Information design is embedded in every part of the world we live in; from simple road signs to complex data sets about global warming, information graphics help us to understand the world.
What is information design? A way of interpreting (or assisting in the interpretation of) information visually: think of simple graphics such as exit signs – these are a form of information design.
The purpose of these graphics is to convey complex information quickly and easily to a viewer or user.
For example, road signs are used across the world to ensure order on public roads. These graphics must effectively communicate a specific message in a very short amount of time – the mark of a successful informational design is whether or not any user can interpret it quickly and easily.
Other forms of informational design are not so simple – though all informational designs are made with the same intent – to make information simpler and more accessible or understandable. There are many examples of information design which depict complicated and numerical information visually (the most common depiction being charts, graphs, etc).
Informational design also ties into instructional design. Instructional design conveys more complex information to a user, usually in a step-by-step format. This allows complex and often confusing information to be simplified and more easily understood.
An example of this would be a DIY instruction manual – a step-by-step process in which a difficult and confusing process is broken down into illustrated steps, allowing the user to easily understand and use the information.
Examples:
Informational Design:
New York Times – Statistics on Murder in NYC
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2006/04/28/nyregion/20060428_HOMICIDE_CHART.html
An example of complex information being compressed into a visual and more simplified form
Instructional Design:
An everyday instructional design:
Annotations are used to create a clear and concise step-by-step process in which the information is communicated. In some instances, such as below, both annotations and visual media is used to create the most effective graphic.
