What is Information Design
When someone asks me, “what is Graphic Information Design?”, my first example would always be the London Underground – the map, and the whole infrastructure are brilliant examples of information design working. From the schematic (rather than actual) layout of the map through to the signage and colour coding of the trains and the stations, all intended to ease the flow of passengers and make it easy for anyone to be able to navigate their way around.
What is so effective about the London Underground is that users go about their day using this brilliantly designed system without actually realising how information design has made their journey and navigation so simple. It is also adaptable and flexible, allowing for changes and additions as the map, and London, develops and grows.
Another brilliant example of Information design is Lego instructions. If you have children, or have been a child, you will most likely have built something out of Lego. Have you noticed how the instructions are broken down into very simple steps, with extremely detailed drawings of the pieces and how they connect together? It makes building Lego so easy, and again the user probably doesn’t realise how good the instructions are.
Applying an ‘information design focus’ to my own work is often subliminal, sorting the information and making it clear and easy to read or understand comes very naturally to me. I see so many examples of bad information design, and can often see ways things can be improved.
We are surrounded by information design, and the best information design is the kind you don’t even notice – the symbols on a weather app, the navigation of a website, the signage of a one-way system. Becoming a parent has opened my eyes to even more as we see information design being used all the time in the education of our little one – even the use of images to help with handwriting, and the way phonics is taught is extremely visual.
Check out this brilliant video which explains what Graphic Information design is: