Advancing Information Design across Diverse Contexts

Advancing Information Design across Diverse ContextsWe are pleased to present Volume 23, number 1 of the InfoDesign Journal, the first issue of 2026.This issue brings together five articles that reflect the breadth of contemporary information design research, addressing methodological innovation, educational technologies, accessibility, wayfinding, and editorial communication.Although diverse in their empirical settings, the contributions share a common concern: how information can be designed to enhance understanding, support decision-making, and promote more inclusive interactions between people and information.The issue opens with the article "Exploring large language models for persona construction: a case study in educational ergonomics".In this study, Velasco, Teixeira, and Merino investigate how large language models (LLMs) can facilitate the development of data-driven personas by combining clustering techniques with AI-assisted narrative generation.Their work demonstrates how emerging computational tools can strengthen information design practices while making analytical workflows more accessible to researchers and practitioners.The second article, "Augmented Reality and Information Design: visualizing historical knowledge for classroom learning" by Sam'ani, Ichsan, Haris, and Qamaruzzaman explores how information design principles enhance augmented reality applications for history education.By integrating visual hierarchy, narrative sequencing, coherence, and accessibility into immersive learning environments, the authors show how information design can transform technological innovation into meaningful educational experiences.Accessibility remains a central concern in the third contribution.In "Guidelines for designing tactile maps for orientation and mobility in buildings" Schmitt and Casarin present an integrative literature review that consolidates design guidelines for tactile maps intended for people with visual impairments.By synthesizing dispersed recommendations from the literature, the study provides a reference for researchers and professionals seeking to develop more effective and standardized assistive information systems.The following article, "Information Design and Wayfinding in urban bus transit: the case of São Luís, MA, Brazil" by Farias and Silva, investigates communication challenges throughout the public transport journey.Through in-situ heuristic observation and documentary analysis of informational artifacts, the authors identify recurring challenges related to legibility, multimodal communication, and information accuracy, highlighting the essential role of information design in fostering autonomy, accessibility, and trust in complex urban environments.The issue concludes with "The visual identity of science communication