History
From a specialist team to a worldwide information design practice.
How the practice began
The Information Design Unit grew from a simple observation: many documents, screens and forms were technically correct but hard to use. People struggled to find the one thing they needed, and organisations struggled to explain themselves.
Information design gave that problem a discipline. It asked how a reader moves through a page, what they expect to find, and where they stop.
Early sketches from the period when the practice was still defining its method, drawn on squared paper before any software was used.
Joining a wider agency
Over time the unit became part of Enterprise IG, the multidisciplinary branding and design agency. That connection allowed information design to work alongside identity, digital and brand strategy rather than apart from them.
Today the practice describes itself as the largest specialist information design consultancy in its field, with a focus on user-centred design and clear communication.
A finished publication from the middle years of the practice, shown with its index open. Navigation was treated as part of the content.
What the work has kept
- Testing with real readers, not only with internal reviewers
- Writing that is short, direct and checked for clarity
- Brand experience built from clear communication, not decoration
- Respect for the reader's time and attention
Annotated proofs from a recent review. The notes in the margins are often where the most useful decisions are made.
Field notes are a habit we brought into the studio. Looking at a real environment often sharpens how we think about a real reader.
The history of the practice is the history of many projects. To see how that work is organised today, visit Offices, or start a conversation through Contact us.