Running since 2013, the Information Design Summer School is the best place to get a fast introduction to the concepts, principles and challenges of information design.
“I’m so glad I participated. I’ve learned a lot and realized that there is so much left to learn! You know the course is great when you want to participate again!”
Plain language expert, Sweden
IIID Summer School 2025
The next Information Design Summer School will take place online from 20 May to 12 June 2025. There will be twice-weekly 3-hour sessions – a mix of lectures, and discussions, with video lectures and practical exercises to do between sessions.
You will meet with leading experts in information design, who cover a range of different specialisms: diagramming, typography, clear writing, content structure, design education, health information design, financial information, government information, management communications and legal information design.
Of course, there’s only so much we can teach and you can take in, in a short programme. But we introduce you to the field, explain key concepts and point the way forward. You’ll go away with contacts in the field, and ideas to pursue. Past summer schools have inspired people to enrol in a degree course, work on projects together, write books and start businesses.
Who should join?
- Information designers who want to explore the theoretical basis for their work, and extend their range.
- Graphic designers wanting to specialise in information design.
- People without a design training, who want to learn more about information design, and apply it to their own area of work. Participants regularly include technical writers, lawyers, civil servants, medical researchers, and academics.
- Students who would like additional tutorial support and access to a like-minded peer group. We have a limited number of discounted places for students.
Past summer schools have been attended by people from as far afield as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Lebanon, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, UK, Ukraine, and USA.
What people said about the 2024 summer school
“It was simply great and very inspiring, so thank you” (Easy Read specialist, Switzerland)
“I had a great time. It was so nice that everyone was active and enthusiastic” (graphic designer, Finland)
“Great summer school! I definitely recommand it. You’ll learn from experienced designers and will get to practice in creative new ways along the way.”
“You will be doomed to see bad design everywhere.” (communications consultant, Canada)
How we deliver the programme
There are sessions devoted to design critiquing, visualisation, typography and layout, design patterns and genres, and user testing. You can read more about the tutors here.
There are also practical exercises. Learning about design can’t be done just by listening to lectures – it comes through the struggle to find order in complex information, and to create new ways to communicate it to users.
We provide a Certificate of Participation to all those who attend. This is not a qualification and the course is not assessed.
Cost, and how to apply
The summer school costs € 490. There are a few student places at a discount, and we also offer lower prices for people in low income regions – see the Fees page for more information.
Use the application form to apply.
Any questions?
If you have any questions about the course, and whether it is right for you, just email us: info@iiid.net
The Simplification centre summer schools
The Information Design Summer School was established and run by the Simplification centre from 2013 to 2024.
Past summer schools have been attended by people from as far afield as Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Cyprus, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Lebanon, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Romania, Singapore, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, UK, Ukraine, and USA.
The early IIID Summer Academies
The idea for the IIID Information Design Summer Academy was originally conceived as an initiative within IIID‘s Information Design University project (IDU), which aimed to provide a semi virtual university based on the competence of some of the most renowned educational institutions, research laboratories and design consultancies.
Travelling the City #2
As a continuation of the first event this summer school examined the accessibility of information in wayfinding and
transportation, to make travelling the city a pleasant experience for older tourists in Salzburg. A prime tourist hotspot, it seemed fitting that the location was the Tourism School Salzburg.
Course director was Veronika Egger, Faculty and visitng experts were: Elizabeth Pastor, and Gerry K. Van atter, NY, USA; Prof. Keith Bright, UK; Prof. Paul Mijksenaar, The Netherlands.
Travelling the City #1
The very first IIID Summer Academy was realized in cooperation with the School of Design at Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. The summer academy was directed by Prof. Robert O. Swinehart (Carnegie Mellon University), former President of IIID.
Other faculty / visiting experts were: Andreas Schneider, Gifu, Japan; Petra Knyrim and Stefan Nowak, Düsseldorf, Germany; Angela Winkler and Martin Foessleitner, Vienna, Austria; Erik Spiekerman, Berlin/San Francisco.