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August|September 2007
Setting a
Perfect Table
Styling tables in InDesign
By Michael Murphy
affects the success of the table. Colors are not simply Ten InDesign Tools for Table Success
aesthetic choices — they imply some meaning: Why is 1) STROKE OPTIONS (Table > Table Options >
this cell/row/column a different color from these? Should Alternating Row Strokes or Table > Cell Options
I think of this data differently? Strokes are not simply > Strokes and Fills). Strokes can be either conduits
attractive accents — they’re a guide for the reader’s that guide the eye through information, or they can
eye: Do I read this left-to-right or top-to-bottom? And be clear borders to define where certain types of
alignment may be the most critical table choice of all. information begin and end. Remove barriers (e.g., Figure 1. Table cells turn into prison
Most of this should, of course, apply to all design pronounced vertical rules in what should be left-to- cells quickly when all strokes are uniform
(top) and there’s no sense of direction for
decisions, but these details are doubly important right data) in the flow of information unless they serve
the reader’s eye. Knockout row strokes
in tables. How people perceive the hierarchy and a specific organizational purpose. (bottom left) cut clean horizontal paths
relationships in a table has everything to do with For example, heavy row strokes with the Paper through a table. The thinner column
its arrangement, the proximity of one piece of data swatch applied to them create open channels through strokes don’t interfere with the natural
left-to-right direction created by the
to another, and the relative size of the elements. the table that encourage left-to-right eye movement. row strokes. Switch the orientation of
Tables are not intended for passive reading. They This is an effective way to present information that the heaver and lighter strokes (bottom
require readers to actively process information and goes in that direction. Strong column strokes impose right), and the table takes on a top-to-
bottom orientation.
understand it in context. Whether that experience is a top-to-bottom order on the information and are a
painful or palatable depends on you. good method of directing readers down a column to a
Key to this process is reducing the table’s signal-to- total or an average at the bottom (Figure 1). TRAFFIC CAPACITY
noise ratio. The signal is the information in the table, Where you don’t use background tints, strokes Region Growth* Growth**
Middle East 12.7% 14.7%
and the noise is anything that interferes with the clear become essential to anchoring data and highlighting
Asia Pacific 4.5% 5.5%
transmission of that information. Every unnecessary key information (Figure 2). Where color defines areas
Africa 3.1% 8.7%
element in a table is noise against which the signal in a table, use strokes sparingly, if at all.
Industry
has to compete. You should minimize even necessary Average
2.3% 4.3%
items like strokes and fills to the point where they 2) COLOR (Table > Cell Options > Strokes and North America -0.9% 4.5%
create the least amount of noise but still highlight Fills). Use like colors for like data. If your tint swatches Europe -1.0% 3.1%
information or direct the reader’s eye. are based on solid colors, readers may instinctively link Latin America -6.9% -1.5%
Reducing that noise is one part of the equation. information in the full-strength color with information
The other is to improve the clarity of the signal in a tint of it. It’s best to use a limited palette on Figure 2. Strokes are an effective way
itself — the information in the table — through concise tables. Two colors (and tints of those colors) for fills to emphasize a key piece of information
against which other data is measured.
and simple presentation, and effective highlighting of and strokes, plus the color of your text, should see Color is used sparingly but consistently to
critical data. you through most tables quite well. In more complex put data in context.
GDP (at constant prices) -4.4 -10.9 8.8 9.0 9.2 there’s a high contrast ratio between the text in a table
Domestic demand (contribution to growth) -6.5 -16.9 10.4 11.1 9.4
and any alternating fills .
Net exports (contribution to growth) 2.1 6.0 -1.5 -2.1 -0.2
Per capita GDP ($US, thousands) 7.4 2.5 3.5 4.0 4.6
Consumer prices (average) -1.1 25.9 13.4 4.4 9.6 4) ALIGNMENT (Type > Paragraph or use the
Consumer prices (end-of-period) -1.5 41.0 3.7 6.1
Annual percentage changes; unless otherwise indicated
12.3
paragraph alignment buttons in the Control Panel/
Palette). Alignment is critical to quickly understanding
Figure 4. If there’s not enough room after the decimal-align tab
Figure 3. Uniformity and lack of any color make the top how pieces of information in a table relate, and each to fit the remaining numbers in your cell, InDesign highlights the
table difficult to approach and understand. There are
alignment choice carries with it an implied meaning. numbers that won’t line up properly.
no visual cues for where to start or in which direction
to proceed. The middle table takes advantage of We most easily understand numbers (like financial
Alternating Fills but uses distracting fill colors that are figures) to be larger or smaller than one another when
too close in value to the color of the text. In the bottom they’re aligned to the right. In many fonts, figure It’s quicker to scan a column of numbers that
table, colors and strokes are minimized, providing a
clear direction for the eye and allowing the text to rise widths vary and cause numeric misalignment. Where are decimal-aligned than left-aligned. Consistency
above all other elements. possible, use a mono-spaced font for number-heavy is always preferable when presenting numbers. If
tables, or take advantage of the Tabular numeral some of the numbers in your tables have decimals,
options in OpenType fonts for better alignment. all of them should (even if it’s .0). Numbers without
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M A G A Z I N E 19 August | September 2007
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InDepth: Table Design
Tip
column width values equally. There’s a similar feature
for rows (Distribute Rows Evenly), but I prefer to make
my row-height decisions based on the Exactly and At
Least options.
Both the Exactly and At Least settings
are subject to more than the point 8) “EXACTLY” OR “AT LEAST” SETTINGS (Table
size of your type or leading. If you’re > Cell Options > Rows and Columns). Some table
wondering why your line of 12-point decisions are made for you (fixed), and some offer a bit
text is overset in a row set to a height of room to play with (flexible). If you’re comparing 100
of exactly 18 points, keep in mind that companies in a table that spans five pages, you have a
your cell inset values are part of the fixed decision because basic division dictates that you
equation. If the total height of your must fit 20 companies per page. InDesign provides
text, plus the inset spacing around it, options appropriate for both fixed and flexible
won’t fit in your Exactly setting, it will situations in the row height settings (Figures 6 and 7),
be overset. Adjust accordingly. which can be assigned a height that is an exact
amount (i.e., one-quarter inch or 18 points) or a height
of at least a certain amount.
With fixed decisions, the Exactly setting will
probably serve you best. Setting rows to an exact
K<:?EFCF>PJ<IM@:<J
;I@M<I M@J@9@C@KP FEC@E<&N<9
:FDDLE@:8K@FE :8GKLI< J<IM@:<J consistency (but with flexibility). quickly becomes tedious. Once you’ve established
Setting a row height to At Least the perfect look for your table, taking all of the above
JBL&GXcc\k9Xi:f[\j
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puts a mandatory minimum on factors into account, save your settings as a Table
N\YKiXZb&KiXZ\
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that row. It can get bigger than Styles and Cell Styles that can be quickly re-applied
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Mf`Z\ the value you put in, but it can’t to other tables. Think of Cell Styles the way you would
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get any smaller. Nested Character Styles. They’re the local settings you
feXcCKC ;EI '%,' 00%) .+* (. E GI@M ● ● ● ● ● ●
also find in the Cell Options dialog box (cell insets,
0(%/ '%,, 0. )#')) /( E GI@M ● ● 9) HEADERS & FOOTERS
● ● ● ● vertical justification, strokes and fills, etc.). Like most
eXk`feXc (Table > Table Options > InDesign styles, they can be based on other styles,
0'%( '%0. ;EI +#''' )0' L GL9 ● ● ● ●
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Headers and Footers). Headers and Cell Styles let you assign a Paragraph Style as an
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0.%( '%+) 0/%, *., (+ L GI@M ● ● ● ● ● ● ● ● identify the information that falls attribute of a cell. Extending that nested style analogy,
Xg#ÕXkY\[# below them and should do so think of Table Styles as the place where you nest
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unambiguously regardless of the your Cell Styles (as you nest Character Styles within
ZXk\[
;EI '%'( 0/ (#,,' - E GL9 ● ● ● ● complexity of the header itself. Paragraph Styles). A Table Style is the global setting
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Figure 8. Table headers can span multiple rows and get quite
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Headers can
● ● ●
establish groupings and categorization that can contain up to five different Cell Styles, which
complex. Use them to establish major and minor categories of
(Figure 8). Footers can serve many purposes (a simple you can assign to header rows, footer rows, body rows,
information. A well-organized header establishes a framework for all
;EI ;EI ;EI *#''' ('' E GI@M ● ● source
● ●line,
● ●qualifying
● text for certain data elements and to the left and right columns.
the data that falls below it. The icons in this example are Anchored
:
Objects
0(%,
inserted
;EI
directly
0.
in-++
the header
)
cellsE(see #5: Anchored
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in the table,
●
etc.). InDesign automatically duplicates
Objects). As such, they’ll duplicate at the top of every frame into and inserts headers and footers for tables spanning Excuse Yourself From the Table
mXe#_\Xk\[ which this table flows.
0)%, '%*/ 0/%, /)' , E GI@M ● ● ● multiple
● ● pages,
● frames
● or columns). There’s one key question I ask myself every time I
;EI '%*, 00%+ (#'*, 0 E GI@M ● ● ● ● ● look at a table I’ve just designed: In what way could
height allows not only consistency, but the ability to 10) TABLE STYLES & CELL STYLES (Window > this be misinterpreted? After I silence my designer’s
0,%+ '%00
ej]\i
rely on simple 0,
math to +.*
make+)your content
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fit a given ● ● ●
Type & Tables > Table Styles or Cell Styles). New to ego (which immediately chimes in with, “None at all!
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GI@Mmeans
● ● ● ● ● CS3 — but
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● ● as a plug-in for CS2 and CS from It’s perfect, and so are you!”), I try to distance myself
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exactly. If your text doesn’t fit in that row height, it will Teacup Software — are Table Styles and Cell Styles, from the table and see it again from the reader’s point
0, 5'%,' 0, )''" (' E GI@M ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
be overset. The cell will not adjust with the Exactly which●help
● ● ● ●
preserve the consistency and order you’ve of view. Whatever I find that’s less than clear, I fix.
kf&]ifd option
0' applied.
'%'' 0/ )#-'' (, E GL9 ● ● ● set up●for one●table
● as a style you can apply to many There’s no InDesign command for this…You may just
For more flexible situations, the At Least setting other tables. Manually applying settings over and have to jot it down on a Post-it note and stick it to your
;EI '%0' 0/%, (#,'' , E GI@M ● ● ● ● ● ● ●
\j can be very helpful, and it provides its own kind of over for table-heavy projects, such as annual reports, monitor as a reminder.
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M A G A Z I N E 19 August | September 2007
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InDepth: Table Design
May I Have Some More? To round out your InDesign-specific table skills,
If you’re curious about the key concepts behind look no further than your back issues of InDesign 5IFQMVHJOGPS
Magazine, specifically:
effective information design, here are two great
n “Turn The Tables” by Keith Gilbert (Dec. 05/Jan. 06)
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books on the subject:
n Universal Principles of Design: 100 Ways to n “The Table Subtle” by Diane Burns (Oct./Nov. 05)
Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase n A 14-page excerpt from Nigel French’s excellent i5IBOLT
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Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach book, InDesign Type (June/July 06) QVCMJTIFSTBOEJUIBTXPSLFEXPOEFSGVMMZ*GZPVXPVMEFWFSMJLFUPVTF
Through Design (Rockport Publishers, 2003) by Last, but certainly not least, check out my three- PVSDPNQBOZBTBSFGFSFODF
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8*
64"
William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, Jill Butler part series on tables in Episodes 18 through 20 of The
n Envisioning Information (Graphics Press, 1990) by InDesigner videocast at www.indesignsecrets.com/ i"MTP
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Edward R. Tufte theindesigner. TPGUXBSF5IBOLZPVBHBJOi
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As I wrote this article, two things kept running place or situation in which different elements interact NBUIFNBUJDBMBOETDJFOUJmDQVCMJDBUJPOTi
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through my mind. The first was a conversation I to produce something new.” Tables fit this definition
had at the 2007 InDesign Conference in New York perfectly, and if “irrelevancies” are burned away, what’s iXFSEFHMFJDIMPTMFHFO/BUSMJDIESGUJISVOTOFOOFO
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with someone who believed (as I do) that tables are produced is true understanding of the information )BOOF4DIOFJEFS
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an art. When crafted properly, they should elevate they allow us to present so well.
their content in a way that enhances its value and
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usefulness.
The other recurring thought I had was a line of OBUJWF*O%FTJHO*O$PQZUFYUFEJUPSNFBOT
dialog from an old episode of Star Trek–The Next Michael Murphy is a an award-winning art director with 19 years º /PQBSUJDVMBSGPOUTOFFEFE
of graphic design and design technology experience, and the
Generation. (Now it’s out there: I’m a design purist creator and host of The InDesigner videocast at indesignsecrets. º /PTJOHMFHSBQIJDBMFMFNFOU
and a geek.) In a dramatic courtroom speech, Captain com/theindesigner. An Adobe Certified Expert in InDesign, Michael
is also a trainer, writer, and speaker. He staunchly defends design º "MMTFUUJOHTPSHBOJ[FEBTvTUZMFTi
Picard refers to the trial process as “a crucible,” in
fundamentals, impeccable table manners, and the belief that º 5SJFEBOEUFTUFEBMMPWFSUIFXPSME
which “we burn away irrelevancies until we are left Benjamin Sisko is the best Star Trek captain of all. Contact Michael at
with a pure product: the truth.” This thought led me info@theindesigner.com.
to the dictionary, where one definition of crucible is “a