Moving Tables from Paper to Screen

Abstract

This paper develops the notion of "layers" of information within a table, and discusses how such layers are typographically distinguished on paper and in a viewdata system (Prestel). A case history is presented of the difficulties facing a British government department wishing to communicate frequently updated tabular information to the agricultural community. Several approaches to design solutions are discussed it terms of the adequacy with which they handle the different layers of information within the table. This leads to a formulation of the kinds of question which designers need to consider when transferring information from print to CRT screen.