One trait that truly sets us apart from most other information designers and digital savants is our training and practice in visual anthropology. This is a special skill-set crafted and refined over time and upon experiences. First came the desire to respect all visual systems, sometimes which unfortunately goes sight unseen by many others.

It is not enough to determine a digital system "intuitive" to the users and simply let it rip, loose into the wild digital sphere.

It is not enough to design iconography and believe that the images will translate to all cultures, all spoken languages and all hemispheres in the same mode.

It is not enough to determine that one flowchart that may work for one set of audience members from one particular cultural background will work equally well with a distinct audience in a separate but equal cultural group on a different continent speaking different computer languages and accessing media with different tools.

2015: Millennium Development Goals from Cortlan McManus on Vimeo.

It is not enough to conduct user research with one group and determine that another distinct yet equal group will follow the bread crumbs in the same fashion, using the same logic.

We are all different as individuals, as groups of individuals and as cultures of groups so how is it even possible to set up parameters to account for so much diversity in the first place? If one is trained, practiced and a master of visual anthropology ~ that is, the visual cultural communication system ~then diversity is not only accounted, it is enhanced through the inclusion of each voice from the targeted audience.

Going full circle, it must start with an informed targeted approach knowing who you want to reach which then informs the creative approaches to deliver on the offer and message. This starts at the onset with deep visual anthropology, a skill that very few possess. On one hand, I'm sad about this reality, and on another albeit more selfish for my clients and myself, I couldn't be happier that I am one of the few ;-).