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Subject:Re: Rules in tables From:Kris Olberg <kjolberg -at- IX -dot- NETCOM -dot- COM> Date:Sat, 26 Jul 1997 11:58:31 -0500
FWIW, IBM used to rule all tables to the max. Then they did a study in the
late 80's and found that readers had a hard time reading some fully ruled
tables. They relaxed their "rule" on table rules, leaving it up to the
writer to decide what rules are really needed in a table to make it
readable. My group of writers (at that time) adopted this procedure to find
the right combo of rules:'
1 Start with horizontal rules around the table head and at the end of the
table.
2 If you cannot quickly associate items in one column with the appropriate
information in adjacent columns, consider adding horizontal rules between
table rows also.
3 If the information in the columns does not justify well--that is, there
are large gaps in some places but not others--consider using vertical rules
to better define the columns. Examples of info that justifies well: columns
of numbers, dollar amounts, single or multiple-letter codes (such as Y and
N). An example of info that does not justify well: text in relatively
"skinny" column.
If the table has an exceptionally large number of rows and columns,
consider using charcoal rules (horizontally and vertically) and
supplementing them by shading groupings of, say, 3 to 5 rows with
alternating colors, such as light red and light gray or light gray and
white. (Example: mileage charts from city to city.) In lieu of shading, you
could use a heavier rule between groupings of rows.
Good luck convincing your boss!
Regards...Kris
-------------------------
kolberg -at- actamed -dot- com
kris -at- olberg -dot- com
----------
> From: Christopher Knight <knight -at- ADA -dot- COM>
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Rules in tables
> Date: Friday, July 25, 1997 1:54 PM
>
> Recently I got a review back from my boss (who is not a TC professional)
> and he asked me to put horizontal & vertical rules in all my tables.
> I operate on the "minimum ink" principle (thank you Edward Tufte), and
> don't use rules unless the table has so many columns that I have to
> scrunch it horizontally, or the cells are irregular (i.e. have indents
> or other structure within the cells). The document is a software Users'
> Guide for telecom operations center personnel, with a fair amount of
> tabular material, but little of it meets my criteria for using rules.
> What do you think? Anybody have thoughts on this issue?
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