AIGA Design Archives

This text-only record is part of the interactive AIGA Design Archives where you can view more details, zoom into images and explore other works in the definitive online resource on American design.

Design Category
Information design, 2001
Design firm
Agnew Moyer Smith (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Collection
(2002) AIGA 365: 23

Description

Understanding Children, a joint venture of TOP and CIVITAS, is a unique combination of leading-edge research and 21st-century design based on the principles of information architecture.

Our five-spread chapter, about baby products, had to mesh with 13 other chapters in the book. Layout requirements included using the top two-thirds of the page to tell the story and the bottom one-third to state “action steps.”

We began with a central, eye-catching illustration for each spread, supplemented with abundant facts and powerful visuals—baby photos, simple icons and vibrant colors.

Credits
Creative directors: Richard Saul Wurman, TOP
Information architects: Nigel Holmes, Linda Holliday Medical Broadcasting Company, Agnew Moyer Smith, Katz Design Associates, SX2, TOP, Pentagram
Art directors: John Sotirakis, Don Moyer
Designer: John Sotirakis
Photographer: Cat Zaccardi
Illustrators: Rick Henkel, Kurt Hess
Writer: Amy Oriss
Typefaces: Franklin Gothic, Minion, Zapf Dingbat
Clients: Civitas, TOP
Juror Notes

“Heavily templated but not restrictive. Sometimes the template should be masked in the viewing experience, but in this case, it’s a strength.”