Information Design - Exercise 1

 Teo Mei Hui / 0358315

Information Design/ Bachelors of Design (Honors) in Creative Media / Taylor's University

Exercise 1

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INSTRUCTIONS

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TASK

Exercise 1: 

Gather a set of objects and separate it into category such as color, shape, pattern, and other quantifiable factor.

Example:

1. Box of Lego

2. Jar of button

3. Jar of marble ball

4. Set of colourful rubber strap

In this exercise you're required to quantify our chosen objects and arrange them into a presentable layout or chart. 

The information must be presented as is, and you need to arrange the objects with relevant indicators written out with pens to help you to visualize the quantity and data. The examples of objects that can be use are buttons, coins, lego pieces, M&Ms, and more.

Data

I chose to use cash, because I did not have other suitable objects to use, and I thought MYR notes were really pretty and would be interesting to experiment with. 

Figure 1.1 Unsorted data

Sorting Data

I sorted the MYR notes according to value.

Figure 1.2 Sorted data

Arranging Data

Then, I rolled the MYR notes so that it would be easier to arrange and save space.

Figure 1.3 Arranged data

Presenting Data Visually

I tried out different ways to present the MYR notes.

Figure 1.4 Attempt #1

Figure 1.5 Attempt #2

Figure 1.6 Attempt #3

Figure 1.7 Attempt #7

Draft

I wanted to make the MYR notes sort of like petals of a tree, but the branches ended up looking weird, and I felt like it was too illustrative to the point of making it messy and less professional. As a result, I discarded this draft.

Figure 1.8 Draft

Inspired by Mr. Fauzi's feedback, I decided to present about what beverages can be bought with the amount of money from each category. I color coordinated the visual elements to match the color of the MYR notes. I also added the circle elements at the top according to the amount of MYR notes there were for each category.

Figure 1.9 Process

Final Quantifiable Information

Figure 1.8 Final Quantifiable Information

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FEEDBACK

Week 1

Yes, you can fold or roll up the MYR notes. See which part of the MYR notes that you want to present, is it the flower, the value or the history. Try to sketch out your idea first if you're feeling stuck. For the narrative it can be something like for example, how many boba tea can i buy with RM xxx, then you illustrate the amount of boba tea.

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REFLECTION

This exercise felt pretty fun and interesting. In the beginning, I did not really have any suitable set of objects to be categorized. Then, I remembered that I have more cash than I usually do since it was Chinese New Year. Considering the vibrant colors and beautiful design of our Ringgit Malaysia, I thought it would be a great idea and I would be able to design a beautiful presentation of information. The difficult part was creating a "narrative/story" for the presentation of data, which I did not really understand at first. Thanks to Mr. Fauzi's feedback and suggestions, I was inspired to present the information as prices of different beverages in Malaysia, that way I can color coordinate it with the color of the MYR notes too. This exercise had less limitations so I was able to have fun with designing the visuals while still being able to experiment with how to present information in a way that is easy to understand. Overall it was a good learning experience.