Modular Information Design (MID)

In today's information landscape, a critical gap exists: conventional visualisations often lack creativity and fail to engage, while visually stunning ones rely on artistic intuition, making them hard to teach. MID responds to this dichotomy by providing a methodologically sound framework that transforms visualisation into a teachable skill. The challenge was to design a system that enables non-experts and professionals alike to think with data in a modular, structured, yet playful way. It needed to bridge creativity with clarity, and offer both a theoretical foundation and practical tools to help people communicate complex information visually and meaningfully.

The MID System offers a systematic, modular approach to information design through four interrelated dimensions: Data (yellow), Diagrammatical (blue), Visual (red), and Structural (green). The core elements—like a periodic table—can be combined to form multidimensional visualisations. Central to the process is an analog-first approach, encouraging hand-drawing to slow down thinking, deepen understanding, and foster creativity. This methodology has been successfully applied in both academic and professional settings, offering users a practical framework for visually engaging with complex topics—independent of specific software tools or innate creative talent. The approach is tool-agnostic and particularly well-suited for modern prompting techniques.

Since the launch of the book Visualizing Complexity in 2022, the MID System has global reach, with over 3000 books shipped to six continents, first launched via Kickstarter. Superdot Studio has introduced the system to more than 1000 students mostly in Europe through university teaching and online courses. It is now applied by both academic and professional organisations, including the Swiss Federal Statistical Office. MID has received multiple international awards and was nominated for the Swiss Design Award in Design Research. Its wide adoption demonstrates its value as an accessible, teachable, and engaging approach to information design.

- Systematic, modular structure offering combinable building blocks for infinite visualisation possibilities. - Analog-first approach encourages hand-drawing in early stages to deepen understanding and enhance creative flow, free from digital constraints. - Interdisciplinary application, bridging design with fields like science, policy, and education. - Educational framework, providing students and practitioners with structured methods to approach complex topics. - Enables a clear understanding of the process from data to design - Elegant and accessible: Simplicity and beauty enhance long-term understanding and user engagement. - Swiss design heritage: Applies traditional Swiss methods of visual variation to data as a new raw material. - Playful and engaging: Makes abstract or difficult content more accessible, helping users explore and discuss it. - Creative yet rigorous: Encourages innovative design without compromising data accuracy or ethical standards. - Tool-agnostic approach and particularly well-suited for modern prompting techniques. - High-quality print production in Germany using four Pantone spot colours for clarity and lasting visual quality.