Abstract

The speed of technological development in our society has never been as fast as it is today. New technologies influence us on every level of our lives, privately and professionally. Due to vast amounts of freely available data and its aggressive flood through diverse platforms, it is important that information is presented in a clear and understandable way. This applies to all disciplines, but it is especially important for areas of scientific research and education, where successfully presenting new discoveries or clear and understandable explanation of concepts is of paramount importance. Clear information is also important for better policy making and for the advancement of democratic and social issues in society. Information design is an area of visual communication that interprets and explains texts, concepts, and processes through clear language, effective illustration, and other visual communication tools. In this article the authors will focus on the importance of scientific and technical illustration through historical, political, sociological and technological contexts and will explain it through research findings within the broader geographical area of present-day Slovenia. Many excellent examples are historically linked to the Austro-Hungarian Empire; they demonstrate the collaboration of specialized professions, the use of the state-of-the-art technologies, and the underlying vision to spread the knowledge.