Leitinformation

Leitinformation (German for "guiding information") is a concept in information design and human–machine interaction that designates the subset of information that provides orientation, prioritizes actions, and directs user attention toward the most relevant data or decisions. Unlike peripheral data, Leitinformation is concise, timely, and highly reliable, and is typically displayed prominently in dashboards, control rooms, or decision-support interfaces.

Characteristics of Leitinformation include high visibility, relevance to the current task, low redundancy, accuracy, timeliness, and interpretability. It should be actionable and provide clear cues, such as color coding or high-contrast indicators. The selection of Leitinformation is task-dependent and informed by user research, risk analysis, and context to ensure that it supports effective decision-making.

Applications of Leitinformation occur across fields such as industrial control rooms (process indicators and alarms), aviation and medical settings (critical parameters, patient vitals, flight data), digital dashboards (key performance indicators and alerts), and emergency response systems. It is closely related to the design of alarms and alerts but is broader, encompassing any information that guides decisions rather than merely notifying events.

Challenges in implementing Leitinformation include avoiding information overload, ensuring data reliability, preventing distraction, and maintaining consistency across platforms. Best practices emphasize user-centric design, periodic review and update of key indicators, and alignment with actual decision workflows to maintain relevance and effectiveness.

See also: Leitlinie, Leitplanke, KPI, dashboard, and user experience design.