Good design is subtle, and that’s why it’s actually quite hard to notice it when you see one. Just like when things are working like they should, you don’t actually realize their existence, until they are not.

I was designing quite a number of newsletters recently, and I keep looking for ways to make these newsletter as interesting as possible (which means ‘click-a-licious’) to the readers. And here is one rule of thumb that I find very useful when it comes to creating an effective newsletter (or any print designs)- think road sign.

If you think about it, road signs are essentially the most effective visual communication tool ever. Once you’ve learned it, it’s stuck in your head forever. Some road sign icons are so effective that you don’t even have to learn them, for instance the skull icon that says ‘Pirates Ahead!’.

Basically, the road sign throws away all the unnecessary clutter and compresses every shapes and colors to its essence. Road signs truly live up to the principle of ‘Less is More’.

It effectively conveys the message that the ‘designer’ wanted to, without any ambiguous elements. That’s why it’s very important to start out a design with the message in mind. Otherwise, in my experience, it’s very easy to get carried away by the artistic tendencies that creeps out every now and then. And in todays’ world of computer graphics where graphic tools that produces fancy effects is so easily available, it’s even more easy to get distracted and we might just end up losing the message at the end of the day.

I would like to continue my next point- Instilling Curiosity. Later.