Information design: what it is and how you should use it

What is it?

Information design is also known as infodesign. As the name suggests, it deals with how the information will be presented to the public. Instead of focusing only on content, this area is concerned with the structure of the message, so that people understand the data with greater clarity and effectiveness. Through infodesign, complex information is easily organized and understood. In short, information design uses different resources to enhance the message, making it more attractive and, thus, capturing greater public attention. This happens through images, graphs, tables or drawings combined with the words and data provided, both in analog and digital media. It can be applied in different sectors and for different audiences, some examples that appear frequently are in the areas of education, marketing, security and health

Why Information Design Matters

The keywords already appeared in the previous topic: public attention. We live in a society where the volume of information available is very high. Therefore, it is impossible to process and understand all the data we receive daily. Exactly for this reason, public attention has become a scarce asset, which people and companies have to fight for. Information design comes in exactly there: as a technique to help capture people’s attention and, at the same time, help them clearly understand the message that you or your company are sending.

How ​​to apply it to your business

Despite being a relatively new concept, information design is already applied in several situations. When we see an infographic (like those circulated with security measures against Covid-19, for example) that mixed drawings and words to convey data, often complex, in a clear and objective way, we are seeing infodesign in action. The same thing happens in some explanatory videos, instruction manuals and professional presentations.

To use information design in your business, you first need to plan the communication to be developed. There are two factors that must be analyzed during this planning, as they influence the organization of the content: the type of media in which the message will be circulated and the target audience it intends to reach. With these definitions, it will be possible to choose which is the best language, which elements are essential or dispensable in your communication, which colors may be more attractive and which is the best method to facilitate understanding (drawings, graphs, tables, videos etc.).

An important tip is to put yourself in the shoes of those who will receive the material. If you are not the main target audience, look for someone who fits the profile and ask for opinions, collect data, carry out tests. Always keep in mind that the objective is for the message to reach and be easily understood by the right people. Information design can be very useful in various situations, such as posts on social networks, articles on websites, school or professional presentations, promotional pamphlets and so on. See what fits best for your business and try it out!