Information Design / Task 1 (Exercises)

February 06. 2024

Anandya Dewi Saputra / 0354651

Information Design / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Task 1 / Exercises

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LECTURES

Week 1:

Mr. Shamsul Hamimi introduced us to the information booklet and how each assignment is graded. We were also told to have a post for each task and final compilation. 

 

Infographic Design is the arrangement or representation of information in the form of data, facts, or knowledge to present the text in a pictorial way to understand easily the making of a graphic picture. Any infographic can be viewed by people as the process of integration of specific graphic elements, such as graphs, icons, images, and text, presenting a specific piece of visual information that is brief and simple. As such, then, infographic design seeks to redefine any concept, shape, or flow that can be easily understood.

Week 2: 

L.A.T.C.H. Method is used for organizing information and encompasses the following principles: Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, and Hierarchy.

Week 3:

Miller's Law (chunking) Chunking is a method of grouping small pieces of data into larger chunks. It can be derived from cognitive psychology. When you collect little bits and seam them up, you will have more of the whole information you have chosen to learn, it's like when you cluster these parts into bigger frames, it will help your memory. 

Week 4:

Manuel Lima's 9 Directives Manifesto provides us with definite standards to apply in the process of understanding and visualizing complex systems. it highlights the significance, in terms, of seeking links, accepting diversity, and making knowledge ready to be grasped. It suggests cooperating, defining, and perceiving beauty in complex situations. By manifesto, it wants to show how all of us can cooperate in order to know the world better. 

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INSTRUCTIONS

Exercise 1 | Quantify and Visualize Data 

To perform the task the designated object should be a countable item such as a button, coin, M&M candies, or Lego block. Later on, we have to sum up the selected item and present it in a graphical manner that is pleasing either in a layout or in a chart. A picture is required afterwise and upload it to Google Classroom. For this task, I simply chose a coin since it's the one I have the most quantity in my house. 

Fig 1.0 Multiple coins 

Fig 1.1 First arrangement

I arranged it based on the currency and the material/color of the coin. I got 9 categories from the currency and 3 categories from the color/material.

Fig 1.2 Final arrangement

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Exercise 2 | L. A. T. C. H (Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, Hierarchy)

In this task, we needed to create an infographic poster using the L. A. T. C. H. method with a minimum of 4 principles. The requirement size was 1240 x 1750, we were required to use a screenshot of a background but make everything else on our own. I started to do some visual research for inspiration and came across this old Nintendo DS and thought to make a design out of it. 

Fig 2.0 Visual research / Nintendo sketch

I tried to design with the color yellow since it represents the main Pokemon which is Pikachu but find out it's hard to work with. I later did another visual research for the color palette and came across this design which is the color I adore so much since it's my favourite out of all colors. 

Fig 2.1 Visual research/inspiration

I began to recolor the design and create some elements in ProCreate and Canva for me to use for my design. I liked the color scheme from the reference so I stuck with that, I was thinking of not using too much purple and focusing more on the blue.

Fig 2.2 Elements created in ProCreate

Fig 2.3 Elements created in Canva

I quite like how it turned out, finally I arranged everything together and added the L.A.T.C.H. Method which was required for the assignment, I chose some of the most common pokemon which are one of my favourites too. 

Fig 2.4 Final L.A.T.C.H. Poster

Fig 2.5 Final L.A.T.C.H Poster PDF

Here are the principles I used.

L - (Location)

A - (Name)

T - (None/didn't use)

C - (Category/rarity)

H - (Hp/attack/defense)

This was quite fun to make as the assignment reminds me of the nostalgic memories I had playing Pokemon on Nintendo DS that I cried and begged my father to buy it in 2008. Fun fact, the console is now over 16 years old and is still in perfect working condition. I still use it to game whenever I want to have a getaway from a bad day. 

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Exercise 3 | Redesign a Poorly Constructed Infographic Poster

In this exercise, we are given the task of redesigning a poorly constructed infographic poster. I roam around Pinterest and Google to find a poster that I will enjoy redesigning. I found this poster about how much oil and gas is consumed by vehicles, it immediately caught my eye since my dad works in an oil and gas company. 

Fig 3.0 Poorly constructed infographic poster

I feel like the colour scheme of the poster was ok so I wasn't planning on changing that. However, the composition is out of place and it just looks empty and some spots. The typeface chosen does not work with the overall poster, especially with that placement. Here are some key elements I can adjust;

• Composition 
• Typeface
• Placement of text

it's not a lot but these three key elements can make a huge difference. I hopped onto Adobe Illustrator and came up with this design as the final result. I can say it is definitely more well-constructed, easier to read, and neat.

Fig 3.1 Final redesign from a poorly constructed poster

Please note that I only resigned the poster as what the exercise asked for and did not do any research beforehand that the poster might contain information which is not accurate. 

Fig 3.2 Final redesign from a poorly constructed infographic poster PDF

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FEEDBACK

Week 2:

Make sure to make sketches first to apply the L.A.T.C.H. Method before doing the design.

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REFLECTIONS

These exercises taught me more about design. Some designs have a purpose that might contain important information, and some are just for aesthetic reasons. These exercises also taught me a lot of methods that I can confirm I will use in the future. I love how all of these exercises are very effective.