Information Mapping
The Information Mapping method offers a proven approach to the analysis, organisation, and visual presentation of information. The approach is based on research into how the human mind actually reads, processes, remembers, and retrieves information. At 3di we use the method as our internal standard and apply the method to customer projects whenever possible.
3di is the UK consultancy partner for Information Mapping Inc., the internationally recognised professional services firm with over 30 years experience of applying the Information Mapping method to help organisations leverage knowledge and improve performance.
What is Information Mapping?
In practise, it is made up of an integrated set of easy-to-learn principles, techniques and standards that enable authors to break complex information into its most basic elements and then present those elements optimally for readers. The result is a set of precisely defined information modules that are consistent from author to author and document to document.
The method is both subject matter and media independent; that is, it can be applied to the subject matter of any industry, and it can be presented on paper, on a computer screen, verbally, or in a multimedia presentation.
Information Mapping is a basic tool that has been used successfully in a wide variety of documents in every industry. Any business or technical information-whether intended for initial communication, education, training, reference, quick reference, or performance support-will benefit from the method.
An excellent starting point
For many organisations, Information Mapping serves as an excellent starting point towards better information management. The constantly evolving package of concepts, rules, seminars and macros is easy to understand, buy, replicate and manage. For technical communicators, Information Mapping is a proven tool that can form part of their tool kit. Depending on the situation, the method can be applied in whole, or in part, explicitly or discreetly.
As relevant as ever
The basic elements of the method and its underlying principles have stood the test of time. This is because of the huge amount of research carried out before and after it was developed in the 1960’s and because of the overwhelming success in people’s ability to apply the method and see some benefits once they had learnt it. The individual principles and elements encompassed by the method are also now generally considered to be technical authoring best practice.
In recent years the modular nature of Information Mapping has become of particular significance due to the:
- spread of content management systems,
- range of output media
- increasing number of XML based applications
- pressures on information re-use
- need to translate into more languages at reduced cost
Each of these has raised the stakes and made the impact of Information Mapping much more widely felt.
3di works in partnership with Pacific Blue to deliver the full range of Information Mapping services and products in the UK.
www.pacificblue.co.uk
For delivering services across Europe, 3di has access to expertise in all the following Information Mapping partners:
Austria
itl (Institut für technische Literatur GmbH) www.itl.co.at
PECON Company Communication GmbH www.pecon.cc
Belgium
U&I Learning N.V. www.uni-learning.com
Denmark
Key2Know www.key2know.dk
Finland
Aplinet www.aplinet.fi
France
Groupe ESC Chambery www.esc-chambery.fr
Structidées www.structidees.com
Takoma www.takoma.fr
Transmind www.transmind.com
Germany
ARAKANGA www.arakanga.de
CARSTENS + PARTNER www.carstens-techdok.de
CSR www.csr-consulting.de
PECON Company Communication GmbH www.pecon.cc
Hungary
ArtEco arteco.csokor@interware.hu
Ireland
Rédacteurs Limited www.redact.ie
Italy
Performance Technology Solutions www.ptsonweb.com
Luxembourg
MindForest www.mindforest.com
Takoma Luxemburg karine.touati@takoma.lu
U&I Learning N.V. www.uni-learning.com
Netherlands
Information Mapping Nederland www.infomap.nl
Norway
DataPed www.dataped.no
Portugal
FORMEDIA www.formedia.pt
Spain
Capgemini ESPANA www.es.capgemini.com
Sweden
Explicon Svenska www.explicon.se
Switzerland
PECON Company Communication GmbH www.pecon.cc
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