Digital Structure, Digital Design: Issues in Designing Electronic Publications

Digital presentation of scholarly works introduces a new design challenge: whereas in print publications, content elements are to be representable only in visual form, in digital presentation function may be made manifest through hypertext. Although we have little cultural experience with digital design, we must remember that good design must still be a tool to illuminate content, not an arbitrary add on. Digital designers must enrich the content appropriately, let the market guide the design, know when to stop, not recreate paper in digital form, and provide appropriate products and utilities for their audiences. Consideration of the purpose of the publication, the use of the publication, the audience, and the market will help to identify appropriate design choices.