Reading 2

Elizabeth Melendez Reading 2 Ch. 4-6

For graphic designers, the importance of effective communication is an essential part of our training. After all, nearly everything a graphic designer creates is intended to deliver information, so doing that effectively requires some understanding about how the brain receives and processes information.

In our program, this translates to a deeper understanding of this essential truth, mentioned in the book as the “multimedia principle,” based on the effectiveness of using words and graphics rather than words alone to deliver information (instruction). There are a number of design and psychological principles that support this, and as experienced designers we are trained in these principles. Meaning making and cueing depend on the effective and efficient employment of such principles, especially when expense and time are an issue.

In my undergraduate honors program, for which my thesis won the award for outstanding honors thesis, the award for outstanding senior project went to a classmate who effectively demonstrated the effectiveness of animated graphics in her thesis. Like the examples provided in our text, there is evidence to support the multimedia principle.

Inexperience and unawareness of fundamental design principles can often lead to a misunderstanding of the value of graphics and how to use them. In the 1990s we called the result of such a democratized field of content generation “clutter,” which was an onslaught of bad design and ineffective content flooding into our work spaces.

The contiguity principle is basically the proximity Gestalt principle in design connecting placement with meaning in relationships between elements. Psychologically and cognitively speaking, it is important to maintain contiguity in all design to communicate and convey information with thoughtful placement of graphics near the corresponding words and feedback associated with them. Use of icons, rules and other elements are some tools an experienced designer uses to accomplish this.

Use of audio narration, when employed thoughtfully, is also an effective use of the modality principle. However, issues regarding accessibility should be considered to ensure the content can be viewed and heard respective of a learner’s possible disability. Optional captions can prevent redundancy of words and narration overlap and prevents visual channel overload for the learner reading and viewing the product. Evidence of the effectiveness of audio narration is compelling.