Visual + Effective Communication for Emergency Information

In her PrepTalk, Professor Claudine Jaenichen explains the cognitive biases that impede our ability to make the right decision when confronted with an emergency. She makes the case that using design standards to convey information in a visual format can overcome these biases and help more people “recall” safe routes during an evacuation.

Claudine Jaenichen is an information designer specializing in the relationship between design and cognition. Her recent work in applied design research serves a precise communicative role for, or in, cognitive demanding events. She is an associate professor of design at Chapman University. She also serves on the Executive Board for the Design Network for Emergency Management, the Board of Governors for the Communication Research Institute, and the Executive Board for the International Institute of Information Design.