IBM 1130 User Manual page 119

Form Design Principles
The design of effective, economical forms reqires a
certain amount of preparatory evaluation and
analysis. The major objectives are legibility,
simplicity, economy, and efficient preparation.
Local IBM representatives should be consulted
early; their guidance and reference materials may
help avoid costly mistakes. steps to
be
taken in
forms de sign are:
1. Establish the need for the new form. Sim-
ilar forms may exist which, with minor changes,
will satisfy the new requirements.
2.
Study the machine to be used for printing.
In so doing, use the reference manual for that
machine; most manuals have at least one section
devoted to the tape-controlled carriage and/or form
deSign. These sections contain valuable information
about forms specifications as well as different
printer characteristics and operation.
3. List all types of information to be recorded
and the number of positions that will be allotted for
printing each. In doing this, assemble and study
past and present statistics. These can be evaluated
in light of future plans and then used as an indi-
cation of probable needs. One of the greatest
weaknesses in forms design is the tendency to
burden a form with unnecessary information. Since
entire data processing procedures may be geared
to the preparation of a certain report, extraneous
information can be costly.
4. Layout the form on a printer spacing chart.
(See Figure 20.17.) In using the spacing chart the
following tips will be helpful (some will be dis-
cussed in greater detail later):
• Use bold type to make special information or
headings stand out.
• In columns for figures allow sufficient space
for the largest amount plus punctuation.
• Place filing information near the top of the
form.
• Ti tIe the form.
• Include form number, date, and page number.
• Keep headings small, to allow room for
written data.
• Consider total headings at the bottom of the
form.
• Use different-colored copies as an aid in
routing.
• Use double-ruled lines to set off sections.
• Avoid horizontal rulings as much as possible.
• Consider guide marks for names, addresses
and folding.
Section Subsections
Page
20 20
I
20 01
• If possible, choose a standard form width.
• Make certain that the form length is compatible
with the spacing to be used.
• Include a guide for forms alignment in the
printer.
5. Make a test using a copy of the proposed form.
Examine the report carefully to make certain that
zeros are printing properly and that amoUnt fields
are large enough.
During the creation of a form the designer should
understand and keep in mind the following:
Form width. The overall width of a form is
important in determining printing space. Although
the IBM form-feeding devices available will handle
a great variety of document sizes, certain practical
aspects should be observed.
Form costs can be reduced by confining widths
to the standard sizes of paper stock used by business
forms companies. (These sizes can obtained from
the companies; reference to the individual machine
manual will indicate which are acceptable. )
In addition, width standardization permits
(1)
pur-
chase of report binding and filing supplies in fewer
sizes and greater quantities at reduced cost,
(2)
more convenient forms handling, and
(3)
a reduction
in the setup time of form-feeding devices.
Form length. The total number of body lines in a
form (regardless of whether six-or eight-lines-per-
inch spacing is employed) can be any whole number,
up to 132. It should be evenly divisible by two in the
case of double spacing, and by three in the case of
triple spacing.
Horizontal spacing. All printing is ten characters
per inch. Vertical lines separating fields and
decimal positions should be drawn so that each splits
a printing position. If they are drawn between adj-
cent positions, paper shrinkage, variations in form
insertion and alignment, as well as other variables,
may prevent satisfactory registration during print-
ing.
Vertical spacing. The vertical spacing of the
printers is under operator control and can be set
for six or eight lines per inch. The importance of
this is that double spacing at eight lines per inch
permits
33-1/3%
more lines to be li-sted on a page
than double spacing at six lines per inch. While it is
true that six lines per inch at single spacing gives
more items than eight lines per inch at double
spacing, the latter offers increased legibility.
Form skipping. The maximum distance that can
be skipped without losing machine time is not the
same for all printers. The individual machine or
systems reference manual should be read so that
little or no processing time is lost.