes and tools<\/strong> that can help you attain a high standard of quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Attitude<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Excellence is an attitude, a mindset. It plays out in the design process in a myriad of ways. It shapes the chosen learning approach, the quality of external content and the exploratory questions that you ask SMEs to gain clarity about content. It drives your continuing professional development to stay at the forefront of your profession and it motivates discretionary effort. It\u2019s not always noticed when it is there, but it\u2019s always noticed when it\u2019s not there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Achieving excellence is a collaborative endeavour. It involves establishing team processes (for example, shared proof reading, review and feedback stages, co-design sessions) that will not just create an excellent product, but will create a culture where excellent products are inevitable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Knowledge<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on when you went to school, you either learnt grammar, or not. Regardless, you need it now. Fortunately, it\u2019s possible to improve by simply taking the time to pay attention to the various grammar checkers available and the explanations that they give. Not knowing a rule is okay the first time, but repeatedly breaking it is not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Most industries and\/or professions have particular conventions for writing and production (and they\u2019re not all about spelling and grammar). Being familiar with these will give your work internal consistency and also maintain consistency across projects. This applies across all elements of the design process \u2013 graphics and visual design, language, tone or \u2018voice\u2019, clarity in on-screen directions, referencing and linking protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Skills to use processes and tools<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Use a style manual. Are you unsure if your bullet points need capitals? Look it up. It\u2019s that simple. Choose a standard (or use the one relevant to your client) and stick to it. Closely related to a style manual is a brand guide, stipulating logo usage, colour palettes and primary and secondary fonts. Just find the standard and stick to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Create a checklist of common errors to bring your design and writing temporarily into the \u2018conscious competence\u2019 state. After doing this for a while, those standards will become part of your unconscious competence processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Proof read in a brain-saving way. Use the Find\/Replace feature of your word-processing software to help spot common style errors. For example, it\u2019s easy to search for quotation marks, double spaces and hyphens in your writing to ensure you\u2019ve used them correctly every single time. This frees up your focus to proof read specifically for the common errors that can\u2019t be easily searched and don\u2019t get picked up in automatic spelling and grammar checkers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In summary<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Attention to detail is a small investment that pays big dividends! Making fewer errors in your design results in time savings in the review and correction process. As you build quality, professional, effective learning experiences, you build a strong reputation and expand your network and client base. That\u2019s something worth paying attention to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interested in a deep dive?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n