There seems to be a rift developing between what is traditionally considered “graphic design” and what many now consider “information design”. And it all centers around the users. It stems from a transition that many designers make during their creative growth, a shift of focus from inward (what looks good to us) to outward (what is best for users). Many continue down the path of decoration, producing great design work,  which is perfectly acceptable. Those attracted by information design, however, strive to find a deeper meaning by producing work that is useful and purposeful, more than just great design. It just depends on one’s perception.

There are many associated terms and buzzwords — usability, user experience (UX), human centered design (HCD), user interface design (UI), etc. Regardless of what you call it or which practice you align with, it comes from the understanding that every piece of designed information will have an audience other than ourselves, and that information needs to be designed in a way that meets the audience’s needs. Information design is ultimately a human-centered practice.

Considering the User In All Forms of Design

While it makes sense to think that a user-centered approach really only applies to complex information systems — interactive spaces, environments, etc. — that’s not necessarily the case. Almost every design project will have some kind of information that needs to be communicated to an audience. In other words, every project will have users, and there are opportunities at every step in the creative process to focus on them.

Researching Users

The first step is embracing the fact that user-centered design is driven by research. By studying them we gain insight into their needs, behaviors and expectations. Many situations involve a diverse audience; start by identifying all possible audiences and really getting into their heads. Who are they, what do they want or need, what scenarios will they play a part in, and ultimately what information or functions will meet their needs? Taking this first step will define the foundation of the creative process.

How do you start understanding your users? Ask them. Find a sampling of your target, and talk to them, asking them questions and watching how they respond to given situations. If focus groups and user studies are out of budget, develop fictional personas and scenarios. Describe the personalities, behaviors and lives of possible individuals (using a little bit of common sense) and do a little role-playing. Just don’t go overboard on research, a little bit can go a long way, and too much can skew results and diminish returns.

Understanding Users

Once you’ve discovered and documented the folks who’ll be using your product or service, take the time to really understand them. Dig deeper for those hidden motivations and unspoken truths. Learn what they actually want and need, as opposed to what we think they need. Most users have a simple request: “give me the information I need, and in the most convenient way.” We often have the tendency to over-share, providing as much information as possible, but most people don’t need that. Information overload causes confusion and frustration, driving users away.

While avoiding information overload, understand that all users absorb information differently. Some prefer it audibly, others visually. Some understand better by reading, some favor imagery. For those reading, some will quickly scan a chunk of information while others will linger and study. Then there’s the issue of accessibility. What special needs do your users have that will weigh on how information is presented?

Prototyping With Users in Mind

As information designers it’s our job to translate and interpret information in a way that will best serve our users. In basing creative explorations on thorough research, we can develop prototypes that address the needs and desires of the people using them. Using that insight a hierarchy of information can be developed to present the necessary information in order of importance and in logical sequence. Content and features should be subject to radical simplification. Complexity creates cognitive noise, hindering information absorption. Think about what is absolutely necessary and what should be cut. This applies to the language of the content too — heavy technical terms and lofty concepts make information harder to understand. Most users are everyday people, who better understand plain, everyday language.

In the pursuit of a usable end-product, there are commonly accepted notions of what works well, but don’t lean too heavily on standards and best practices. Nonstandard does not necessarily mean unusable; ignore tradition and innovate! Find new solutions that are equally as intuitive and elicit an emotional response from users.

Evaluating User Behavior

Facilitate the interaction between users and prototypes, and then evaluate the results. Ask the right questions, observe the responses and the process the cues. Nothing helps refine a product better than user testing. Find a selection of your audience and let them experience the prototype. Sometimes it’s successful and is quickly moved to implementation, and other times additional insights are gained about how to improve the product further. Consider how user behavior can continually be evaluated to improve future iterations and similar projects down the road.

Now that we’ve established how a user-centric approach can potentially be applied to the creative process in any form of design, let’s focus on some larger scale information systems where it’s crucially important.

Considering the User in Navigation

Where else could this concept of user-centered design be more applicable than the process of navigating a space? We all find ourselves in unfamiliar surroundings from time to time, and in the process we occasionally get lost and look for signs and visual clues to help us find our way. It’s crucial for designers to think about the users when developing navigational systems. Using principles of effective wayfinding design (link to previous article) will address many usability issues, but here are some additional things to consider when designing:

• Study user circulation patterns. Perhaps the one of the most important tasks to complete before implementing navigational systems is to define how users are currently navigating a given space. What are the circulation paths, how do visitors get here in the first place, where is their destination, and what’s the best way to get there? Understanding how a space is currently used will lend insight into how it can be improved.
• Place signs at decision points. When a visitor reaches an intersection on a given route, they need to know what to do next. Determine what points along the path require a decision and provide help to the user. Place messages where people need to find them — dead ends, turns or anywhere they might need to change direction.
• Don’t abandon users. Going hand-in-hand with placing signs at important points, the lack of signage can also pose a problem. Don’t send users down a certain path only to have them reach a decision point with no information. Abandoning users leads them to abandon your system, causing frustration and increased anxiety, something they don’t need in an unfamiliar place.
• Provide an overview, with additional information in sequence. Simply put, give users a map. Help them see the big picture, then lead them through with sequential bits of information — landmarks or other markers of some sort. Guide users through a space by providing cues that pull them further down the path to their destination.
• Communicate information quickly and concisely. Within a navigation system, users are usually on the go. Design for the first-time visitor, but also for return visitors that routinely circulate the space. Provide bite-sized information that people can quickly process as they continue down their path.
• Consider audience needs. What physical requirements or limitations will users have? How will you make concessions for wheelchairs or the sight-impaired? With a diverse audience comes a diverse list of needs that can be addressed by adhering to accessibility requirements. Within large urban environments you’ll also encounter many users from different cultures. Take into account multiple language support and iconography that can communicate across language barriers.
• Follow design guidelines. Designing for users also applies to the physicality of the signage itself. How big will the signs need to be and what are the size restrictions in a given area? Certain shapes and colors support specific messages, so take those into consideration and avoid the pitfalls. Legibility is also of great importance, and some typefaces will work better at differing sizes or viewing distances.
• Define a place. Use design elements, materials and atmospherics to help define a sense of place. Placemaking can help users determine where they are in a system, and when they’ve made a transition from one designated place to the next. Many urban environments do this through the use of designated districts.
• Be consistent. Within any system, consistency is key to helping users navigate. Common design patterns create recognizable systems among the clutter of messages people are constantly faced with. Help users know what they’re looking for by repeating styles and visual elements.
• Environments are linear systems. Users in a wayfinding system travel from point to point to point. By creating clear paths along visible sightlines users will be able to see (or at least anticipate) the next points along their paths.

Considering the User in Interaction

Designing for the user is also important in any type of interaction — websites, kiosks, or pretty much anything with a user interface. An interface must be simple and intuitive enough to use without having to rely on a manual or any type of instruction. Ignoring usability will lead to a cluttered and confusing interface that will drive people away before they can figure out how to use it. Consider the following when designing for interaction:

• Prioritize what’s important. Presenting all the information up front, all at once, can overwhelm people. Instead determine what the most important messages or calls-to-action are and provide information in sequence. This can apply to the entire system architecture as well as on a screen-by-screen basis — what is the most important content on this page, and what’s the most important within the entire system?
• Limit choices. In the 1950s psychologist George Miller did a study on the cognitive capacity of young adults. He determined that people could process seven (plus or minus two) chunks of information in their working memory, and that number diminished with age. In general, people have less difficulty processing fewer choices. Feeding them only a handful of clear options at a given time will help them make better decisions and be more successful reaching their destination.
• Invest in content management systems. In building a website, for example, the target audience aren’t the only users — your clients are users as well. Many companies opt to administer and manage their own websites, and it’s easy to forget they will be using these systems, albeit in a different way than end-users. Deploying some sort of content management system can save time and resources (and ultimately money) for site management teams.
• Embrace the trifecta. Design, content and technology. In the past these three have been frequently handled by separate departments, but with the focus shifting to integrated teams this is rapidly changing. When considering the user, all three share the same goals and should work in tandem. It’s equally important for the people developing the three to have an understanding and appreciation for each other as well. Understanding content strategy and information architecture helps us to be better designers.
• Know the difference between interactive content and printed content. Writing for the web (or any sort of interactive system) is different than writing for a brochure. Shorter, more direct chunks of information typically work better, with direct calls-to-action that lead users deeper into the system. Also write with users in mind — plain language, simple and clear directives, and fewer dense chunks of information.
• Accommodate different behaviors. There are two types of users — searchers who know what they’re looking for, and browsers who explore what’s there. Structure the information in a way that appeals to both types. Provide information that can be easily found and provide a way to search for something specific.
• Ration the information. This goes back to sharing too much, too quickly. Give users bite-sized pieces of information at each point in the process, and let them decide if they want to dive deeper into the information that interests them. If the information is useful and well-formulated, they’ll bite.
• Don’t rely on standards. Standards compliant is one thing, leaning heavily on so-called best practices is another. Use commonly accepted standards and practices as guidelines, but don’t let them constrain the creative process. “Best practices” may stifle innovation. The interactive medium is constantly evolving, as are the things that people find intuitive. As users become more surrounded by and exposed to technology and interaction in the world around them, their comfort level will increase. Reward that by trying something new (and testing to make sure it works). If we all stuck to the “3-click rule” or keeping it “above the fold” we’d never get anywhere. Develop an interface that allows a user to easily and successfully obtain the information they need and they’ll never think twice about how many clicks it took or where it is on the page.
• Interactive systems are nonlinear. While desired user conversion paths and funnels can be constructed, interactive systems are largely nonlinear. Things like navigation systems and site maps can allow users to jump directly from one page to the next.
• Consistency is key. It’s important to construct interfaces and navigation systems that stay relatively consistent throughout the user experience. Interfaces that change, navigation that moves around the page, and multiple navigation systems create confusion that may cause the user to abandon the system and move on.

Considering the User in Interpretation

The last information system we’ll touch on is interpretation. Interpretive pieces tell a story, whether it’s historical, scientific or otherwise. These include exhibits, attractions, interpretive displays or information graphics — pieces that take a complex idea or story and communicate it in a way that a diverse range of users will understand and remember. If it’s not designed to engage the user and hold their attention, they’ll walk away and abandon the story. Here are some things to think about:

• Develop a hierarchy of information. Interpretive pieces usually contain a fair amount of information, and often utilize multiple environments to communicate that information. Develop a hierarchy to present the information in a way that makes it easy for someone to know where to begin and how to flow through the rest.
• Tell a story. Interpretation involves telling a story of some sort, so use that to your advantage. Use every element at your disposal — the content, imagery, graphic elements and the space around you — to engage and immerse the audience in the story you want to tell.
• Entertain the audience. In order for users to really buy the story, it should evoke an emotional response. Entertain them, excite them and inspire them to dive deeper into the story. The challenge is how to take complex information and make it understandable and attractive to everyday people.
• Make it social. Let the information be fun and encourage social experiences rather than private ones. By doing so users can watch and learn how other users interact with the information and options presented. Shared experiences bring people together and multiply the processing and understanding of information.
• Experiment with interaction. Interpretative experiences don’t have to be limited to chunks of information on wall plaques. Bring in other mediums that let users interact with the story (perhaps even tell it themselves) and experience it in a physical way. Physical exhibits let users actively engage multiple senses, while interactive components add sound and motion to a stationary place. Experiment with the integration of physical and digital mediums.
• Be conscious of the environment. Most interpretive pieces involve open spaces in which users aren’t constrained to single pathways. Much like user circulation, plan how people will move through the space and present information in a way that can be understood and reached from multiple directions. Design the space in a way that draws users around and through it.
• Accommodate different behaviors. Much like with interaction, there are a couple types of users for an interpretive piece — streakers, strollers and studiers. Streakers move quickly, they’ve most likely been there before and know what they’re looking for. Strollers move at a pretty constant pace and absorb information as they go, seeing the environment as a whole and understanding the basic overview. Studiers do just that, they linger and interpret each exhibit or chunk of information individually and then systematically move on to the next. How will the information be designed to accommodate the behaviors of all these people?
• Get them talking. Engage users, entertain them and then get them thinking. Let them experience the story and then inspire them to think about the bigger picture. Send them on their way and encourage continued dialogue even after they leave the interpretive space. Further discovery on the users’ part will lead to greater understanding of the information presented after the fact.

Conclusion

In closing, information design is about the audience, the users, the people ultimately involved and interacting with the pieces and products we design. They are the ones who will be benefiting from them, so it only makes sense to concentrate on their needs as we put these pieces together. As designers embracing a user-centric approach, we are doing things that have a purpose and usefulness to the people that use the things we design. It’s our way of making a difference. User centered design has the potential to make navigation easier, interaction simpler and more usable and interpretation more understandable, thereby making our clients more successful in the long run.