Why ‘less is more’ in design and communication – our support for Essex County Council

The average adult internet user attention span is 8.25 seconds. This is about the time it will take to read these opening few sentences. It’s really not much. 

For reasons such as this, and insights gained from general communications industry research, our client Essex County Council (ECC) asked us to deliver a learning and development session for their internal marketing and communications professionals about aspects of effective design and communication.

The ‘Less is more’ presentation (which can be watched below), designed and co-created by Touch, seeks to show how a focus on essential messages, and utilising design to guide the viewer’s attention, can ensure that the council’s communication is both impactful and engaging. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, staying concise and clear is key to ensuring a message cuts through all the noise and resonates with the audience.

As creative director, Scott stated within the presentation: “In today’s world, we are constantly bombarded with information. From constant notifications to endless scrolling, attention spans are shorter than ever, and cognitive overload has become a common challenge. 

“Cognitive overload occurs when the brain receives more information than it can process at once, leading to confusion, frustration, and difficulty in making decisions. In the context of design, this means that cluttered layouts and too much text can confuse the audience, detracting from the core message. 

“By focusing on the essential elements and eliminating the noise, ECC has streamlined their messaging to ensure clarity and impact. Simple designs not only grab attention but also guide viewers directly to what matters most.”

These are all messages we know but sometimes see examples from across the public sector where they appear to have been forgotten or overlooked. We were very pleased to be asked by ECC to work on the approach for this session as good design and clear communications thinking is at the heart of our creative approach.

An example of this is the design of banner stands, quoted by Scott in the presentation. “A common misconception is that because banner stands are large, they should contain a lot of information. However, the opposite is true. Banner stands are meant to catch the eye and encourage people to engage with your message, not overwhelm them with details.”

The pdfsession provides details of frameworks recommended for use in developing communications approaches and materials. One such framework is the very helpful AIDA model which encourages communicators to consider:

  1. Awareness – grab attention to make your audience aware of the service or initiative through eye-catching visuals, punchy headlines and content that resonates
  2. Interest – build curiosity through providing insights, showcasing benefits and educating your audience
  3. Desire – create an emotional connection by using case studies, testimonials or storytelling techniques
  4. Action – drive conversion by strong calls to action.

Through encouraging adoption of such approaches within the communications and marketing department and throughout the rest of the organisation, ECC colleagues will be better equipped to deliver their vital work across all areas such as education, social care, planning and public health.

We are proud to work on this with ECC and have been a trusted design partner of theirs for many years. If you are seeking a design and communication partner, ready to support localised campaigns, train your team and respond with agility, then do please This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. It might be the best 8.5 seconds spent picking up the phone or writing an This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. intro of your week.

Watch the presentation here.