Size makes a difference and does matter!

I was recently reminded that size does matter. It was a lesson I had learnt some years ago, but was reinforced during work with a communications consultant. It is also an area where I fear techology is little help.

Size in this case is paper size and it matters because it can hugely change the way a production is received. I became aware of the power of A5 a few years ago and have used it a number of times since. The use of A5 can and will give an aura of professionalism to almost any document, but especially for manuals or large volumes of information. I have used it when creating and launching project and change methodologies. We have drafted the various pages in A4, ie normal size, and as such they look like and are received by a reader as any other ordinary office document. If, however, you print them as A5 and even better if you bind them or put them in an A5 binder suddenly, as if by magic, they take on a more authoritative air.

I am not sure why it happens, but it does. Try it and see. Find a procedures manual or an instruction manual and print a copy in A4 and one in A5. Now test and see how they are received.

The recent reminder was actually the converse of this and relates to the power of A1 (ie 8 x A4). In this case we want to represent a major change programme as a "big picture" on a single page. Instruction from senior management was that the audience should not see it as a "selling" tool or another Powerpoint slide. We used an experienced consultant to help with this and his first draft was sent through as a PDF file. The immediate reaction from almost everyone was disappointment and the observation that it looked just like a Powerpoint slide.

For the formal review session the consultant brought in hardcopy ie an A1 version. While not quite a "wow" moment, everyone acknowledged that it looked so much better as A1 even though we all knew it was the same we had seen on our PC screens as a PDF file.

As we discussed this the consultant said that his firm had done some research about this and it was at A1 size the audience started looking at the product as something different, as a poster and not just a large slide. Interesting, eh?

I do think this is an area where technology is disadvantaged. A big computer display is largely just that ie a bigger version of a small computer display with little or no other perceived difference or value. I think this limits the power of display screens as delivery mechanisms and leaves power in hardcopy.

I truly do not know why this should be, but empirically and reportedly it is the case so when you are looking to convey a message don't forget the power of hardcopy and more importantly remember that size makes a difference and does matter.