Thread Intelligence Article

September 4, 2003
By Dirk Knemeyer

Strong visual design is about balance. It requires an appropriate relationship between written content, information hierarchy and the use of visual elements such as graphics and photography. While most visual designers will tacitly acknowledge this, the preponderance of visual design artifacts shows a bias toward either the words or the visual elements, and too often does not reflect strong information hierarchy. These all-too-frequent examples of spotty visual design belie personal comfort levels and experience.

As a designer, my background was originally in the area of copywriting. On a design team that also included visual designers - titled anything from graphic designer to art director to creative director - I was expected to provide content that accomplished strategic business and thematic messaging objectives for use by the visual designers in their laying out successful client solutions. Too often, those professionals viewed the copy as an inconvenience and focused on their selection and arranging of visual elements, to the detriment of the goals the copy was intending to further. For my part, I would often treat my writing as creative output that should be preserved and protected, not focusing on what was really important: the design of successful visual information.

Over time, as my career developed, I began learning how to produce visual elements on my own, as opposed to just providing content for others to apply visually. A strange thing happened: as I focused on developing my visual skills and actually putting things together myself, I was able to fully experience the interrelationship between the written content and the visual elements. Whereas I previously may have acknowledged the relationship and even directed others' work from that perspective, the practice of doing the hands-on production provided invaluable insight into successful visual design. It truly needs to be a successful balance, driven by the strategic objectives instead of my own comfort level with the writing as opposed to the visuals. Visual design is not a linear process that progresses from written content to information hierarchy to visual layout - it is an ongoing push and pull that begins by visioning a holistic solution and ends with an appropriate deliverable.

As visual designers, we should have the experience and ability to set a clear vision for the successful solution and provide all of the basic elements therein. Even for those who are adept at both writing and the visual layout, we are typically better at producing one or the other; in my case, the writing is stronger. I have found that sharing my vision with other visual designers and getting their input can really improve the final product. In fact, sometimes I like to get an alternate opinion on the written content, depending on the piece and the client situation. However, in all of those circumstances, I stay focused on making sure the final design is consistent with the bigger picture.

If visual designers want to improve their craft and become more effective, they need to improve their writing. By the very title of visual designer, we must be adept at all of the elements in the visual realm - and that includes the written word. Just as I was initially taught that "visual design" was not my domain as a "writer," many visual designers are taught to stick with their drawing pads and computer programs, leaving the writing to someone else. Don't tolerate that narrow thinking. Writing and visual layout are both vital components of the design of successful visual information. Recognize that relationship and improve your skillset, so you can successfully deliver solutions in both realms.

Author - Dirk Knemeyer

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