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.

Environmental graphic design is no longer something you just stumble upon, but something that has become part of the design lexicon. It has gained interest among various disciplines beyond just graphic designers, it draws the attention of architects, interior designers, landscape architects, urban planners, and industrial designers.

Imagine yourself getting ready to do some shopping. Or perhaps grabbing a bite to eat. Do you choose a store or restaurant you’ve been before, or do you try some place new? If you try someplace familiar, somewhere you’ve been before, chances are it’s because of good products or good food. But it might also have something to do with the experience, the way that place made you feel, and how much fun you may have had before. Not only is a quality product important to a brand, but also the space that product lives in. A well designed branded environment can have a significant impact on the performance of a company and ultimately its brand.

Join me for a walking tour around Boise, Idaho and see some of the best examples of environmental graphic design in the city.

New Jersey is the most densely populated and most culturally diverse state in the nation with more roadways per square mile than any other state. Because of the diversity of people, cultures, geography and tourist destinations, New Jersey is the perfect candidate for a statewide wayfinding plan.

Environmental design is a field without borders, and is therefore commonly misunderstood. As a multidisciplinary profession merging so many different fields, it’s easy to understand how anyone not directly involved would get confused. That lack of clear definition, however, is arguably one of the profession’s strengths. As we go through its history and spectrum of design disciplines, we’ll try to plainly answer the question on most people’s minds: “What is it?”

Well, we hope you are anyway! Regardless, I’d like to welcome you to the first edition of Arrows & Icons Magazine. As cliché as it may be, our first article will serve as a somewhat necessary introduction to the magazine – we’ll talk about how we came to be where we are, and where we hope to go from here.