Designing the Content + Credibility Report: My Perspective on Conveying Our Credibility + Bringing Data to Life

posted by
Lisa Clark

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Our recent Content + Credibility Study focuses on the perception of web content. Being a designer, I was very curious about the outcome of the study because we all know design is the most important and influential part of any communication, right? (Well, not really, but we designers like to think so!) Also, I knew visual design would play a part in the depiction and acceptance of the study itself. So, as I became involved in the study, I thought, how would I take numbers and make them interesting to look at while still seeming credible...and do justice to all the smart thinking and hard work that went into this study? I was off and running…

The Hurdle

As the report designer, I had to focus on visually giving this study credibility in and of itself. The rigorous testing and analysis were all there, but I then needed to execute the physical representation of our report with the same veracity used in the methodology of the study.

When people are skeptical of information, they're less likely to adopt and assimilate it. That’s a big hurdle. How would I clear it? The content itself is most important, but a document that is visually interesting, easy to read, and consistent boosts the readers' confidence. So, I started thinking about how to design our report and visualize the data.
I was picking up speed….

The Approach

My design strategy was to make our report as approachable as it valuable. I knew that visual interest, balanced with ease of use, could attract and maintain your attention. The study finds that the usefulness of content can affect your perception of its credibility, so I also wanted to ensure that anyone who reads our report could easily find the most useful pieces of information, understand them, and benefit from our expert analysis.

After thinking through the approach, I was ready to take the leap.

The Landing

My first plan? To create an infographic designed to whet your appetite with a few key nuggets of data. Intended to be eye-catching yet simple, these images evoke the mood of scientific analysis and expertise, without being too heavy handed. Anyone can read and understand this data and feel informed.

After working through the infographic, I turned to the developing the report style. I wanted very much to make the data come to life so that it excites, not bores, you. The last thing I wanted was to make you search through page after page of black and white text and tables! There’s no reason for scientific analysis and sharp insight to be boring. But, adding visual interest while maintaining the credible tone takes some doing. Here's how I did it.

1. I made the layout clean and simple for ease of use and to avoid overhwelming you with information.
2. I selected fonts for legibility and used them at a larger point size to reduce the amount of information per page so you can easily absorb the information.
3. I clearly labeled each section with a very defined header treatment, and color-coding, so you can easily navigate the report.
4. I highlighted important information with bulleted lists, plus bold and italicized fonts, to aid scanning and to emphasize the most important information.
5. I used a combination of graphical layouts of data - including pie charts, a variety of bar chart styles and tables - plus color variety, to provide visual interest as well as ease of scanning and comprehension. I want you to take away pertinent information at a glance.
6. I did this all within our brand style to underline that Content Science is the trusted provider of these insights.

A Sample Chart from the Report

The Finish Line

Whew, I made it! It was a long run, but I’m really pleased with and proud of the report. Personally, I found a lot of satisfaction in bringing this data to life and adding a thoughtful design layer to some amazing content.

I think you'll find the report useful, usable, and interesting. Intrigued? You can learn more or order the report here >