GreenInfo Network

Delivering data and analysis to a national base of organizations, individuals and agencies requires an effective communications program, given how much data and information is generally available these days. The USGS Gap Analysis Program (GAP) produces important national data and tools for meeting conservation challenges throughout the United States. GreenInfo has worked extensively with GAP on a variety of projects and was asked to also help the agency improve the materials and approaches it uses to inform people about its data products and programs.

Working with a graphic design framework that we had previously assisted GAP to develop, GreenInfo assessed the overall mission and priorities of the agency and developed a general framework for related communications products. These included a main brochure, a factsheet series, a presentation template and other communications products. The brochure was developed first and was used to help clarify the language GAP uses to describe its aims and programs. A three-fold product was then created for broad general use. A map frame was designed to bring more consistency to the many spatial products GAP creates. Fact sheets for each major GAP data product where then created with each GAP program unit, but all using a similar design. Finally, a core PowerPoint template was prepared and adapted into several basic presentations, focused on overall program and each GAP data product.

Other materials are also being developed that help GAP present more effectively at conferences and other events. The design of GAP communications materials resulted from close collaboration between GAP and GreenInfo staff, supported by GreenInfo's design partner, Ison Design, with additional participation from GreenInfo's overall partner in its GAP projects, Applied Geographics.