Information design aims at transforming data into high-quality information. The idX project made us aware that high-quality information must serve a purpose. We condensed our insights to IIID's tag line: Data transformed into high-quality information empower people to attain goals. Thus IIID should welcome submissions ranging from visualizations that help people understand undisputed facts, situations and processes for whatever imaginable purposes to information and information systems facilitating understanding as well as enabling goal oriented action.
Referring to the last of the listed evaluation criteria "Attractiveness and elegance of the designed information" shouldn't information designers restrict themselves to design well understandable and easily applicable information irrespective of its appeal and aesthetic value? Would the latter be really needed to empower people to attain goals?
I may quote David Hume from his undisputed A Treatise of Human Nature, first published 1739/40: "Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions". Thus, let's not forget about passions, which perhaps manifest themselves best through attractiveness and elegance.
DI Peter Simlinger, Director, IIID
In 2011, the International Institute for Information Design is celebrating its 25th anniversary. While many things have changed since its founding, the aim of IIID was, and still is, to promote and expand design knowledge and research. With 25 years of experience, IIID is recognized as the world leader in information design development.
The time is ripe for us to acknowledge the best in what information design has to offer which is why we are presenting the inaugural IIID Awards competition this year. The Awards competition will be held every three years, with the next competition taking place in 2014.
Organizer: IIID International Institute for Information Design
In cooperation with: Axis Magazine and the Taiwan Design Center.