Tumblr Class Account

OK, we're going to share an account at Tumbler for class inspiration. It'll work better than the blog post as we can add links, images and video easily and have all the material in one spot. It will be much more accesible than trolling through the comments of find and share.

Here's the URL: http://infoarch.tumblr.com/

I'll send everyone an email with our shared login and password.

Have at it!

FIND & SHARE

Post it here!

{Point of View} Research, Understanding Content, Concepting Visualization

You will be gathering content beyond the essays to use in this project. To supplement the reading experience, designer photographs, images of work representing designer and theme, charts, timelines, etc., should populate the design to add layers of content to the reading experience. Investigate timelines and facts surrounding both designers and subject matter.

For studio and homework collect images and facts around our designers and themes. Sketch possible ways to distill and visualize complex content to add to the reading experience.


Friday 29 January

in class

• talk about modernism, post-, massi, kathy 
• look at ad-hoc info arch eye candy
• group brainstorming for content development
• concept & sketch ideas for information graphics

homework

• find and share a timeline based info graph, bar chart, pie chart, and one representational diagram
• sketch out ideas for our content, timelines of designers, modernism & post modernism ....
• gather images and content related to our themes

{Point of View} Outlining & Mind Mapping Tools

Outlining with Word

Word's notebook view is great for outlining content. You can collapse content to save space and easily drag text to different hierarchy levels, also, the visual interface with the lined notebook style may look goofy, but really is effective . The rightmost icon in the lower left menu bar will activate this view.

Mindmapping with MindMeister

MindMeister is an awesome online collaborative mindmapping tool that has a free edition allowing you to have up to 6 mindmaps. http://www.mindmeister.com/

We will be exploring sitemapping and wireframing content for the web in the final project, so these tools will be useful throughout the semester, and beyond.

{Point of View} Reading & Outlining

Read the essays below. Create a simple outline and analysis of each text (can be made in any program: Word, SimpleText, InDesign, etc.) to use as a guide in your design process. Break down the text into the core ideas and arguments within. What is the author saying and how are they supporting their position or negating a different position? How do you feel or interpret what they are saying? Do you agree, disagree or are you ambivalent?

about modernism

Massimo Vignelli: Long Live Modernism!

Kathy McCoy: Rethinking Modernism, Revising Functionalism

Bring your outline to our next class, be ready to discuss.

Project One :: {Point of View}

description
Create a web page comparing two texts about design. Through your reading, analysis, and point of view, you will be able to design each text in a way that: brings relevant points to light, compares contrasting or aligning ideas, brings supplemental information in context with the text, or pits objective legibility and order against subjective interpretation.

objectives

• understand point of view and context in design
• develop visuals and diagrams based on research
• use diagrams and supplemental information to enrich content
• use design to present information in as objective a manner as possible
• explore subjectivity and objectivity within design
• explore CSS, Javascript and HTML as design tools

in class kickoff

Break up into four groups and spend 1.5 hours researching and creating a 5 minute presentation of the four following topics online:

• Modernism – Group 1
• Postmodernism – Group 2
• Massimo Vignelli – Group 3
• Katherine McCoy – Group 4

Present to class. Discuss. Go to lunch.

What is Information Architecture?

The analysis, design, and display of information to aid speed, and depth, of understanding.

general course objectives

• engage in the specified design process from ideation to execution
• employ refined image making, composition and typographic sensibilities
• professionally document process and final artifacts
• engaging in a developing dialog about information architecture (through readings, class crits and show+tell)

info arch objectives

• mapping, structuring and visualizing complex content
• present content in a manner that is useful and meaningful, accessible and engaging
• explore various navigational structures
• investigate processes for giving form to online content
• understand limits and advantages of designing for online

Read the intro to Information Architects by Richard Saul Wurman.