Graphic Design for Policy Communications
The content on this page is designed to help policy analysts create policy communications that are more visually appealing. Click through the Introduction slides to the right to learn more about what’s included.
Browse the modules below to learn the basic techniques of graphic design, including the use of typography, colors, and data visualization. Interactive activities are included so you can try your hand at graphic design.
JUMP TO GRAPHIC DESIGN RESOURCES
Modules
1. Tips and Tricks
2. Strategy
Strategy Activity:
Prompt 
Solution
3. Typography
Typography Activity:
Prompt
Solution
4. Color
Color Activity:
Prompt
Solution
5. Imagery
Photo Activity:
Prompt
Solution
Icons Activity:
Prompt
Solution
6. Composition
Composition Activity:
Prompt
Solution
7. Messaging
Messaging Activity:
Prompt
Solution
8. Data Visualization
Data Visualization Activity:
Prompt
Solution
Create Color Palettes
Convert Color Formats
Check Color Contrast
https://coolors.co/contrast-checker/112a46-acc8e5
Find Fonts
https://www.myfonts.com/WhatTheFont/
Find Free Icons
Useful Design Tools
Don’t underestimate the utility of Google Slides and/or Powerpoint!
Miro https://miro.com/
Kumu https://kumu.io/
Loopy https://ncase.me/loopy/
Find Free Photos
Unsplash https://unsplash.com/
Pexels https://www.pexels.com/
Reshot https://www.reshot.com/
Wikimedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
New Old Stock https://nos.twnsnd.co/
Nappy https://nappy.co/
Additional Reading and Looking
Strategy
Evolutionary Aesthetics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_aesthetics
RAND templates (internal only)
https://randus.sharepoint.com/rso/is/Pages/msoffice_temploverview.aspx
NSF Logo and Visual Identity https://www.nsf.gov/policies/nsf_logo_standards.pdf
Typography
Incredibly detailed resource for type usage and jargon http://thinkingwithtype.com/
Applied tips on a variety of typography topics https://blog.thepapermillstore.com/typography/
Links to further reading https://www.typewolf.com/resources
Examples of typography in use https://fontsinuse.com/
Wikipedia History of Western Typography https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Western_typography
Nice introductory material https://www.fonts.com/content/learning/fontology/level-1
A fun game to practice your font selection skills http://www.typeconnection.com
Color
About color formats
https://negliadesign.com/ask-a-designer/whats-the-difference-between-pms-cmyk-rgb-and-hex/
Accessibility for color-blindness
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2016/06/improving-color-accessibility-for-color-blind-users/
Guidelines for using color https://blog.thepapermillstore.com/using-color/
Imagery
Image file types https://99designs.com/blog/tips/image-file-types/
Oscars representation and inclusion standards
How to choose diverse and inclusive photos
https://www.forumone.com/ideas/how-to-choose-diverse-and-inclusive-photos/
Icon, Index, and Symbol — Three Categories of Signs (thanks to Todd Richmond for the find)
https://vanseodesign.com/web-design/icon-index-symbol/
Composition
Type of grids https://visme.co/blog/layout-design/
Visual hierarchy https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/visual-hierarchy
5 principles of visual design https://www.nngroup.com/articles/principles-visual-design/
Visual weight and direction
https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/12/design-principles-visual-weight-direction/
Page harmony and some history of composition
http://retinart.net/graphic-design/secret-law-of-page-harmony/
Similarity principle in visual design https://www.nngroup.com/articles/gestalt-similarity/
Visual perception and gestalt
Messaging
How to create personas https://www.nngroup.com/articles/persona/
More persona examples https://venngage.com/blog/user-persona-examples/
Using personas
Voice and Tone guide from Mailchimp https://styleguide.mailchimp.com/voice-and-tone/
Data Visualization
Ferdio’s compendium of over 100 visualization models https://datavizproject.com/
Duarte’s templates https://diagrammer.duarte.com/
https://www.duarte.com/wp-content/uploads/Annotation-Toolkit-2020-10_00_02.pptx
Interactive data visualizations that illustrate big global problems https://ourworldindata.org/
Google’s Material Design https://material.io/design/communication/data-visualization.html#types
More Inspiration
FiveThirtyEight https://fivethirtyeight.com/tag/data-visualization/
Flowing Data https://flowingdata.com/
Reddit – Data is Beautiful https://www.reddit.com/r/dataisbeautiful/
The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog+technology/data-visualisation
Vox Maps & Charts https://www.vox.com/maps