Annual Report design

Annual reports are often described as ‘dull’, ‘heavy going’ and a ‘design drag’ but they really don’t have to be! There are many simple and creative things designers can do to put an end to this label. They can create something that is catchy and exciting.

Annual report design helps tell a story. But as importantly, it is a branding element. It helps people understand you better. It also gives those yet to be a part of your company, a tour. The type of language used in an annual report is very important. The text must flow and be understood by whoever is reading it. By writing simple sentences, include strong, active verbs and using great imagery you create something that people are more likely to read and remember.

We can’t emphasise enough how important space is across design in general. Space has a huge impact. Especially within text heavy content like annual reports. Margins and columns can help break up large sections of text. This gives the information room to breathe. Adjusting the leading (vertical space between each line of text) opens up the text making the pages feel lighter. This, in turn, makes it easier to digest the large amounts of information.

Seeing data is another fantastic tool to break up lots of text. It also adds another exciting element to the annual report design. Infographics, graphs and charts are a great help to understanding difficult data. Formatting it in this way makes for a straightforward read. Therefore making it easier to understand and remember.

Annual Report Imagery

Using imagery within an annual report is part of telling a story. It is a powerful means of communication. Images engage readers and help build your company’s identity. It shows what you are all about. Images tell a message faster than any piece of text.

All of the information within an annual report can be broken down into chapters. This creates natural flow, organisation and allows readers to read the document easily. Using page spreads and combining the design with colour gives the reader and sense of direction. It makes important information easier to find and makes it easily seen on a page.

Turtle Key asked topright to tell their story through a 40 page report. Using the tools above we created them a report that looked professional. It also showed their message and vision clearly. It also educated their reader about what they have done, and their future plans.