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Which number is it?
Automobile title
Imagine
that you are on the telephone with someone at
the Department of Motor Vehicles. You are asked
for your automobile title number.
As you scan the title document for the number,
you see a large number at the lower right side
of the document. (See arrow.) You assume that
this is the title number.
However, upon closer examination,
a warning label above the number says "NOT A TITLE NO."!
This warning label indicates that
this large-sized number is quite often
confused with the actual title number.
The actual title number is at the top right
corner of the document but is
in a much smaller-sized print.
Design suggestion
Since the automobile title number on this document is the one people need to use, that number should be obvious enough so that it can be easily found. This could be done either by increasing the size of the actual title number or by using color or another characteristic to draw attention to it.The number in large print which is NOT the title number and has no meaning or use to the automobile owner, could be made more inconspicuous by reducing its size. The number should also be labeled as to what it is rather than what it is not.
ID card
Suppose you are a new student at
the university. You need to find your student ID
number. You can not remember it so
you look on your ID Card. There are 3 numbers.
None of the numbers are labeled. Which is
the student number?
Design suggestion
Similar to the previous example, the student ID number is probably the most frequently accessed number on the card. Therefore, the student number should be labeled and it should be the most prominent number on the card.
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Document title photo courtesy of Jim McDonald.
ID card photo and idea courtesy of Jean Magne.
Copyright © Michael J. Darnell 1998-2010. All rights reserved.
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