A print publication:

• is likely to be read fully and in order, so make sure content has a logical flow
• limits the user’s experience to the physical page, so make sure it contains all the information needed
• has a set design, so you have more control over the look of the document
• can be difficult and costly to update, so ensure that it is well edited and professionally produced the first time.

Shorter documents such as brochures have more rigorous constraints than longer documents such as books. With a brochure, the text must fit within the pages, and each panel must have a clear message. With a book, the text can flow from page to page, and meaning can build up more gradually, but the structure must fit the topic and the audience’s needs.

Online content:

• is often skim-read by users, so make sure headings, subheadings, links and text catch the user’s attention (see Web content)
• can be started at any point, so make sure each page has the information needed, or that links make the information clear
• can link to other content, including audio, video and interactive material, so you can provide users with different experiences
• can appear differently on different screens, so test on various screen sizes and orientations, and with different browsers
• can be updated easily at any time, so you can publish the basics and build on it, or make changes readily.