"Good design encourages a viewer to want to learn more" -Alexander Isley
The goal of informational design is to “present the right information to the right people at the right time, in the most effective and efficient form” (Jacobson, 1999, p. 15). This discipline is still evolving and integrates research from diverse areas of study, including graphic design, technology, computer interface design, advertising, communications, and educational psychology. While the meaning of informational design is debated amongst practitioners, there is one principle that all agree on: creating meaning for the intended audience through effective communication.
Informational Design and Cognition
Since we are constantly inundated with visual stimuli, our brain overlooks a majority of the information presented in the environment. Therefore, informational designers must consider cognitive issues that lead to the active processing of information (Cross):
- Perception
- Interpretation
- Understanding
- Interacting
Communication is only effective if the audience pays attention, engages, and retains new knowledge. The design of visual communication determines how the brain will translate data into information that is meaningful and valuable.
Informational designers should understand the differences between data, information, knowledge, and wisdom:
Informational designers should create communications that develop knowledge. Knowledge is the highest level of understanding designers can affect directly, and these messages are the most valuable and memorable for the audience (p. 273).
Creating a Balance
Aesthetic features create a strong visual appeal, while functional characteristics ensure that information is presented effectively. “Aesthetic form and functionality need to go hand in hand, providing insights into a rather sparse and complex data set by communicating its key aspects in a more intuitive way” (Friedman, 2008).
Effective visual communication requires a delicate balance between the aesthetic and functional aspects of informational design.
Visual Design
The elements of visual communication have a tremendous impact on how users access, learn, and remember information (Canali De Rossi).
The most visually appealing design is useless if it fails to “simplify, integrate, filter, and selectively emphasize information” in a way that creates meaning for the intended audience (Canali De Rossi). The aesthetic and functional value of each of these elements must be carefully evaluated when designing visual communication.
To close this discussion, I thought it would be fun to show an example of the worst informational design that I was able to find:
