"What is Information Design?"

Image by Austin Kleon via Flickr

    There can be different definitions of what information design is, mainly depending on how you view it. I would consider information design to be the use of art and digital media to help the viewer better understand information presented to them. My definition is broad as it applies to presenting various forms of information in a simpler way. This is a bit different from other definitions as mine doesn’t put focus on a specific application.

    According to An Introduction to Information Design, “Some feel that it is simply the visualization of data; others see it as the communication of any message in any form. This could take the form of an advertisement or of a safety sign: both communicate a message or meaning to the viewer, and both deal with information…” (Coates and Ellison 12). This quote showcases the two different perspectives on what information design can be defined as. The two are essentially the same just with a contrasting emphasis on their application.

    The Information Design Workbook uses the definition of information design from the Society for Technical Communication which identifies it as ‘…the translating [of] complex, unorganized, or unstructured data into valuable, meaningful information’” (Baer 12). This quote focuses more on the data aspect of information design. Its use makes analyzing data significantly easier to read and comprehend as it is drawn out using various graphs, charts, etc.

    I will look to explore the topic of information design on my blog using my skills in graphic design. I will use this to help demonstrate my knowledge of the subject. I look forward to learning more about information design as I continue to read about it. I think the blog will be a good way of evaluating how much I have learned from this course. It will also serve as a good way to refresh myself with various topics and information about the subject. 

Baer, Kim, and Jill Vacarra. Information Design Workbook: Graphic approaches, solutions, and inspiration + 30 case studies, Quarto Publishing Group USA, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/empire-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3399804.

Coates, Kathryn, and Andy Ellison. Introduction to Information Design, Laurence King Publishing, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/empire-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1876178.