Visual Executive Summary

Well, if you have thousands and thousands of words that nobody seems to be reading, Informatics are for you.
If you have only a few words to get "out there" but your "thing" is so new it needs explaining, try an Informatic.
If your new product or service will sweep the nation if only you could simplify the explanation of its complexity then guess what?

Informatics

• What is it? A big diagram. An Informative Schematic Diagram. A simple, visual, explanatory representation of a complex idea, usually delivered as a "one page" PDF document or poster.
  • We take information and deconstruct it semantically to its most salient topics.
  • We reconstruct the Information Architecture so that the information has a structure and discernable visual design.
  • We add a usability layer so that the information has a start point and acts as a real call-to-action.
  • Finally we add the graphic design layer to the information and present it in an intensely engaging visual format.
• How do you do it? People. Pencil. Paper. That gets us started. Once you get in touch, we deploy our "tiger team". An expert Information Designer performs an in-depth interview with you and your subject matter experts to obtain the background, goals and collateral we need. They formulate the approach and roughly sketch the concept / idea / plan / product / service (you get the idea) as one of our schematic diagrams on paper, scan it in and e-mail it to you for discussion and confirmation. A Graphic Artist adds the professional gloss to it. We deliver it to you. Easy!
• I can't see that fancy font! Have no fear - we also produce a companion written script describing the Informatics as well as a digital audio file so that you can play it on your fancy iPod. But wait, there's more! The script of the diagram is ideal for those that are visually impaired as well as users of mobile devices like a Treo or Blackberry. We'll even run the text through translation into any language, if that's what you need.

Got any visuals?

For some truly great work in various related fields we'd recommend you take a look at the work of others below, then come back and try a pilot project with us. You will be pleasantly surprised by the effectiveness of G|META's hybrid approach (usability, information architecture, data visualization, linguistics & accessibility). I guarantee it.

Information visualization, Ben Shneiderman
Richard Saul Wurman's Understanding USA
Maestro Edward Tufte
Inspirational work from Robert Horn
Pragmatic advice from Steve Krug
"Diagram" from Jesse James Garrett
A great little company's Xplanations
Interesting work at Dynamic Diagrams

At G|META we increase immediate ease-of-use, obsess over the layout of graphics and linguistic meaning of text so that they are as informative as possible. We accommodate accessibility in all of our offerings so that everybody, be they people with disabilities, PDA users or foreign language speakers can access and understand your message.

"It only really works if it really works for your end-users".