Ideas & information
What does that design say?
Design scholars use devices called lenses to focus attention on particular aspects of designs. Our study uses several of these lenses to focus on the analysis of design. Along with the lenses of aesthetics and function, purposes, and factors that may have influenced designs, two additional yet equally important lenses are those of ideas and information. This page will explore how seeing ideas and information in designs leads to effective analyses.
Takeaways
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Ideas and information
Ideas and information work together in design to communicate meaning.
Designers use ideas (concepts, emotions, or strategies) and information (facts, instructions, or knowledge) to create clear and engaging visual communications.
Ideas guide a design's emotional and strategic direction.
An idea in design is the driving force behind form, function, and communication.
Information is the factual or instructional content in a design.
Information includes labels, instructions, data, or details. It must be clearly organised using visual language that is appropriate for the intended audience.
Students can learn how designers express ideas.
By carefully analysing components such as colour, type, and symbols, students can describe a design’s underlying idea using clear sentence structures, such as: ‘The idea behind [design feature] is that [concept or message].’
Effective visual communication balances abstract ideas with information.
Successful designs ensure that while ideas inspire and set the tone, the information is accurate, accessible, and supports the design’s intended purpose, audience, and context.
INTRODUCTION
As we will see on this page, ideas are a design's concepts, principles or intent, whereas information is the knowledge or content. Although each will be unpacked separately, one must recognise they are interrelated. There is always an interplay between ideas and information in design.
Ideas and information work together in most designs to create a more effective experience. For example, in Communication Design, an idea might be to convey a message of trust and security through the brand identity. At the same time, the information, such as product details or terms and conditions, is displayed on a website or advertisement to ensure users understand the service or product. Similarly, in Environmental Design, a museum might aim to create a space that fosters curiosity and learning. The exhibits convey specific information, including historical facts, artworks, or scientific data, but are presented in an interactive way that encourages visitors to engage with the content. The idea of curiosity and learning drives how the information is displayed through interactive touchscreens, immersive installations, and more. In Industrial Design, the design of a car could have the overarching idea of safety and comfort, with information like speed limits, petrol tank levels, or navigation presented to the driver via a dashboard or infotainment system. Finally, in Interactive Experience Design, a virtual reality (VR) experience designed for training may aim to immerse users in realistic scenarios for effective learning. The information within the VR world could include step-by-step instructions, safety protocols, and task goals that guide the user through the training.
In short
Ideas in design are broad and abstract. They represent a design's foundational concept or emotional goal and often provide the vision or reason for its existence.
Information in design refers to the content or data that must be communicated clearly and effectively. It is practical, often instructional, and intended to be easily understood by the audience.
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Ideas
In design, ‘ideas’ often refer to conceptual thoughts, creative visions or intent that underpin a project. Ideas are the foundation for problem-solving, innovation, and communication in any design process. To identify ideas in a design, simply consider what the designer may want their audience or users to think or feel about it.
Key Characteristics of Ideas in Design
This page will explore both ideas and information in designs. Information, as you will find later, is a much easier thing to grasp. By contrast, ideas are broader and more abstract than information; they encompass the essence, purpose, or emotional drive behind a design.
An idea often explains why something is designed in a particular way. The driving force shapes a design's form, function, and communication strategy. Ideas in design can range from functional concepts to emotional or experiential goals.
Abstract and Conceptual
Ideas are not immediately tangible but represent a high-level vision or purpose. An idea can be a concept. A concept refers to an overarching or foundational thought that drives the design process, much like the central theme that shapes how the design communicates or functions. Minimalism is a concept often used in industrial design. An idea can also be a theme. The central subject or underlying motif runs throughout a design, usually reflecting the broader emotional or narrative direction. The theme of mystery and danger in the Jaws movie poster emphasises the tension between the shark and its potential victims.
Guiding Principles
Ideas serve as the roadmap for how information is presented, how users interact with a design, and what kind of experience they will have, depending on the overall guiding principles of a design.
Strategic intent or vision
Ideas are often purpose-driven and connected to a specific goal, such as creating a sense of community or enhancing usability. This represents the designer’s creative foresight or imaginative direction for the design, often combining abstract goals with a desire to communicate a specific experience. For example, a designer may desire to change the world by offering transportation methods using a circular economy.
To illustrate, the idea behind minimalist design, for example, is to create clarity and simplicity by removing unnecessary elements, making the experience more intuitive and less cluttered. This idea shapes how a designer selects elements, organises space, and communicates with the audience through the design. In short, ideas are the creative, philosophical, and strategic underpinnings of a design project, defining its vision and guiding its execution.
Ideas in designs
Badge used on Land Rover four-wheel drive vehicles for a short time after the early 1980s. (Image: Original badge from personal collection, 10 December, 2024).
Consider the vehicle badges shown above. What might have been the idea behind the early Land Rover badge? If you look closely, you may be able to spot some similarities between it and the nameplate from a steam locomotive. They are both elliptical, their letters are formed from raised metal, ensuring durability, feature visible attachment points, and have a strong outline. I would suggest that the idea behind the early Land Rover badge was to convey that the car appears as strong, timeless, and useful as a steam locomotive. And it did. However, something prompted the designers at Land Rover to change their bonnet badges in the early 1980s. What might have inspired that decision? The designers may have aimed to shed the heritage feel of the car and make it appear more modern. Gone are the italicised letters connected by wire, the two lines of text, and the oval metal plate. Instead, we see a single continuous line of sans serif type, connected only by a hyphen on a flush, brushed aluminium plate. The concept behind this design is that Land Rover is a modern, strong, and sophisticated vehicle.
Good to know
Thanks for that
How can we express an idea?
Although there are many ways to describe an idea in a design, one easy way is to connect an example of design with its idea by using the word ‘that’. For example, if we were asked, ‘What is the idea within the use of a uniform for high school students?’ we could say, ‘The idea behind the use of a school uniform (example of design) is that consistency encourages cohesion (the idea).’ Try it. What is the idea behind the different coloured lids on Australia’s wheelie bins?
Ideas in Different Fields of Design
Message Design
An idea can be used to convey or express the characteristics of a brand. For example, a graphic designer might have the idea to use minimalism to convey clarity and elegance in a brand’s visual identity. The idea behind the design is to express the brand's sophisticated and streamlined nature. For example, Apple's brand identity is based on the idea of simplicity and innovation, which is evident in its clean logo and minimalist product packaging.
Environmental Design
An idea can be a concept. The concept of biophilic design, which emphasises connecting people with nature, serves as an example of an idea that influences architectural or interior design. The premise is that environments enriched with natural elements can reduce stress, increase productivity, and improve well-being. A famous example is the Eden Project in Cornwall, UK, where the idea of creating an "eco-dome" with different climate ecosystems inside is central to the design.
Object Design
An idea can represent a strategic intent. The idea behind the design of the Dyson vacuum cleaner is to provide powerful suction without the need for bags, which was a major innovation when it was first introduced. The design focuses on enhancing functionality (more power, less mess) while maintaining sleek aesthetics.
Interactive Experience Design
An idea can be a strategy. A design idea in interactive experience could be the concept of gamification. For example, Duolingo's language learning app integrates fun and rewards into the learning process, transforming mundane exercises into a game. The idea is that users will be more motivated to return and learn through interactive, game-like elements (points, levels, streaks).
Identifying and describing an idea
Poster B (Graphic adapted from Sub-job@shutterstock.com).
Identifying an idea in a visual communication means identifying what a design is saying about something. However, when we are asked to identify an idea, it is sometimes difficult to know how and where to begin. Here is a strategy we can use to help.
Step 1: What do we notice in the posters?
The first step is to describe what we see. We ask questions to help us notice what it’s about and how it is presented.
- What are your eyes drawn to?
- Who or what is in the poster?
- What colours, symbols, or setting are used?
- What mood or feeling does the image give?
We can use a table to help us identify and describe the visual elements in each poster. I have completed the areas for Poster A, but left those for Poster B blank for the learning task.
Visual element
Poster A
Poster B
Topic or focus of the poster (what’s it about?)
Nuclear energy
Colour scheme
Light, bright, clean
Use of symbols, images and colours
Sun = bright, warm, life-giving
Small clouds = a nice day
Lake = fresh and natural
Green = fresh, regenerating environment
Light tones = healthy
Atom symbol and power lines = modernity and progress
Mood or feeling
Light, bright and healthy
Type style
Rounded capital type = affirmative but gentle
White = fresh
Funny retro type for Australia on angle = informal
Overall tone (Positive or negative)
Really nice and positive
Step 2: Build a sentence together
We are going to use a template to identify the idea communicated in the poster:
‘That [subject] is [description].’
Grammar deconstruction:
That + [subject] + linking verb + [adjective/ complement].
- That: introduces a noun clause
- Noun phrase: the subject of the sentence
- Linking verb: connects the subject to the complement
- Subject complement: adjective or noun phrase
a. Begin with ‘That’
‘That’ means someone or something is declaring something. We will be showing what the poster is declaring or saying.
b. Identify the subject of the sentence
Return to the topic or focus of the poster shown above. This will be the subject of the sentence. The subject of the poster is ‘nuclear energy’. Here’s the sentence so far;
‘That [nuclear energy] is [description].
c. Identify the idea; the description, the complement of the sentence
Summarise the notes we made about the visual elements above:
- Bright, sunny colours
- Green, lush landscape
- Clean air, cheerful font
- Atom symbol and power lines suggest modernity and progress
- Nice and positive
These notes will form the description we will make about the subject. Interpret, select and combine key words to write a phrase that describes how the subject has been presented. My description is ‘a clean and positive solution for Australia’.
d. Write it as a full sentence
‘That [nuclear energy] is [a clean and positive solution for Australia].
See the task below to identify the idea in Poster B.
task
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1.1 Identify ideas in message design
Read the section above. Use the same sentence strategy to identify and describe the idea in Poster B.
1.2 Describe ideas
Consider these three examples. A subway or transportation map like the London Underground map, a glass milk bottle and the Tesla Cybertruck. Describe the idea behind each of these categories of design. Explain if the idea is a concept, uses a guiding principle or a strategic intent.
1.3 Being an art director
You have been given the job of art director of a design project. Your client wants you to design a promotional campaign for a new natural, healthy soft drink brand aimed at primary school children. Describe a concept, guiding principle or strategic intent you might envision for a range of posters you will direct.
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Information
‘Information’ in design refers to the data, knowledge, or content included in a design and communicated to audiences and users. It is factual, specific, and often instructional. While ideas are abstract and conceptual, information is more concrete and practical. The primary roles of information in design are to inform, educate, guide and even persuade users.
How many kinds of information can you find on these cereal boxes? What are the different ways information is communicated? (Image: Coles Supermarket, Ocean Grove, Vic, Australia, 11 December, 2024).
Information in Different Fields of Design
Information is typically the text or iconographic content on or in a design. It can be expressed literally, metaphorically or symbolically. Examples of information in designs are the title and author on a book cover, place names on a street sign, weather icons in a weather app, a speed limit sign, nutritional information on a cereal box and instructions for Lego. Some examples of information in designs are explained below.
Message design
Type presents all kinds of information, including images, headings, body-type, icons, symbols, captions, etc. The designer must prioritise how the data is structured using typography, design elements and principles such as hierarchy and the Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception to guide the reader's attention.
Environmental Design
Wayfinding systems are designed to convey essential information in public spaces like airports or hospitals. For example, colour-coded signs or interactive maps in an airport communicate where to go, how to navigate, and what services are available. The information is straightforward and functional.
Object Design
Information is often conveyed through user interfaces in products. For example, an appliance's design might include information such as temperature settings or energy consumption indicators.
Interactive Experience Design:
A website or app conveys Information through text, images, and multimedia elements. For example, an e-commerce website might display product information such as descriptions, prices, sizes, and availability. The design organises this information into digestible chunks to help users make decisions.
Message design
All kinds of information are presented through type, including images, headings, body-type, icons, symbols, captions, etc. The designer must prioritise how the information is structured using typography, design elements and principles such as hierarchy and the Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception to guide the reader's attention.
Environmental Design
Wayfinding systems are designed to convey essential information in public spaces like airports or hospitals. For example, colour-coded signs or interactive maps in an airport communicate where to go, how to navigate, and what services are available. The information is straightforward and functional.
Object Design
Information is often conveyed through user interfaces in products. For example, an appliance's design might include information such as temperature settings or energy consumption indicators.
Interactive Experience Design:
Information is conveyed through text, images, and multimedia elements in a website or app. For example, an e-commerce website might display product information such as descriptions, prices, sizes, and availability. The design organizes this information into digestible chunks to help users make decisions.
A close-up of information on a Weet-Bix packet. Consider how Visual Language is used differently on the nutrition panel, compared with on the front of the pack. (Image: Weetbix pack, Torquay, Vic, Australia, 11 December, 2024.)
A large range of information is presented on the user interface in a car. How many different items of information can you spot in this photo? (Image: Dash display, 2023 Volkswagen Amarok, Torquay, Vic, Australia, 11 December, 2024.)
task
Show I know ...
2.1 Identify information
Take a walk around your classroom or school. Find an example where information is presented on a design from each of the four fields of design. Describe the information and explain how it has been presented.
2.2 Information and context
Examine a computer screen when you are using an application. Alternatively, consider an app such as the PTV Journey Planner or the Weather app. Discuss how information is presented to the user. Refer to the use of both type and icons and explain why they are both used at different times.