Designers provide ways into—and out of—the flood of words by breaking up text into pieces and offering shortcuts and alternate routes through masses of information. (...) Although many books define the purpose of typography as enhancing the readability of the written word, one of design’s most humane functions is, in actuality, to help readers avoid reading.
Interpretation
Designers help organize information to make it easier to navigate and choose what to read.
Ellen Lupton's quote emphasizes the role of design in information communication, suggesting that designers not only enhance readability but also curate content, guiding readers through vast amounts of text. This functionality of design serves a humane purpose by enabling users to avoid unnecessary reading, ultimately streamlining their experience and allowing for more efficient information consumption.
In practice
In a workshop on graphic design, I shared a quote on how typography can guide readers through content.
Design is an art of situations. Designers respond to a need, a problem, a circumstance, that arises in the world. The best work is produced in relation to interesting situations - an open-minded client, a good cause, or great content.
Good design should be available to everyone - and I do mean everyone. What I spent on the wheelchair I'm in could buy a small Mercedes. It's not only unfair to me; it's unfair to someone who's indigent but has the same needs. My goal is to make all objects affordable.
Design must be an innovative, highly creative, cross-disciplinary tool responsive to the needs of men. It must be more research-oriented, and we must stop defiling the earth itself with poorly-designed objects and structures.
My goal is to omit everything superfluous so that the essential is shown to best possible advantage.
Design needs to be plugged into human behavior. Design dissolves in behavior.
Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content is not design, it's decoration.
Designers stand between revolutions and everyday life. They’re able to grasp momentous changes in technology, science, and society and convert those changes into objects and ideas that people can understand.
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