Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
'It is the organization and display of information, messaging or storytelling in an ordered hier-
archy. A journey of information. To present content in a clear and unique and engaging way
by engaging and targeting the human senses through the use of graphic devices such as type,
colour, imagery, time, light, textures and materials etc. to either warn, teach, explain, entertain
or direct.'
Vince Frost, Frost Design (Australia)
'Is there too much design now? Look on the web - is there a different sort of design emerging?
A creative world where designers seem to own what they are doing, a showing offif you like.
A comfortable designers' world where there is more of the same, time and again. To be a de-
signer you surely need opinions - you must ask why. Why can't you hear the train times? Why
can't elderly people understand Bluetooth? Why can't I find the lavatories at Terminal Five?
We know and read the words about information design … Enabling, understanding, making
information more useable, clarifying the complex and more … But think of yourself sitting in
a room. No computer, no blogging, no music, with a Pentel sign pen in red and black and just a
plan, some words and a problem. And you stay there until you have the answer. That's inform-
ation design.'
John Bateson, Bateson Studio (UK)
'A certain type of information design sometimes seems to be about displaying a graphic de-
signer's prowess for creating aesthetically pleasing and colourful graphic representations of
statistics or facts. Whilst this may look good, it often leads to a piece of work that inspires one
to look, rather than read. For me, good information design should engage the reader both visu-
ally and cerebrally, offering something beyond a surface impression.'
Dr Alison Barnes (Australia)
A brief history of information design
It would be impossible to give a detailed history of information design in just a few
pages. It is, however, important to establish that information design is not a new in-
vention: it has been with us for a very long time, albeit in different forms, and has
been vital to civilization and in communicating between cultures and generations.
This section introduces the milestones in the development of information design from
both our ancient and our recent past.
Cave paintings
