Information is everywhere, to the point that it is becoming increasingly difficult to avoid receiving information. In Central Oregon, we can “escape” in a variety of ways, yet we have to make a conscious effort to leave our phones, MP3 players, gaming systems or other digital devices at home. My point is not that we should shield our exposure to information, but rather that information is an expected part of daily life. Therefore, the effective communication of the growing wealth of information becomes a more significant challenge.
One just has to spend time with an iPad, interact with a Facebook wall, or “pin” a photo on a Pinterest board to understand the necessarily increased emphasis on visual literacy. The ability to process visual displays of information is important from the perspective of both the customer and the creator of the visual communication piece. The information design function serves an important role as clarifier and communicator.
Graphic designers have long used images and typography to help companies tell customers about product benefits and value in advertisements and brochures. Now, according to Pinterest designer Sahil Lavingia, designers are replacing developers as the hot commodity of the tech world. In a recent article for Fast Company, Lavingia describes design as a fundamental skill we all possess. That doesn’t mean that Wieden + Kennedy will ask us to create the next Nike ad campaign. It does indicate that we should recognize the role conscious design plays in created systems and environments, and strive to improve our own design awareness skills.
Develop a Design Instinct.
You are engaged in the act of creating with every business decision you make. For example, your tone of voice during a conversation with a client creates an impression of your expertise, concern and mood. The furniture in your waiting area communicates the amount of attention you have paid to client comfort. The corporate culture you promote determines the degree of emphasis your employees place on customer service and teamwork. Therefore, design instinct is, at heart, the recognition that every day offers opportunities to create better experiences for customers and employees. According to Lavingia,”your organization deserves to be just as well-designed as your homepage, and your company’s tweets as crafted as your account confirmation emails.” Design is everywhere!
Build on Commonly Understood Ideas.
Every person living today benefits from thousands of years of accumulated knowledge. Successful systems rely on agreed meanings, and a group of individuals can typically conjure similar mental images of a verbally named item. The word “chair” should prompt you to create a mental image of a chair that is similar to the mental image I create, personal chair upholstery preferences notwithstanding. Therefore, we have good reason to expect that the majority of customers will understand some, if not most, of our attempts to communicate with them. Technical terms and concepts will require additional explanation or education. The key is to build on the foundation of common knowledge, and then add our own creative ideas to improve upon the status quo. As Lavingia points out, “good design is using reason to make decisions and solve problems.” Since problem solving is a critical daily task for most small business owners, the opportunities to design or create solutions should be numerous.
Content is King.
Any discussion of visual communication and design should include advice from one of the most respected voices in information design—Edward Tufte. Tufte, Yale professor emeritus and a vocal critic of typical information displays, emphasizes the role of the content provider in communicating information. In fact, unsuccessful visual designs usually have less to do with the content and more to do with the design choices. Tufte asserts that, “at a minimum, the content person should guide the hands of a designer…good content reasoners and presenters are rare…” Put much more simply (but less eloquently), “garbage in, garbage out!”
What comes next?
Should you ditch your architect, advertising agency, graphic artist or interior designer, and start designing your own advertisements, floor plans or office layouts? Of course not! The adage “know the rules before you break them” still applies, and professional creatives offer the benefits of the formal design education that most small business owners lack. However, prepare to embrace your role as a partner to your creative consultants.
Partnership connotes equality, at least in the realm of ideas. In other words, trust that your chosen designers will give you creative advice based on education and experience, and trust that injecting your own thoughts and instincts into the process will result in a successful collaboration. Most importantly, this partnership will create clearly understood visual communication that sells.
Michael Hansen is a business instructor at COCC with a background in marketing and customer service. You can reach him at 541-383-7710.
