IDT 534: Information Design
Course Content

Assignment: Inspiration Board (10% Due December 10)

Find 10 designs that inspire you. It can be an image, a poster, a website, or even a 3-d object. Post an image or a link to each of the designs to our inspiration board (link info provided below). If you post an image, be sure to credit the source of the image in the image caption.

Each post should include a written note addressing the following two points:

• Name a specific design principle that is nicely applied and explain why/how it has been well applied.
• Say something about what you like about the work in non-technical terms (a feeling you get from it, what draws you to it, etc).

This assignment is intended to help you find inspirations for your other assignments as you work through this course. I strongly recommend that you work through this assignment slowly throughout the semester, adding about one post per week as you work through the course. The practice of writing about design is also intended to help you with peer evaluations.

Submission Instructions:

Just post your contributions to the 'Inspiration' padlet (link url:https://padlet.com/jofrea1/inspiration-board-sh04im1rxtm9zr6f, password is IDT534).The padlet is organized in columns. One column for each participant. Find the column that has your name on it, and post all your contributions to your section. I will grade all contributions that have been posted by or before December 10. Do not email any submissions to me.

Assignment: Pattern Design (5% Due Sept 3)

This exercise is intended to help us gain intuition for how to capture a viewer’s attention with design elements. (The idea is drawn from Lupton page 157.)

Create a pattern with a repeating element. Add an element that is different and easy to find. Add another element that is different but hard to find.

Here are some examples.

Submission Instructions (submit by Sept 3)

Submit the following to me, via email, with the subject line "Pattern Design Submission":

• An image file of the pattern you created.
• A detailed explanation of your process and design rationale

(Preferably, both together in a single document entitled "PatternDesign_YourName".)

Post your image file to the 'Projects' padlet (url:https://padlet.com/jofrea1/idt-534-projects-37eruuv4q5ltsc6r, password is IDT534) The padlet is organized in columns. One column for each project. Post your image under the 'Pattern Design' column. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR POST IS ANONYMOUS.

Evaluation (Total 5)

Process and Design Rationale are clearly explained (2)
Visual design accomplished the stated goal (2)
Visual design has aesthetic appeal (1)

Assignment: Layout Design (20% Project Due Sept 24, Peer Review Due Oct 1)

Find a quote or a saying that inspires you. It must be no longer than 10 words.

Create a design that lays these words out on a page in dynamic ways. Consider the different ways in which the text can be read, and how to bring those out visually. Think about different ways that the text can be ordered, and/or different parts of the text that could be emphasized to bring new meaning into the text. Do not add any images or icons here. You may include nonrepresentational graphic elements, such as dividing lines and sections. You must explain your rationale for all design decisions that you make.

In this assignment, you will be reviewing a peer's work, and you will be graded on your review.

Submission Instructions (submit by Sept. 24, 10%)

Submit the following to me, via email, with the subject line "Layout Design Submission":

• An image file of the layout you created.
• A detailed explanation of your process and design rationale
(Preferably, both together in a single document entitled "LayoutDesign_YourName.)

Post your image file to the 'Projects' padlet (url:https://padlet.com/jofrea1/idt-534-projects-37eruuv4q5ltsc6r, password is IDT534) The padlet is organized in columns. One column for each project. Post your image under the 'Layout Design' column. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR POST IS ANONYMOUS.

Peer Review Instructions (submit by Oct. 1, 10%)

Select one of the submitted images from the 'Layout Design' column. Write the comment 'reviewed' under your selected image. MAKE SURE YOUR COMMENT IS ANNONYMOUS. Do not select an image that is already marked reviewed.

Submit the following to me, via email, with the subject line "Layout Design Review:

• The image that you are reviewing
• Your written evaluation
(Preferably, both together in a single document entitled "LayoutDesign_REVIEW_YourName".)

Your written evaluation must include the following:

• A description of the work, which includes:
  • Observations about how your eye moves through the composition.
  • Observations about the visual weight of elements in the composition
• Your interpretation of the work (how are you reading it?)
• What do you think the designer is trying to achieve with this layout?
Do not include scores on your evaluation. If something is poorly done, explain why and how it could be done better. If something is well done, explain why it works in terms of design principles.

Evaluation (Total 20)

Layout Design 10

• Process and Design Rationale are clearly explained: 4
• Visual design accomplished the stated goal: 4
• Visual design has aesthetic appeal: 2

Peer Review 10

Assignment: Brand Design (25% Project Due Oct 22, Peer Review Due Oct 29)

In this project, consider how design elements communicate emotion and personality. Come up with something that you want to brand. It could be yourself, your company, an imaginary company, etc.

Create a set of branding guidelines, and then create an artifact based on those guidelines. Your artifact could be a poster, a mock webpage, a brochure, or any 2-D graphic artifact.

Your brand guidelines must be packaged to include: your logo, your fonts, your colors, two or three sample images, and representative keywords. You must package your brand guidelines in a visually appealing way that conveys your brand.

Your artifact must clearly apply your brand guidelines and convey your brand.

Include a description of how you applied 2 different principles of design, and a discussion about the emotions and personality expressed through your design (see Lupton, Chapter 2).

Submission Instructions (submit by Oct 22, 15%)

Submit the following to me, via email, with the subject line "Brand Design":

• A pdf file of your branding guidelines.
• An image (or pdf) file of the artifact you created.
• A detailed explanation of your process and design rationale.

(Preferably, all three together in a single document entitled "BrandDesign_YourName".)

Post your artifact to the 'Projects' padlet (url:https://padlet.com/jofrea1/idt-534-projects-37eruuv4q5ltsc6r, password is IDT534). Post the image under the 'Brand Design' column. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR POST IS ANONYMOUS.

Peer Review Instructions (submit by Oct 29, 10%)

Select one of the submitted images from the 'Brand Design' column. Write the comment 'reviewed' under your selected image. MAKE SURE YOUR COMMENT IS ANNONYMOUS. Do not select an image that has already been marked 'reviewed'.

Submit the following to me, via email, with the subject line "Brand Design Review":

• The image that you are reviewing
• Your written evaluation

(Preferably, both together in a single document entitled "BrandDesign_REVIEW_YourName".)

Your written evaluation must include the following:

• A description of the work, which includes:
  • Observations about the design principles applied.
  • Observations about the emotions and personality the work conveys.
• What are some keywords that you would use to describe this designer's brand?

Do not include scores on your evaluation. If something is poorly done, explain why and how it could be done better. If something is well done, explain why it works in terms of design principles.

Evaluation (Total 25)

Branding Guidelines 5

• All items are included (logo, fonts, colors, images, and keywords)
• Your brand is clearly conveyed

Brand Artifact 5

• Your design follows the brand guidelines
• Your brand is clearly conveyed
• Visual design has aesthetic appeal

Explanation 5

• Includes a clear description of your brand.
• Decisions about fonts, colors, and other design elements are clearly explained.

Peer Review 10

Assignment: Visual Life Story (40% Project due Nov 26, Peer Review due Dec. 3)

Come up with a way to visualize your life. The format for this work could be a poster or a brochure, a booklet, webpage, or whatever fits. The artifact should contain at least three different visualizations. These can include (but are not limited to):

• Visualizations of things you own or collect
• Visualizations of your interests and/or hobbies
• Maps of places you've lived and/or traveled
• Visualizations of your education
• Visualizations of your skill sets
• Timeline of key events in your life

The goal is to convey your personality, your story, and at least three pieces of information. The information must be communicated visually, with a minimum of text.

Consider balance in composition when bringing different types of information together, and the design principles that can help augment aesthetic appeal. Your composition should appear unified, and not come across as a collection of visualizations.

Consider design elements that convey emotion and personality. How are you using, font, colors, symbols, and visual metaphors? Consider how the eye moves through the page, and what information is prioritized.

Submission Instructions (submit by Nov 26, 30%)

Submit the following to me, via email, with the subject line "Visual Life Submission":

• An image or pdf file of your visual life story. (You may also submit a link if you make a webpage)
• A detailed explanation of your process and design rationale.

(Preferably, all together in a single document entitled "VisualLife_YourName.)

Post the image file of your artifact to the 'Projects' padlet (url:https://padlet.com/jofrea1/idt-534-projects-37eruuv4q5ltsc6r, password is IDT534). Post the image under the 'Visual Life Story' column. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR POST IS ANONYMOUS.

Peer Review Instructions (submit by Dec. 3, 10%)

Select one of the submitted images from the Visual Life Story' column. Write the comment 'reviewed' under your selected image. MAKE SURE YOUR COMMENT IS ANNONYMOUS. Do not select an image that has already been marked 'reviewed'.

Submit the following to me, via email, with the subject line "Visual Life Review":

• The image that you are reviewing
• Your written evaluation

(Preferably, both together in a single document entitled "VisualLife_REVIEW_YourName".)
Do not include scores on your evaluation. If something is poorly done, explain why and how it could be done better. If something is well done, explain why it works in terms of design principles.

Evaluation (Total 40)

Artifact 20

• Information is communicated clearly through the visual design
• Personality and emotion are conveyed through the design
• Visual design accomplished the stated goal
• Visual design has aesthetic appeal

Explanation 10

• Clearly state the goal of this work. Who is the audience? What do you hope this work will accomplish? (examples can include but are not limited to: you hope that this work can get you hired, showcase an expertise, help you connect with people with common interests, get upvotes on reddit, and so on)
• Decisions about fonts, colors, and other design elements are clearly explained in terms of the emotions and personality they are intended to convey.
• Decisions about how you chose to visualize different types of information should be clearly explained.

Peer Revew 10

• Describe the work, and the information being conveyed.
• Observe the design principles applied.
• Observe the emotions and personality the work conveys.