Index Design Guides

These design guides are intended to help you create fact sheets in accordance with the Index. You will find two different design guides. The Fact Sheet Design Guide is to be used by staff when developing or revising a traditional fact sheet with the primary purpose of providing actionable information about a health topic. The Data Sheet Design Guide is to be used by staff when developing or revising a fact sheet with the primary purpose of conveying current data on a topic.

Fact Sheet Design Guide [PDF – 119 KB]

Use this design guide to structure the content of your traditional fact sheet to be aligned with the Index. Part A Index items (#1-11) should be included in all materials. Parts B, C and D of the Index may or may not be applicable, depending on your topic’s communication objective.

To the right you can see an exemplar of a fact sheet created using this design guide.Below you can see an exemplar of a fact sheet created using this design guide.

Data Sheet Design Guide [PDF – 192 KB]

Use this design guide to apply Index criteria when developing or revising a data sheet. Like the fact sheet design guide, this data sheet design guide shows you how to incorporate Index items applicable to your topic and communication objective.

Press Release Design Guide [DOC – 27 KB]

Practical guidelines for anyone wanting to use press releases to support public health outreach. Developed by Office of Communications’ Division of Public Affairs and the Office of Communication Science from an actual, typical release. Edited to incorporate proven communication principles while still retaining the content organization familiar to news organizations. Notes in the margin describe how effective communication techniques are embedded in the flow of copy.