INFORMATION DESIGN - EXERCISES

07.01.19 - 14.01.19 (Week 1 - Week 2)

Maisara Arissa Azahari (0332707)

Infographic Design
Lectures & Exercises

LECTURE 1

07.01.19 (Week 1)

Introduction to Information Design

For the first class, we were given a brief on the new Module Information Booklet and the future projects that will be done. After that, we went on to do our first exercise on buttons. 

Assignment briefs compilation: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ngADOd9LtTpOKFNjm2pIujOlg7MTjc5mhqQmIRl26wM/edit#slide=id.p1

LECTURE 2

08.01.19 (Week 1)

Brief History of Information Visualisation

For this class, we were briefed once more on our assignments for this module with Ms. Anis. Then, we moved on to our first lecture on The History of Information Visualisation.

In summary, I have learned how images are often used to visualising information in the form of Information Design as we live in a visual information culture, surrounded by graphics and advertisements everywhere.

 

Fig 1.0 Diagram from https://wearecomet.com/how-images-can-help-us-understand-scientific-data/

We are attracted to visual information as we can easily remember and recall them in our brains.

The goal of visualising information

• Reveal intricacy of the world in uncomplicated terms that are understandable
• Add knowledge to information display through Spatial, Quantitative, and Chronological relationships

Fig 1.1 Criteria for visual information

The use of visual information dates back to the development of the Mesopotamian cuneiform script where the images drawn evolved into common repetitive strokes which makes up the cuneiform script itself. 

Fig 1.2 Development of the Mesopotamian cuneiform script 

Maps are also one of the primitive forms of information design, created as a visual representation of geography to guide humans.

    

Fig 1.3 Images of maps 

An Austrian political anthropologist, Otto Neurath, believed that “words make divisions, pictures make connections” worked to create a visual language. He proceeded to create a visual language that he then coined the term ISOTYPE (International System of Typographic Picture Education) compiling over 1,000 images.

Fig 1.4 ISOTYPE diagram

LECTURE 3

09.01.19 (Week 1)

Manuel Lima's 9 Directives Manifesto

We had to do a group presentation based on FLIP Topic 1 which was titled Manuel Lima's 9 Directives Manifesto.

LECTURE 4

14.01.19 (Week 2)

L.A.T.C.H (Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, Hierarchy) 

We had to do a group presentation based on FLIP Topic 2 which was titled L.A.T.C.H (Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, Hierarchy)

LECTURE 5

15.01.19 (Week 2)

Miller's Law: Chunking

We had to do a group presentation based on FLIP Topic 3 which was titled Miller's Law Chunking.

LECTURE 6

29.01.19 (Week 4)

Isometric Design (As Good Design Practice)

We had to do a group presentation based on FLIP Topic 4 which was titled Isometric Design (As good design practice)

INSTRUCTIONS

Module Information Booklet (MIB)

AE EXERCISE 1: REFRESHMENT
07.01.19 (Week 1)

To warm us up for the semester and refresh our Adobe After Effects skills, we were shown a few examples of our senior's works from last semester to get a rough idea on what we are supposed to produce by the end of the class. We were asked to create a infographic video based on our own topic. It could either be general information on a topic or even a compare and contrast type of infographic. I had chosen Cat VS Dog traits and looked around for inspiration regarding the topic.

Before I started creating my own infographic, I searched for some inspirational ideas in Pinterest. 

REFERENCES

Fig 1.5 Compilation of ideas

FINAL OUTCOME

Video 1.0 Final Outcome

EXERCISE 1: Quantitative Charts (Buttons)

08.01.19 - 14.01.19 (Week 1-Week 2)

A set of buttons were given to us in class and we are told to quantify the buttons and use the data collected to create an information poster. The information should be translated into an illustrative visual manner. 

The amount of information that is required to be present in the poster depends on our own liking. It has to be concise and informative in the end. 

As for the method of illustrating, we are free to use any methods such as hand-drawn, digital illustration, pictures, collages, etc as long as it fits in an A4 paper.

Fig 1.6 Buttons used for data collection

After scouring for inspiration, I settled on the infographic posters attached below:

Fig 1.7 General reference

REFERENCES

Fig 1.8 

Fig 1.9 

Fig 2.0

Fig 2.1

IDEA SKETCHES

Fig 2.1 Data collected from all 5 buttons

Fig 2.2 Rough ideas on paper

Fig 2.3 Final idea  

PROCESS

Fig 2.4 Adding header and background

Fig 2.5 Button and pie chart design

Fig 2.6 Legends added

Fig 2.7 Adding text to header and finishing touches

FINAL OUTCOME

Fig 2.8 Final Outcome

EXERCISE 2: L.A.T.C.H (Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, Hierarchy)

14.01.19 (Week 2)

For this week, we were given the task of organising four Pokemons into a silent animated video with the duration of 30 seconds to represent each principles of L.A.T.C.H.

The link for the pokemons can be found here

Fig 2.9 Overview of the Pokedex website

As for the information, it needs to be kept simple and as clear and as interesting as possible.

REFERENCES

IDEA SKETCHES

Fig 3.0 Layout sketch 

FINAL OUTCOME



AE EXERCISE 2: DYNAMIC NUMBERS

For today's class, we were taught on how to use the dynamic numbers in After Effects. In this exercise, each groups were asked to choose the topics that are given by our lecturer. Our group ended up by choosing 'Activity Tracker'. I decided to make two bar charts comparing the steps taken and distance travelled.

Before I started creating my own infographic, I searched for some inspirational ideas in Pinterest. 

REFERENCES

Fig 3.1 Compilation of references

FINAL OUTCOME