# Information Radiators An **Information Radiator** is a board, screen or system used to help increase the awareness and visibility of information for a group of people (e.g., a team, multiple teams, etc). The term was coined by [[Alistair Cockburn]], an important figure in Agile Software Development. Alistair focused a lot on how to help software development teams collaborate. And information radiators helped, because they made it easier to spread information. The core concept is that an information radiator "radiates" information into the environment passively, making information accessible/visible without requiring anyone to seek it out. It turns siloed information into *ambient* information. Some examples: wall-mounted whiteboards, burndown charts, task boards, build status monitors, digital dashboards, ... ## Key Benefits Information radiators help - Share information more easily - Increase visibility and transparency - Create a shared understanding - Make feedback immediately visible - Create accountability - Trigger discussions - Improve coordination - Improve decision-making - ... ## Design Principles Cockburn emphasized that effective information radiators should be: - **Big** - Visible from several meters away - **Simple** - Understandable at a glance without explanation - **Current** - Updated frequently enough to remain trustworthy - **Prominent** - Positioned where people naturally see them