Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
It is a technique used to shake people out of their complacency to produce something
unique instead of coming up with predictable solutions.
Lateral thinking is important in information design as there is a perception that deal-
ing with large amounts of data is relatively boring. If not presented correctly, inform-
ation becomes just numbers and words with little meaning. The ability to visualize
this raw data and place it into a visual form that demonstrates relationships or differ-
ences can change the audience's understanding of the subject.
Lateral thinking can be used through the process of visual exploration. In this phase
designers experiment with different media, materials and ways of presenting the raw
information. During this process, creatives move beyond initial concepts and explore
avenues outside of the obvious choices. This can result in more innovative solutions
to the problem. By sketching and prototyping, the designer can investigate various
methods to present the message, using diagrams, grids, typography and imagery. This
allows the information designer to compare methods in order to select the most ap-
propriate technique.
It is during this phase that many designers 'play' with the visualization. Play means
different things to different people, but psychologist Bruno Bettelheim defined it as
'freedom from all but personally imposed rules (which can be changed at will) by
freewheeling fantasy involvement and by the absence of any goals outside the activ-
ity itself' ('The Importance of Play',
Atlantic Monthly
, March 1987, p. 37). Playing
can result in happy accidents and keep the approach fresh and vibrant. It can involve
playing with images by making collages or montages or using unfamiliar tools and
design techniques.
Student project by Stephen Woowat: Urban First Aid, 2004
An example of lateral thinking is the Urban First Aid project by British graphic de-
signer Stephen Woowat, produced when he was a student. The brief was to commu-
nicate information about roads in the city. Stephen used lateral thinking to liken the
transport infrastructure of a city to that of a human circulatory system. The ring road
has become the main arteries in the heart of the system. Using this simple metaphor,
the reader understands the importance of roads in the city as they provide links to the
outside world, bringing in valuable commodities such as food, as well as exporting
waste products. If this system gets clogged, the circulation of goods slows down and
causes major problems.
