Communication Design: The Matchmaker Between Visuals and Viewers

Communication design is a mixture of design and information development that is concerned with how media interference like printed, crafted, electronic media or presentations communicate with people.

Communication design easily develops the relationship between the viewer and the visuals. Even before you know how the visuals will appear like, a communication designer will consider the message he is willing to communicate and create the design keeping in mind how strategically he can engage you. The communication designer will consider what might capture your attention first, the common associations that you have, and also the psychology behind how design elements affect your mood. The designer then creates designs that communicate the message faster than words can, but also make sure that the messaging is also loud and clear.

With the world inclining more and more towards technology, the graphic design industry has opened its doors for constant change. Today, design has become even more prevalent in our world. And that is exactly why quality design is way more important than ever before.

Before we get into more details about what communication design is, it is important to understand the difference between graphic design, communication design and visual communication.

Ever since eternity, Graphic design is the only term the world uses to express visual design. But do you know that the term “Graphic design” can encompass a whole big world of using visuals to deliver a message. Some of you may use graphic design in the context of layout and composition, and also use it to only refer to the tools of creating graphics, like Adobe Photoshop.
In an agency, when a marketing team brings in a graphic designer, they are often expecting him or her to handle one specific task of creating designs instead of handling the entire marketing campaign. In this context, the term “graphic design” only means the practice of creating visuals, as opposed to being a general term to cover all areas for modern designers.

Communication design is particularly used when discussing the strategy involved in expressing some information through visual design. People in agencies that deal with branding, advertising, or web and app design will know that their job is not just about creating fabulous graphics, but actually about conveying strong messages through their designs.

For instance, if a graphic designer is hired to handle one visual element; a communication designer will be hired to create visuals and also to handle communicating a company’s message to you.

Visual communication is almost similar to or sometimes interchangeable with communication design and is almost the same, about strategically telling a story to an audience. If a communication designer is working on a billboard, they could use keywords, graphics, and design choices to visually communicate a specific message to the audience as they drive by.

While these definitions draw parallel lines between these terms and give you a better idea of the role designers play in creating finished work, it is the context of the conversation that will define what someone means when they talk about graphic design and communication design.

If someone says they are a communication designer, then you will automatically understand that they are responsible for creating strategic visuals that convey a specific message. Now, if someone tells you they are a graphic designer, you may have to ask them more questions to determine if they are working in communication design or, more specifically, working to create visuals of various uses.

Let us look at three examples wherein Communication Design plays a vital role.

Mostly, communication designers choose to work in advertising firms. By advertising we mean online video and static image campaigns, billboards, television commercials, and also marketing materials like brochures, stationery, and business cards. While every designer working in advertising is not handling all of these, but many work in multiple areas.

Advertising, is a crucial part of any business. This demands a high level of creativity to create something truly unique and eye-catching, all while ensuring the entire message of the campaign is not lost.

The internet has become an essential part of people’s lives, and so new websites are created every day. Designers are asked to build effective websites that flow well, have attractive visuals that communicate specific messages, and function on many multiple devices. Today, web design changes rapidly and is an exciting and competitive field. You could be hired to work as the designer for one company, be part of a design agency, or work independently and take on clients as a freelancer.

Day-by-day we continue to see a steady increase in the number of people who rely on their smartphones as part of their everyday lives, whether it is for socializing, news, shopping, or work. Technology is not going anywhere, so it is important that mobile web and app design continues to evolve. Mobile app designers may be hired by a company to create and manage their app, or they may create their own products and sell them through their own company.