Information Design Examples

 

Image 1:  This diagram serves as a visual aide for the example of an exchange between an oil refinery and an oil pipeline company in regards to transaction-specific investments and their effects upon vertical integration.  The design utilizes natural coloring that quickly translates to the viewer.  However, there is an inconsistent style among the various items depicted in the diagram leading to an appearance of clipart quickly joined together.  There is no guide to lead the viewer through the diagram in order to more clearly understand the relationship between the refinery and the pipeline company.  This diagram helps the reader to more clearly understand the premise of the example written about within the text, but lends little information for clarifying further detail discussed within the text.  The relationship amongst the tanker ship, refinery, tanker truck, pipeline, and oil field is ambiguous.

Image 2:  In this graphic, the idea of corporate diversification is explained.  It explains that there are three types of corporate diversification, each with subsets.  The graphics beside the short descriptions are to clarify the concepts of each type of diversification.  This figure nicely separates itself from the other text creating a contrast between layers.  The example uses simplified shapes and lines to convey the various relationships between businesses within a corporation.  It is clear that the several lines linking together E and F as well as K, L, M, and N show businesses that are considerably linked together.  The relationships among Q, R, S, and T are obviously still linked, but not as closely and in different ways between each business.  The businesses of W, X, Y, and Z are obviously not related.  This figure quickly condenses the concepts presented into a visual language that aides in the reader’s understanding of the material.  While scale is addressed in the relationship between E and F, it is not immediate due to the distance between the two circles connected with the three lines.  A greater difference in scale could make this relationship easier to understand.

Image 3:  This figure is a diagram indicating shared activities among three businesses within a corporation.  It indicates that all three share technology development.  Business C utilizes different product design and manufacturing processes than do businesses A and B.  All three share the same marketing.  Business A has a different distribution channel.  All three businesses utilize the same service.  This diagram shows that different businesses within the same company can share aspects of the supply chain at different points in the business development cycle.  However, without the context of the reading, the diagram would hold little meaning.  It is unclear exactly what A, B, and C are from the diagram itself.  The emphasis of the diagram is on the movement along the supply chain based upon the color and weight of the arrows.  In context, the graphic helps to clarify the supply chain relationships among three businesses within a corporation.  However, more could be done to bring clarity to this diagram through added detail.

Barney, Jay B., and William S. Hesterly. Strategic Management and Competitive Advantage: Concepts and Cases. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2008. Print.