Iconic Visionaries of Design — Dorling Kindersley
Examining The History of Infographics and Data Visualization
You are likely quite familiar with this visionary, assuming you’ve done any level of educational reading in the last three decades. Dorling Kindersley has been around for nearly half a century. Like most publishing companies, they are now a wholly owned subsidiary of somebody I’ve already forgotten. What is important is DK’s inspiration in the early 80’s to first — move into publishing and second — do so in a visually stimulating way that truly set them apart.
DK’s aim is to inform, enrich and entertain readers of all ages, and everything DK publishes, whether print or digital, embodies the unique DK design approach. DK brings unrivalled clarity to a wide range of topics, with a unique combination of words and pictures, put together to spectacular effect. We have a reputation for innovation in design for both print and digital products.
It is a compelling promise. One which they delivered on from day one. There very first publication shows all the same design, style, and clarity that people have come to expect under the DK logo.
While the quality of photography clearly improved over time, the layout here has changed only mildly. The difference from editions 1 to 5 is barely perceptible when compared to the contrast of that first edition to anything else being published at the time. Throwing out an inline critique, the 10th edition seems to be a step backward.
DK took a few years to perfect their white glossy backgrounds. Ink quality and other advances likely influenced this as well. By the time they began publishing in the US (1991) they had their style well in hand.
Content is King… or not
Eye Witness Travel was an immediate hit. Clear layouts, fantastic imagery, the stark pop provided by those glossy white pages made this early brand a fantastic hit. Some designers struggle by choosing content that isn’t suited for their format — DK did well to avoid that issue (at least early on).
On the other hand, they were not impervious to mistake. While embracing Star Wars was likely a brilliant content move, over estimating demand had a devastating impact on their bottom line. It nearly ruined them.
Thankfully, they recognized the issue (forecasting) and didn’t run off and destroy their brand and design. Plenty of companies have fallen victim after similar missteps. Today, DK still publishes both their Travel and Star Wars lines.
It is infographics 101. The imagery, labeling, use of space (both in what is included and what is left open) create a very captivating and information dense presentation.
Cover Art
One of their more impressive designs is featured in cover photo. Here content, imagery, and format come together in a powerful fashion. Geology is a natural time series. The imagery almost forces you to think of a bar chart styled series. DK nicely embraces that natural design and enhances it with divisions, numeration, and a well-balance narrative.
For any who think of DK as illustrated books for children, you missed the point. DK is a visual thinkers dream. Or at least it was… It will be interesting to see how they adapt to the digital age. Will they innovate further or has their pinnacle past? Regardless, they provide us a rich and varied body of work for inspiration and education. Thanks for reading!
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