“I’m so glad I participated. I’ve learned a lot and realized that there is so much left to learn! You know the course is great when you want to participate again!”
Plain language expert, Sweden
Running since 2013, the Information Design Summer School is the best place to get a fast introduction to the concepts, principles and challenges of information design.
You meet with leading experts in information design, who cover a range of different specialisms: diagramming, typography, clear writing, content structure, design education, health information design, financial information, government information, management communications and legal information design.
Tutors are former IIID presidents Rob Waller and Clive Richards, together with long time IIID Board member Karel van der Waarde.
IIID Summer School 2025
20 May – 12 june 2025
The next Information Design Summer School will take place online from 20 May to 12 June 2025. There will be twice-weekly 3-hour sessions – a mix of lectures, and discussions, with video lectures and practical exercises to do between sessions.
Who should join?
- Information designers who want to explore the theoretical basis for their work, and extend their range.
- Graphic designers wanting to specialise in information design.
- People without a design training, who want to learn more about information design, and apply it to their own area of work. Participants regularly include technical writers, lawyers, civil servants, medical researchers, and academics.
- Students who would like additional tutorial support and access to a like-minded peer group. We have a limited number of discounted places for students.
More details will be published soon.
Interested? Please get in touch wich info@iiid.net
The Simplification centre summer schools
The Information Design Summer School was established and run by the Simplification centre from 2013 to 2024.
Past summer schools have been attended by people from as far afield as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Lebanon, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, UK, Ukraine, and USA.
The early IIID Summer Academies
The idea for the IIID Information Design Summer Academy was originally conceived as an initiative within IIID‘s Information Design University project (IDU), which aimed to provide a semi virtual university based on the competence of some of the most renowned educational institutions, research laboratories and design consultancies.
Travelling the City #2
As a continuation of the first event this summer school examined the accessibility of information in wayfinding and
transportation, to make travelling the city a pleasant experience for older tourists in Salzburg. A prime tourist hotspot, it seemed fitting that the location was the Tourism School Salzburg.
Course director was Veronika Egger, Faculty and visitng experts were: Elizabeth Pastor, and Gerry K. Van atter, NY, USA; Prof. Keith Bright, UK; Prof. Paul Mijksenaar, The Netherlands.
Travelling the City #1
The very first IIID Summer Academy was realized in cooperation with the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. The summer academy was directed by Prof. Robert O. Swinehart (Carnegie Mellon University), former President of IIID.
Other faculty / visiting experts were: Andreas Schneider, Gifu, Japan; Petra Knyrim and Stefan Nowak, Düsseldorf, Germany; Angela Winkler and Martin Foessleitner, Vienna, Austria; Erik Spiekerman, Berlin/San Francisco.