Infographics®

Infographics' creates audience-focused solutions

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:59:00 +0000

Technical Controls needed new instructions for their audience of skilled maintenance personnel installing Sani-Cell products in public restrooms. This audience rarely has the time or patience to explore instructions full of a lot of words jammed in around spotty illustrations.

The knowledge and experience of these end-users, combined with a limited amount of space for copy large enough to be helpful on-site, provided an opportunity for Technical Controls and Infographics to offer a wordless solution of detailed visual steps.

Based on the profiles of this audience, we concluded that they would find it more useful if the product information was presented as a simpler, more visual sequence of steps to follow. Making the product instructions a more effective reference that improves their retention of the process, and creating a valuable resource for the typical multiple product installation projects.

Infographics® Who's Who

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:10:00 +0000

Team Member: Matt Smelcer

Position: Information Design Specialist

Alma Mater: East Tennessee State University, Industrial Design major

Hometown: Kingsport, TN

Family: Wife, Leslie, and 2 dogs, Daisy and Reesie

Favorite Quote: The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Quirky Fact: I collect and customize vintage action figures. (Note: photo of Matt as Flash at JoeCon 2007, the International G.I. Joe Collectors Convention.)

When I’m not working I like to: Tinker with and fix anything

Specialties: Leveraging CAD and 3D data

Key Project: Viking Range Corporation Planning & Design Guide –project leader for Viking’s design and specification tool that includes product group features overview, basic installation information and specification pages showing different views of each product along with all relevant dimensions and specifications.

Our Strength is Our Team

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:17:00 +0000

Not your average design studio, we like to refer to the Infographics' team members as information engineers. Our team is comprised of a unique blend of right brain creative talent and left brain technical aptitude. Add to this our personal experience as consumers, product developers, and communications professionals, and you get a team that understands technical product communications can be inadequate and confusing.

Combined, all this makes us a strong partner for any business with technical information to communicate with their customers. So if you'd like to get to know us a little better, stay tuned to our blog. We'll be posting the first in a series of team member profiles here on Monday.

Infographics Step of the Day - Medical

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 18:49:00 +0000

Today’s example was developed for our friends at Bodypoint to show their Leg Harness wheelchair accessory in action in a way that demonstrated the proper fit around the patient’s leg. According to our client, past images made this device look like a groin strap, similar to the pelvic portion of a skydiving harness. By using ghosting techniques, Infographics was able to demonstrate how the Leg Harness holds each leg at the inner thigh, to provide resistance to pelvic rotation and obliquity, without limiting anterior movement or pressing on the bladder.

Infographics Step of the Day - Electrical Sequences

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Wiring and electrical sequences can be some of the most challenging and complex to communicate – especially since there are so many variables involved. Today’s step is from an appliance installation guide developed for our friends at Viking Range Corporation. In this case several wiring options were shown and one key challenge was clearly identifying wire colors when working with a black and white format. The primary objective was to focus on safety and be as clear as possible to avoid confusion which could lead to costly and time consuming mistakes.

Infographics Step of the Day - United Chair

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:18:00 +0000

OK – be honest… how many of you have an office chair and you don’t know how all of those levers and adjustments work? Honestly? Today’s steps were developed for our friends at United Chair to help address that problem. In this case, we suggested that instead of showing the chair from the side – as is customary – we show it from above to better communicate the controls the way the user will access them. This approach communicated function and interface so well that it was incorporated into point-of-purchase hang-tags to help identify key features and functions.

Infographics Step of the Day - Lost in Translation

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:37:00 +0000

Hello folks! We’re back after a brief end-of-summer hiatus. Today some fun – it appears that the intent here was to avoid falls, but some things are easy to lose in translation. This serves as a reminder that it’s very important to validate your work and be sure to check translations for accuracy!

Infographics Step of the Day - Hands

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:50:00 +0000

Today’s theme – HANDS. As we’ve mentioned in previous entries, it’s often important to show users how to interact with parts and components when assembling or using a product. Using hands (rather than just arrows) to show details about how to handle products can make it much easier for users to understand important sequences. In this case, we use hands specifically to show how to grasp and squeeze parts to engage or release components. This sequence was developed for our friends at OXO who are particularly focused on the user experience with their products.

Infographics Step of the Day - Plumbing Part II

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:07:00 +0000

Continuing on our plumbing theme...Today’s step demonstrates how a toilet functions by comparing new plumbing technology to conventional technology, specifically showing how the lever actuates the flush valve and flapper. This step was later turned into an animation embedded in PowerPoint presentation and used in training plumbers. By showing the conventional toilet functioning on the left hand side it’s much easier to understand how the new technology from our friends at Geberit works. Carefully planned sequence illustrations can do a great job of communicating the concept – but a well executed animation can get the concept across even more effectively and efficiently.

To see the animated version, visit our YouTube Channel.

Infographics Step of the Day - Plumbing Part I

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 12:53:00 +0000

Infographics has done quite a large number of plumbing instructions over the years and we’ve found that plumbing can often present some unique challenges from an instructional perspective.

Today we address how illustrated instructions can help provide a clearer picture of steps in the installation process. A very common approach is to rely on photos to represent and communicate installation steps, but there are considerable limitations when using photos. For example, you can only see how the parts connect from one side of the countertop surface, either above or beneath. Our example uses illustrations to show users how parts interface both above and below the mounting surface at the same time, which communicates the concept much more clearly and effectively.

Establishing context, orientation and perspective is an important consideration when communicating an installation sequence and, of course, making sure parts are clearly identified in each step illustration. In this case an inset illustration also provides a profile view to reinforce how parts should be assembled. Careful consideration of how to show parts—and which viewpoint will best communicate key information—can make a very big difference. More on plumbing in our next installation…

Infographics Step of the Day - Rubbermaid Commercial Products

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 15:45:00 +0000

After a brief summer hiatus we’re back with more step-of-the-day samples. Today’s topic is PEOPLE. Often those developing assembly and usage instructions are content to show products, parts and components, but frequently they leave out the most important part of all – the user… One thing we strive to keep in front of us at all times is the user - as in today’s sample. Showing users how adjust a product to fit them properly can be a challenge. Often an illustrated example is the best solution – offering a clear view of how to fit and adjust the product without adding unnecessary information or distractions.

Infographics is a tech agency.

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:42:00 +0000

Our clients—the subject matter experts—become our partners as Infographics assumes the dual role of communications expert and consumer advocate. We realize that the best way to communicate unfamiliar information to your customers is to utilize both verbal and visual tools.

Infographics is focused on communicating technical facts in ways consumers can easily understand and use. We first collaborate with our clients’ engineering and product development staff to get the necessary information, and then we design the communication solutions that best relay the message. Through clear language, illustration, iconic or other visual means, we make complex things look simple enough to understand without losing the necessary details.

As a tech agency (a service business dedicated to creating, planning, handling and producing technical product or service communications), Infographics has helped other companies by managing, designing and producing:

owner’s manuals
assembly instructions
installation guides
use & care publications
quick reference guides
trouble shooting guides
product planning & design guides
specifications pages
exploded parts drawings
service technician manuals
training videos
technical animations
information pictograms

Learn more at our website.

Infographics Step of the Day - LipStix Remix

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:37:00 +0000

Who ever said that instructions have to be boring? Sometimes style is a significant consideration – even when it comes to instructions. Today’s sample incorporates a two-tone retro look that was a major component of the design language for this project. The wordless instructions were incorporated into the packaging and merchandising of this product from our friends at LipStix Remix.

Infographics Step of the Day - Viking Range Corporation

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:12:00 +0000

Sometimes it’s nice to break away from traditional sequences and offer up something a little different. Today’s samples are from a launch program developed for our good friends at Viking Range Corporation. They were in the process of launching a new dishwasher that incorporated some great new technology and truly unique features. In order to help communicate all of this innovation, we developed a series of cutaway illustrations allowing visibility to different components of the new unit…which was a big help in communicating the value and significance of all that great new technology!

Infographics Step of the Day - Suncast Corp.

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:33:00 +0000

Today we’re looking at scale. Sometimes it’s difficult to for users to maintain context when dealing with small assembly details on a large product. As a case in point, take this gazebo assembly guide that we developed for our friends at Suncast. To address this challenge, we added a small orienting location view in the upper right-hand corner of each step so users would know how the step relates to larger parts of the whole.

Infographics Step of the Day - Britax

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 14:18:00 +0000

A seemingly universal instructional challenge is child safety car seats. In fact, a study several years ago found that nearly 80% of infant safety seats are improperly installed because people can’t understand the instructions. And that leads us to today’s step, which was developed for our friends at Britax. In this case we employ clean visuals, arrows and simple steps to walk users through a replacement sequence.

Infographics Step of the Day - Medical Equipment

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:34:00 +0000

Today’s steps are from a training animation we developed for a client who manufactures complex medical MRI imaging equipment. The animation is part of ongoing maintenance and repair training which helps to reduce equipment downtime. The steps show how to reassemble two key components of the system – by showing the relationship of the components in space and making the front component transparent, we were able to show specifically how to align and fit the two parts together which is crucial to successfully replacing the part.

Infographics' Step of the Day - Plumbing

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:08:00 +0000

Today’s step is a nice example of how using a side - or alternate - view can greatly improve understanding of information that may be crucial to a successful installation. In this case, the installer needs to be aware that they need to leave a specific amount of threaded shank exposed when installing a pot and kettle filler faucet. Helping installers anticipate potential complications BEFORE they become a problem can significantly reduce support requirements, product returns and warranty claims!

Our Space - Converted offices in 100-year-old textile mill

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:53:00 +0000

Infographics' Step of the Day - Lofty Vision

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:29:00 +0000

Continuing our theme of illustrations offering useful consumer information on packaging – this is a wordless sequence we developed for an insert card for clamshell packaging. The steps show consumers how easy to use and versatile the product is – in this case adhesive label holders.

Infographics' Step of the Day - Sanford Brands

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:04:00 +0000

A theme you’ll see repeated in many of our projects is simplicity. We believe that often—but not always—less is more, and so we are frequently tapped to develop clean, wordless instructions for our clients. In this case, Infographics® developed these wordless instructions for a folding desktop organizer developed by the folks at Sanford brands.

Infographics' Step of the Day - Wayne Dalton

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:00:00 +0000

Today’s sample is from the programming section of a whole-house wireless networking product from our friends at Wayne Dalton. The user guide we worked with them to develop explains what could be somewhat intimidating programming information in a sequential and visually based format – which helps to take much of the fear and voodoo out of the process for consumers.

Infographics' Step of the Day - Suncast Corporation

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:17:00 +0000

Today’s sample is an illustration we developed for Suncast to show how water pressure is used to automatically reel in a garden hose. The graphic was developed for their retail packaging. Numbered arrows help to explain to consumers how the mechanics work to make their life easier – A great way to demonstrate a true competitive advantage! More on this theme in future entries…

Infographics' Step of the Day - Plantronics

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:07:00 +0000

Today’s sample is a spread from a wireless headset user guide we developed for Plantronics. The sequence shows how to set up the charger base and make phone and power connections. In this case our goals were to show the process clearly to ensure connections are made properly (as this had consistently been a problem for users) and to minimize copy in order to reduce the need for translations.

Infographics' Step of the Day - Maytag

noreply@blogger.com (infographics®) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 14:10:00 +0000

These steps were developed for a Natural to LP gas conversion guide for Maytag gas ranges. The guide is intended for professional installers and includes step illustrations that detail sub-sequence actions and part rotation with numbered arrows.