The amount of information available for any realistic complex situation is likely to overwhelm most users, as well as stymie any designer tasked with presenting the information. Providing large amounts of information in a coherent and usable format remains an unresolved problem. Choosing, structuring, formatting, and displaying information to allow easy access and to facilitate understanding are critical issues for effective design. To build an effective design that addresses complex information needs, one must look at research from psychology, sociology, human computer interaction, and...

The amount of information available for any realistic complex situation is likely to overwhelm most users as well as stymie any designer tasked with presenting the information. Providing large amounts of information in a coherent and usable format remains an unresolved problem. Choosing, structuring, formatting, and displaying information to allow easy access and to facilitate understanding are critical issues for effective design. To build an effective design that addresses complex information needs, one must look at research from psychology, sociology, human computer interaction, and...

Clear communication requires understanding readers from perspectives of technical communication, cognitive psychology, usability, human-computer interaction, information design, and information science. Designing and clearly communicating information involves understanding multiple perspectives of the readers experiences and understanding their motivations and rationale that drives their behavior. The research in diverse areas has all examined the issue though different lenses. However, there has not been an attempt at transforming the academic studies into a form accessible to technical...