Information Design: Tasks and Exercises
ALTAIFI, LEEN MAAN A (0367698)
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media, Taylor's University
Information Design
Table of Content
- Exercise 1: Quantifying Data
- Exercise 3: L.A.T.C.H Poster
3. Reflections
1. Flip Lectures
Week 2 (13/2/2024):
Topic 1: Find out what are the different types of infographic + the kind of information they’re applicable for + an example for each identified type.
Week 3 (20/2/2024):
Topic 2: L.A.T.C.H Principles. Present an explanation on the topic and provide examples or scenarios of what information best utilized with each principle. You can use the given Exercise 2 as your examples as well.
Week 4 (27/2/2024):
Topic 3: Chunking is a term referring to the process of taking individual pieces of information (chunks) and grouping them into larger units.
In your group, present an explanation on the topic and provide an example of how to best utilize this technique in terms of visual delivery for each of these approach:
1- A well designed infographic
2- UX/UI, web, app, games (screen based basically!)
3- Processes (you can refer to Project 1 brief as an example or other topics)
Week 5 (5/3/2024):
Manuel Lima’s Information Visualization Manifesto, as published on the blog VisualComplexity.com, provides a working list that can help provide clarity on what Information Visualization through 9 directives, why information visualization differs from information art or infographics.
In your group, present an explanation on this topic and find one example of how to best display and utilize design for each of the directives.
As conclusion, do also present one good designed infographic that best illustrate of the 9 directives for information visualizations and one poorly designed infographics that failed to address the directives.
2. Instructions & Tasks
Exercise 1: Quantifying Data
Quantify (count) your chosen items and arrange the objects into a presentable layout or chart. Information must be presented as is. You are required to arrange the objects with relevant indicators written out with pens to help you visualize the quantity and data.
First step to designing anything is to research existing designs, so I gathered some references for ideas. I ended up getting inspired by thermal/heat maps because the item I chose shared the same colors used in temperature.
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| Fig. 2.1: References of Heat Maps (7/2/2024) |
Since my chosen item was m&m's, categorizing it was pretty simple; arrange it by color. I tried different approaches to find out which idea was most preferable.
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| Fig. 2.2: Brainstorm of Ideas with M&M's (7/2/2024) |
I ended up expanding on idea number 1, since it was closest to my initial idea of imitating heat maps. I added a graph with Temperature on the X axis, and Date on the Y axis, showcasing the relationship between the weather and time of the year. On the right side I put a color bar to clarify the m&m color and its temperature, as well as the number count of how many m&ms per color.
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Difficulty, intuitiveness
Usefulness
Design templates, choices
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| Fig. 2.4: Poorly Designed Poster (2/10/2024) |
- The poster lacks a consistent theme.
- The illustrations don't match styles nor color scheme.
- The layout is poorly structured.
- It is not using space efficiently.
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| Fig. 2.6: Reference 2 for Task 2 (2/10/2024) |
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| Fig. 2.5: Reference 1 for Task 2 (2/10/2024) |
I decided to use Canva for re-designing the poster. I searched for graphical illustrations of activities in Canva, and I found several illustrations matching styles and I decided to use those.
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| Fig. 2.7: Poster progress 1 (2/10/2024) |
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| Fig. 2.8: Poster progress 2 (2/10/2024) |
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| Fig. 2.9: Poster progress 3 (2/10/2024) |
Final Redesigned Poster:
I reimagined the theme, chose different illustrations, and reorganized the layout whilst keeping the main idea the same.
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| Fig. 2.10: Final Redesigned Poster (2/10/2024) |
Exercise 3: L.A.T.C.H Poster
Organize a group of information into a visual poster that combines and utilizes the LATCH principles (Minimum 4)
Requirements: Size resolution: 1240 × 1750 pixels or 2048 × 2048 pixels
Use the digital photo editing/illustration software available to assemble the Pokemon into a LATCH infographic poster. You can re-use back the images of the monsters but do create the rest of your visuals to complete the poster.
Bedrock: is the foundation upon which soil, sediment, and other geological materials rest. It's typically composed of either igneous, metamorphic, or sometimes older sedimentary rock.
Basement Rock: Materials: Various types of igneous or metamorphic rocks. Age: Basement rocks can be billions of years old, dating back to the formation of the Earth's crust.
Sandstone: Materials: Sand grains, often quartz, feldspar, and other minerals. Age: Sandstone layers can range from hundreds of millions to billions of years old, depending on the specific geological context.
Conglomerate/Breccia: Materials: Large, rounded fragments (conglomerate) or angular fragments (breccia) of various rock types. Age: Conglomerate and breccia layers can vary widely in age, ranging from tens of millions to billions of years old.
Shale/Mudstone: Materials: Fine-grained particles, primarily clay and silt. Age: Shale and mudstone layers can range from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of years old.
Limestone: Materials: Calcium carbonate (calcite), often derived from the shells and skeletons of marine organisms. Age: Limestone formations can vary widely in age, from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of years old.
Coal Seam: Materials: Organic-rich plant material, including leaves, stems, and other vegetation. Age: Coal seams typically form in relatively young geological formations, ranging from tens of millions to a few hundred million years old.
Siltstone: Materials: Fine-grained particles larger than clay but smaller than sand. Age: Siltstone layers can range from tens of millions to hundreds of millions of years old.
Fossiliferous Layer: Materials: Fossilized remains or traces of ancient organisms, including plants, animals, and microorganisms. Age: Fossiliferous layers can vary widely in age, depending on the age of the sedimentary rock formation and the specific fossils preserved within it.
Fossil Fuel Reservoirs: Materials: Hydrocarbons (oil, natural gas) trapped within porous reservoir rocks. Age: Fossil fuel reservoirs can form in relatively young sedimentary rocks, ranging from tens of millions to a few hundred million years old.
1. Bed rock
2.Coal Seam
3. Siltstone
4. Shale/Mudstone
5. Fossiliferous Layer
6. Sandstones
7. Conglomerate/Breccia
8. Limestone
9. Coal Bed
10. Fossil Fuel Reservoirs
11. Basement Rock
2. Ideation:
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| Fig. 2.12: More References for Task 3 (2/14/2024) |
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| Fig. 2.11: References for Task 3 (2/14/2024) |
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| Fig. 2.13: Sketches for Task 3 (2/14/2024) |
3. Illustrating the Poster:
After consulting with the lecturer, I decided to go with idea number 1. To start off, I used blender to illustrate the idea in 3 dimensions, so I thought what better way to visualize 3d is there other than with a 3d software?
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| Fig. 2.14: Blender for Reference (2/16/2024) |
After I finished getting the right angle and perspective I wanted from blender, I started designing the poster on Procreate. Some ideas were scrapped out in the process, but I ended up with a final design inspired by the game Minecraft.
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| Fig. 2.15: Progress on Procreate (2/16/2024) |
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| Fig. 2.16: Process on Canva (2/17/2024) |
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| Fig. 2.17: Final L.A.T.C.H Poster (2/17/2024) |
The four L.A.T.C.H methods I used are the following:
3. Reflections
In the process of making this infographic poster, I learned how to pay more attention to the hierarchy of information and how to organize it using L.A.T.C.H principles.
I realized my typical workflow didn't include much brainstorming ideas or much sketches in the ideation process, so in this project, I focused more on exploring ideas and get the creative juices flowing by just sketching out roughly on paper. And to my surprise, I had a lot of ideas to sketch out.
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