Karel van der Waarde - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Karel van der Waarde
InfoDesign, Nov 6, 2023
Article | ArtIgo Information for patients: should we reconsider our assumptions? Informação para ... more Article | ArtIgo Information for patients: should we reconsider our assumptions? Informação para pacientes: devemos reconsiderar nossos pressupostos? Karel van der Waarde In order to take medicines correctly, it is essential that people receive suitable information. Without information it is difficult to consider, take, store, and discard medicines. At the moment, many people have difficulties to find, read, understand, and apply information about medicines. In the European Union, most information about medicines is presented in a text format. Very few visuals are used. Furthermore, information about medicines does not make much use of the digital opportunities. The logical next steps are to improve the design of visual information about medicines, and to embrace digital opportunities. However, the regulatory frameworks that govern information about medicines need to be modified. The regulations need to focus on usability, understanding, findability, and relevance. Experiments and prototypes are essential to find out what kinds of information and formats are effective. This requires a shift towards a 'digital design strategy based on healthcare outcomes.' Para usar medicamentos corretamente, é fundamental que as pessoas recebam informações adequadas. Sem informação, é difícil considerar, usar, armazenar e descartar medicamentos. No momento, muitas pessoas têm dificuldades em encontrar, ler, compreender e aplicar informações sobre medicamentos. Na União Europeia, a maior parte da informação sobre medicamentos é apresentada em formato de texto. Muito poucos recursos visuais são usados. Além disso, a informação sobre medicamentos não aproveita muito as oportunidades digitais. Os próximos passos lógicos são melhorar o design da informação visual sobre medicamentos e aproveitar as oportunidades digitais. Contudo, as regulamentações que regem a informação sobre medicamentos precisam ser modificadas. Os regulamentos precisam se concentrar na usabilidade, compreensão, localização e relevância. Experimentos e protótipos são essenciais para descobrir que tipos de informação e formatos são eficazes. Isso requer uma mudança em direção a uma 'estratégia de design digital baseada em resultados de saúde.' visual design, information about medicines, evidence, performance design visual, informação sobre medicamentos, evidência, desempenho
Information Design Journal, Nov 19, 2018
Information Design Journal, Dec 31, 2001
Information Design Journal, 2003
Information Design Journal, 2008
This article is based on a presentation given at the IIID Vision Plus 12 conference ‘Achieving me... more This article is based on a presentation given at the IIID Vision Plus 12 conference ‘Achieving measurable results’ in Schwarzenberg, Austria in 2006. The following text provides an outline of a single perspective on the circumstances in 2008. There are many stakeholders involved in the development of information about medicines, and all have different concerns which influence contents and design. A single article cannot do justice to the wide variation of perspectives.
Information Design Journal, 2003
What is Information Design? Is it 'the art and the science of presenting information so that it i... more What is Information Design? Is it 'the art and the science of presenting information so that it is understandable and easy to use', as we once stated at our start with IDJ? Or is it 'the deªning, planning and shaping of the contents of a message and the environments it is presented in', as IDJ partner IIID deªnes it? To be honest: none of these two deªnitions satisªes us. Neither indicates what we have in mind when we think of the subjects that are and should be discussed in the Information Design Journal and InfoDesign-Café, or mentioned at www.informationdesign.org. Maybe the diŸerences between Information Design and adjourning specialisms can better express what we think our ªeld of study covers and what it does not. The April 2001 issue of Design Matters discussed diŸerences between Information Design and Information Architecture. Jesse James Garrett came up with some distinctions which also give a good impression of what we feel information Design is:
Abstract: Situation: Graphic design education is subject to substantial changes. Changes in profe... more Abstract: Situation: Graphic design education is subject to substantial changes. Changes in professional practice and higher education aggravate insecurities about the contents and structure of courses, assessment criteria, relations between practice, research and theory, and teaching methods. Assumption: Graphic design education (visual communication design education) needs to change to accommodate these changes. Approach: There are many possible starting points to tackle the 'wicked problem' of visual communication design education. The starting point for this article is professional practice. Through the observation of practice, and interviews with practicing graphic designers, a set of common activities and approaches was distilled. These commonalities -the things that all graphic designers seem to have in commonare visualized in two diagrams. Results: The two diagrams can be used as a basis for a critical review of current education in visual communication design, and...
Van der Waarde summarizes the reasons why medicinal information provided to patients is often con... more Van der Waarde summarizes the reasons why medicinal information provided to patients is often confusing and describes a method for evaluating its effectiveness.
In Europe, when someone gets ill, it is common to visit a doctor. Most consultations end when a d... more In Europe, when someone gets ill, it is common to visit a doctor. Most consultations end when a doctor prescribes a medicine that can be obtained from a pharmacy. After collecting the medicine a patient has to decide if the use of this medicine is more beneficial than not taking it. In order to make this decision, and in order to take medicines effectively, information is essential. Not only the instructions about how much to take and at what times, but also the potential risks caused by interactions with other medicines and common behaviour (eating, smoking, drinking, sleeping, exercising). It also becomes necessary to know how to recognize that a medicine does what it supposes to do. Historical developments have led to a tightly regulated situation in which the patient gets a clear message that health care providers (pharmaceutical industry, pharmacists, prescribers, etc) do not care very much about informed patients.
Visible Language, 2012
SITUATION Graphic design education is subject to substantial changes. Changes in professional pra... more SITUATION Graphic design education is subject to substantial changes. Changes in professional practice and higher education aggravate insecurities about the contents and structure of courses, assessment criteria, relations between practice, research and theory and teaching methods. ASSUMPTION Graphic design education (visual communication design education) needs to change to accommodate these changes. APPROACH There are many possible starting points to tackle the 'wicked problem' of visual communication design education. The starting point for this article is professional practice. Through the observation of practice, and interviews with practicing graphic designers, a set of common activities and approaches was distilled. These commonalities-the things that all graphic designers seem to have in common-are visualized in two diagrams. RESULTS The two diagrams can be used as a basis for a critical review of current education in visual communication design, and they indicate a ...
Tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie, 2016
Effective, appropriate and safe usage of medicines is only possible if they come with clear instr... more Effective, appropriate and safe usage of medicines is only possible if they come with clear instructions, recommendations, descriptions and warnings. Clear information about medication does not only benefit seniors, who consume the greatest amount of prescription drugs, but also users in other age groups, such as children and their caretakers. The typographic design of this information plays a crucial role, but is, unfortunately, rarely optimized to suit different reading audiences’ needs. Still commonly seen are poorly readable patient information leaflets with ‘small font on translucent paper’ stowed in generic paper packaging. The lacking typographic design can mostly be explained by historically determined legal and economical requirements. European legislation, for example, demands a conservative approach, mainly to reach standardization. The pharmaceutical industry is hesitant, out of fear that the changes will come at high costs. Both explanations make it difficult to meet th...
In Europe, package leaflets and the outside of medicine packaging provide information about medic... more In Europe, package leaflets and the outside of medicine packaging provide information about medicines for patients and healthcare providers. Patients, mainly elderly men and women, often take several different medicines on a daily basis. Handling pharmaceutical packaging and leaflets is an unavoidable necessity for them. To read and understand information on pharmaceutical packages requires a combination of physical ability (eyesight and dexterity) and intelligence (relating information to a personal situation). Healthcare providers face similar challenges in their everyday work. Preventing mistakes while administering medication is a subject that concerns healthcare providers all over the world. Unfortunately, accidents with medicines occur because the visual design of information is not seem sufficient to enable people to act appropriately. In order to evaluate the visual design of information, it seems essential to differentiate between findability, readability, understanding and...
InfoDesign, Nov 6, 2023
Article | ArtIgo Information for patients: should we reconsider our assumptions? Informação para ... more Article | ArtIgo Information for patients: should we reconsider our assumptions? Informação para pacientes: devemos reconsiderar nossos pressupostos? Karel van der Waarde In order to take medicines correctly, it is essential that people receive suitable information. Without information it is difficult to consider, take, store, and discard medicines. At the moment, many people have difficulties to find, read, understand, and apply information about medicines. In the European Union, most information about medicines is presented in a text format. Very few visuals are used. Furthermore, information about medicines does not make much use of the digital opportunities. The logical next steps are to improve the design of visual information about medicines, and to embrace digital opportunities. However, the regulatory frameworks that govern information about medicines need to be modified. The regulations need to focus on usability, understanding, findability, and relevance. Experiments and prototypes are essential to find out what kinds of information and formats are effective. This requires a shift towards a 'digital design strategy based on healthcare outcomes.' Para usar medicamentos corretamente, é fundamental que as pessoas recebam informações adequadas. Sem informação, é difícil considerar, usar, armazenar e descartar medicamentos. No momento, muitas pessoas têm dificuldades em encontrar, ler, compreender e aplicar informações sobre medicamentos. Na União Europeia, a maior parte da informação sobre medicamentos é apresentada em formato de texto. Muito poucos recursos visuais são usados. Além disso, a informação sobre medicamentos não aproveita muito as oportunidades digitais. Os próximos passos lógicos são melhorar o design da informação visual sobre medicamentos e aproveitar as oportunidades digitais. Contudo, as regulamentações que regem a informação sobre medicamentos precisam ser modificadas. Os regulamentos precisam se concentrar na usabilidade, compreensão, localização e relevância. Experimentos e protótipos são essenciais para descobrir que tipos de informação e formatos são eficazes. Isso requer uma mudança em direção a uma 'estratégia de design digital baseada em resultados de saúde.' visual design, information about medicines, evidence, performance design visual, informação sobre medicamentos, evidência, desempenho
Information Design Journal, Nov 19, 2018
Information Design Journal, Dec 31, 2001
Information Design Journal, 2003
Information Design Journal, 2008
This article is based on a presentation given at the IIID Vision Plus 12 conference ‘Achieving me... more This article is based on a presentation given at the IIID Vision Plus 12 conference ‘Achieving measurable results’ in Schwarzenberg, Austria in 2006. The following text provides an outline of a single perspective on the circumstances in 2008. There are many stakeholders involved in the development of information about medicines, and all have different concerns which influence contents and design. A single article cannot do justice to the wide variation of perspectives.
Information Design Journal, 2003
What is Information Design? Is it 'the art and the science of presenting information so that it i... more What is Information Design? Is it 'the art and the science of presenting information so that it is understandable and easy to use', as we once stated at our start with IDJ? Or is it 'the deªning, planning and shaping of the contents of a message and the environments it is presented in', as IDJ partner IIID deªnes it? To be honest: none of these two deªnitions satisªes us. Neither indicates what we have in mind when we think of the subjects that are and should be discussed in the Information Design Journal and InfoDesign-Café, or mentioned at www.informationdesign.org. Maybe the diŸerences between Information Design and adjourning specialisms can better express what we think our ªeld of study covers and what it does not. The April 2001 issue of Design Matters discussed diŸerences between Information Design and Information Architecture. Jesse James Garrett came up with some distinctions which also give a good impression of what we feel information Design is:
Abstract: Situation: Graphic design education is subject to substantial changes. Changes in profe... more Abstract: Situation: Graphic design education is subject to substantial changes. Changes in professional practice and higher education aggravate insecurities about the contents and structure of courses, assessment criteria, relations between practice, research and theory, and teaching methods. Assumption: Graphic design education (visual communication design education) needs to change to accommodate these changes. Approach: There are many possible starting points to tackle the 'wicked problem' of visual communication design education. The starting point for this article is professional practice. Through the observation of practice, and interviews with practicing graphic designers, a set of common activities and approaches was distilled. These commonalities -the things that all graphic designers seem to have in commonare visualized in two diagrams. Results: The two diagrams can be used as a basis for a critical review of current education in visual communication design, and...
Van der Waarde summarizes the reasons why medicinal information provided to patients is often con... more Van der Waarde summarizes the reasons why medicinal information provided to patients is often confusing and describes a method for evaluating its effectiveness.
In Europe, when someone gets ill, it is common to visit a doctor. Most consultations end when a d... more In Europe, when someone gets ill, it is common to visit a doctor. Most consultations end when a doctor prescribes a medicine that can be obtained from a pharmacy. After collecting the medicine a patient has to decide if the use of this medicine is more beneficial than not taking it. In order to make this decision, and in order to take medicines effectively, information is essential. Not only the instructions about how much to take and at what times, but also the potential risks caused by interactions with other medicines and common behaviour (eating, smoking, drinking, sleeping, exercising). It also becomes necessary to know how to recognize that a medicine does what it supposes to do. Historical developments have led to a tightly regulated situation in which the patient gets a clear message that health care providers (pharmaceutical industry, pharmacists, prescribers, etc) do not care very much about informed patients.
Visible Language, 2012
SITUATION Graphic design education is subject to substantial changes. Changes in professional pra... more SITUATION Graphic design education is subject to substantial changes. Changes in professional practice and higher education aggravate insecurities about the contents and structure of courses, assessment criteria, relations between practice, research and theory and teaching methods. ASSUMPTION Graphic design education (visual communication design education) needs to change to accommodate these changes. APPROACH There are many possible starting points to tackle the 'wicked problem' of visual communication design education. The starting point for this article is professional practice. Through the observation of practice, and interviews with practicing graphic designers, a set of common activities and approaches was distilled. These commonalities-the things that all graphic designers seem to have in common-are visualized in two diagrams. RESULTS The two diagrams can be used as a basis for a critical review of current education in visual communication design, and they indicate a ...
Tijdschrift voor economische en sociale geografie, 2016
Effective, appropriate and safe usage of medicines is only possible if they come with clear instr... more Effective, appropriate and safe usage of medicines is only possible if they come with clear instructions, recommendations, descriptions and warnings. Clear information about medication does not only benefit seniors, who consume the greatest amount of prescription drugs, but also users in other age groups, such as children and their caretakers. The typographic design of this information plays a crucial role, but is, unfortunately, rarely optimized to suit different reading audiences’ needs. Still commonly seen are poorly readable patient information leaflets with ‘small font on translucent paper’ stowed in generic paper packaging. The lacking typographic design can mostly be explained by historically determined legal and economical requirements. European legislation, for example, demands a conservative approach, mainly to reach standardization. The pharmaceutical industry is hesitant, out of fear that the changes will come at high costs. Both explanations make it difficult to meet th...
In Europe, package leaflets and the outside of medicine packaging provide information about medic... more In Europe, package leaflets and the outside of medicine packaging provide information about medicines for patients and healthcare providers. Patients, mainly elderly men and women, often take several different medicines on a daily basis. Handling pharmaceutical packaging and leaflets is an unavoidable necessity for them. To read and understand information on pharmaceutical packages requires a combination of physical ability (eyesight and dexterity) and intelligence (relating information to a personal situation). Healthcare providers face similar challenges in their everyday work. Preventing mistakes while administering medication is a subject that concerns healthcare providers all over the world. Unfortunately, accidents with medicines occur because the visual design of information is not seem sufficient to enable people to act appropriately. In order to evaluate the visual design of information, it seems essential to differentiate between findability, readability, understanding and...
The book provides a thorough introduction into Information design and Service design. It accurate... more The book provides a thorough introduction into Information design and Service design. It accurately positions professional practice, reviews relevant literature, shows case studies, and provides many links to external sources. The bilingual text immediately shows the international character of information and service design and emphasizes that the practical situations that need urgent attention are common across societies.