East Bay Chapter Monthly Meeting

Thursday, November 6, 2003

Program Description

A sea of undifferentiated text can obscure even the most finely-crafted written message. Careful attention to text design and formatting enhances not only readability, but comprehension as well.

The overall process of Information Mapping consists of three major steps: analysis, organization, and presentation.

First, analyze both the text and the audience’s needs.

Next, organize existing content into “information blocks."

Labeling “chunks” of information lies at the heart of the Information Mapping method. There are more than 200 types of information blocks such as: “analogy,” “checklist,” “classification list,” and “comments.” These blocks are based on seven types of information:

• Procedures—steps
• Process description—explanations
• Structure—descriptions
• Concepts—definitions and examples
• Principles—rules
• Facts—physical characteristics
• Classification—types and categories
  

Finally, present the information.

About our Presenter

Joyce Southward works for Information Mapping, a company headquartered in Massachusetts with branch offices across the United States, and is represented in 31 countries worldwide, with solutions in many languages.