Margaret Calvert on Top Gear

Two of the greatest heroes of modern day information design must surely be Jock Kinnear and Margaret Calvert, who designed the system of road signs we see everyday.

Margaret featured in Top Gear this week (catch it on BBC iPlayer while it lasts - 44 minutes in).

There's a better radio interview from the Today programme at 8.48 here

Posted by Brian 6.1.10 [ page link ]

Using design to get readers reading

Of all the design books on my shelf, the most well-thumbed is Karen Schriver's Dynamics in Document Design, which covers a huge range of issues relating to producing readable documents.

Karen is interviewed in this podcast on Health Literacy Out Loud. Well worth a listen.

Posted by Brian 14.12.09 [ page link ]

We've signed up to 10:10

"10:10 is an ambitious project to unite every sector of British society behind one simple idea: that by working together we can achieve a 10% cut in the UK’s carbon emissions in 2010."

Making Sense has signed up to 10:10 which means we've pledged to cut our emissions by 3%... starting by turning off that light, putting less water in the kettle and using Sheffield's lovely public transport whenever possible.

We're trying to spread the word so please have a look at www.1010uk.org. It's worth it if only for the very nice website.

Posted by Anna 6.11.09 [ page link ]

Readability testing of information

Performance-based readability testing of participant information for a Phase 3 IVF trial

Peter Knapp¹ , DK Raynor¹ , Jonathan Silcock¹ and Brian Parkinson²
1 School of Healthcare, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
2 Making Sense Design, Sheffield, UK

Research project looking at how the performance of an information sheet can be improved by rewriting and redesigning.

Conclusion

User Testing can allow information to be evaluated in a structured way. When it is combined with expertise in writing for patients and information design, it may result in a greater proportion of patients being able to understand what will happen within a trial.

Not only would this impact on the extent to which valid consent is given, but it may also impact on the smooth running of the trial, with participants knowing where and when to take medicines, return for tests, etc. Increasingly potential participants have been involved in the development of trial materials, often resulting in the materials being altered substantively. The great strength of performance-based testing is that it allows confirmation (or otherwise) that such changes will be of benefit to participants.

Posted by Brian 28.10.09 [ page link ]

Man in Pink

Proof that I'm a warm human being. Caught on a heat imaging camera at the National Media Museum in Bradford.

Posted by Brian 26.9.09 [ page link ]