What is Design?Design is the identifying of a problem and the intellectual creative effort of an originator, manifesting itself in drawings or plans which include schemes and specifications.
What is Information Design? Information design is the defining, planning, and shaping of the contents of a message and the environments it is presented in with the intention of achieving particular objectives in relation to the needs of users. At this point of the development IIID is concerned with the design of visual information but it could in the future include the design of information other than visual one.
The qualities required of information designersTo design professionally information designers should
1. be able to think both innovatively and systematically
2. be as well informed as is necessary about the subject area they are working in
3. be knowledgeable about both the communicative features of the components of visual messages and their interrelationships
4. know the relevant customs, conventions, standards, regulations and their underlying theories
5. be familiar with the technical requirements of the communications media, specifically visual ones
6. be familiar with human communication capabilities with regard to perceiving, cognitive processing and responding to information using all senses
7. be able to consider the possible benefits of the communicated information to the users
8. be knowledgable about the creation of pictures and text, static and animated, as well as information other than visual one for the facilitation of task related activities and how they can be balanced to achieve optimal effects
9. be able to design information in a formal interesting and attractive way to conjure attention highly adequate to the communicative purpose of the message
10. understand to make information and information systems interactive in such a way that adjustments governed by changing requirements can be made, should this be desirable to safeguard the continuing use of the information
11. be able to communicate effecively in both their mother tongue and English
12. understand the capabilities of support sciences - such as cognitive psychology, linguistics, social and political sciences, computer science, statistics - and be able to co-operate with specialists to evaluate and improve the design of messages with due regard of different cultural sensitivities of the user
13. have a detailed knowledge of the cost factors relating to the various design stages and their implementation
14. render their services in a format that corresponds both with the value they represent to the clients and the conventions required by them15. behave in a responsible manner with regard to the needs of the target users and society as a whole.
General Information
The main concern of the International Institute for Information Design (IIID) is to contribute to a better understanding within the human community with respect to cultural and economic issues by means of improved visual communication. Special attention is paid to the potential of graphic information design to overcome both social and language barriers.
IIID endeavours to develop information design as an independent interdisciplinary field of knowledge and professional activities, to document and to make generally accessible specifically relevant information, to do research within its possibilities and in co-operation with its members and to find new ways of educating information designers.
The aims of IIID are to be achieved by interdisciplinary and international co-operation.
IIID focuses on the following subjects:
— Information design for business communications
— Information design for product development
— Information design for orientation in the environment — Information design for training and education
— Information design for the better understanding of scientific knowledge.
IIID is affiliated to the International Council of Graphic Design Associations (ICOGRADA) and co-operates with an number of other national and international organizations, interested in information design. IIID is recommended by UNESCO as a partner organization for world wide co-operation on matters of information design (Resolution 4.9 of the 28th General Conference of UNESCO, 1995, Paris).
IIID publishes its newsletter in English and communicates in English and German. Other languages will be considered, funds permitting.
Members receive ID News and participate in the international exchange of ID relevant information.
Colaborador - Antonio Oliveira
