Evaluators rarely read proposals the way marketing teams imagine. They’re reviewing dozens of submissions, working through scoring criteria, and scanning for specific information that helps them assign points quickly. When proposals are designed as long, uninterrupted blocks of text, important information gets buried and the evaluator has to work harder to find what matters.

This session focuses on designing proposals that match how evaluators actually review them. We’ll look at how layout, hierarchy, and page structure can guide the reader, highlight key information, and make scoring easier. The goal isn’t decoration or overdesign. It’s creating documents that are organized, clear, and easy to navigate under real evaluation conditions.

By combining graphic design fundamentals with the practical realities of AEC proposals, this class will show how thoughtful layout decisions can improve readability, reduce friction for evaluators, and help teams present their strengths more effectively.

What you’ll learn:

• How evaluators scan and score proposals

• Layout strategies that support quick navigation and skimming

• Using hierarchy, white space, and alignment to guide the reader

• What information should stand out on the page and what can be simplified

• How to present dense or technical content in a way that feels organized and approachable