project 03 :: small group critiques

Today in class we met in small groups and presented our initial design ideas. It was helpful to get others' insight into the organization of our systems – it helped me think about things I hadn't considered yet.

At the beginning of class, I had already defined my user and the content I wanted to include, but I had not fully decided on what form my project would take.

Audience: college-aged students and young professionals living in Des Moines
Content: a resource highlighting the trails in downtown Des Moines (from Fleur Dr to the Des Moines River), how they connect, and amenities along the way.

After talking with the group it seemed like a mobile website or app would make the most sense for my audience and the function I want this information design piece to have.

I spent the rest of class continuing my research. I found Google Maps to be an extremely helpful resource. Using the satellite view function, I was able to follow each of the trails I want to include and made a list of attractions, amenities, parking lots, and connection points along the way.

Then I did some brainstorming over how I want to organize the information in this resource.  I don't want to create any sort of GPS or map device that will compete with Google Maps, because Google Maps is already a high-functioning and sophisticated product.

Instead, I want to create a resource that will help the user visualize the city in a new way, and be able to see how the trails around Gray's Lake and the Des Moines River connect and how they can be taken into the city, as well.

So, I drew up a sketch of "districts," which might be a helpful way to visualize this information.

Then, working from this visualization, I could model the app or mobile website off of this system of organization. This is a rough sketch of what the structure of some of the screens might include:

Stay tuned for further updates!

project 03 :: research

I have looked at several different maps, forums, and other online resources to gather information about the trails in Des Moines – specifically the "Downtown Des Moines Trail Loops."

This collection of trails includes Kruidenier Trail (Gray's Lake), Meredith Trail, MLK Trail, and Principal Riverwalk.

Some other maps I found:

I also downloaded the Iowa by Trail app created by the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation and Shift Interactive and got some good ideas in how users are used to viewing and interacting with information like the kind I am dealing with. I took note of the placement, size, and organization of the various icons & information.

Google Maps has also been an extremely valuable resource to have an birds-eye view of where each of the paths connect and what parking lots and other attractions are located along each path. 

project 03 :: examples of information design

Good ::

Poor ::

project 03 :: project statement

The title of this project is Information Design.

We are going to create a way to visualize a set of complex information for the Des Moines bus routes and schedules, Des Moines trails and greenways, or the Des Moines parks and recreation areas.

I have chosen to create an information design for the Des Moines trails and greenways. To narrow down the subject a bit, I intend to focus on the trails in downtown Des Moines specifically. I want to create a resource for college students or young professionals that clearly lays out how the various trails that run through downtown Des Moines are all connected, and how they can be used to get to the most scenic and iconic parts of the city.

project 03 :: reading response 02

Reading response in reference to excerpts from:

Maeda, John. The Laws of Simplicity. 2006. Law 2: Organize, 11-21.

1. According to Maeda, the acronym SLIP stands for Sort, Label, Integrate, and Prioritize. This is a process of deciding "what goes with what." I was pleased to read about this, because last summer I read a book about increasing productivity in workflow, and the author laid out a very similar process! I have since used a process of sorting, labeling, integrating, and prioritizing my everyday tasks and projects using an app on my phone called Todoist, and have found it to be extremely helpful. I will walk through Maeda's SLIP process using my own experience.

First, it is important to SORT each individual piece of information into various categories. For example, if I had a list of tasks that looked like this:

• finish class project
• call Jenna
• clean bathroom
• register for classes
• grocery shopping
• get dinner with Heather

I would sort them into categories, where like goes with like.

• finish class project
• register for classes

• clean bathroom
• grocery shopping

• get dinner with Heather
• call Jenna

Next, I would LABEL the categories. For example:

• School
• finish class project
• register for classes
• Home
• clean bathroom
• Errands
• grocery shopping
• Social
• get dinner with Heather
• call Jenna

Then, I would INTEGRATE some of the categories, to have as few categories as possible. In this case, Home & Errands can probably be consolidated.

• School
• finish class project
• register for classes
• Home
• clean bathroom
• grocery shopping
• Social
• get dinner with Heather
• call Jenna

Finally, I would PRIORITIZE these items by determining which tasks were most important and then setting due dates on them.

2. The sentence that most resonated with me from this reading was:

"Organization makes a system of many appear fewer."

For an organizational junkie like me, this is so true. Whether it is a to-do-list, a cluttered room, or files on a computer, whenever these things are organized, it seems like there are fewer items to take care of! And fewer items is less overwhelming.

project 03 :: reading response 01

Reading response in reference to excerpts from:

Visocky O’Grady, Jenn and Ken. The Information Design Handbook. 2008.

1. The excerpt from this reading offers helpful information about the differences between an icon, a symbol, and an index. 

An icon is a literal visual representation of something. For example, this is an icon of a camera. There is not necessarily a connotation associated with it; it is simply a depiction of a camera.

http://www.freeiconspng.com/free-images/camera-icon-52

On the other hand, a symbol is an abstract representation of something. For example, the Nike logo is a symbol. It is an abstract form associated with the Nike brand, but apart from that association, it has no inherent meaning.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a6/Logo_NIKE.svg/2000px-Logo_NIKE.svg.png

Finally, an index deals with representation by connection. The depiction below of a man and a woman is more than an icon because it is connected with showing people where the restroom is. Therefore, it is an index.

http://clipart-library.com/clipart/kc8ngXKzi.htm

2. A new principle or theory that I found interesting from this reading was thinking about wayfinding in terms of points, lines, and planes (pp. 72). This principle says that points are places, landmarks, or signs, lines are perceived boundaries or the paths that lead us from one point to another, and planes are the larger groupings of like information. I think this way of visualizing and thinking conceptually about creating wayfinding resources is helpful!

3. 4 "Quick Tips" from the reading that I want to apply to my information design project:

• Provide help at decision points
• I chose this one because I think it will help me decide where to provide the most useful information within my design. Make sure to target where people will need to make decisions!
• Don't reinvent the wheel
• I want to make sure to conduct research into methods, symbols, icons, and indexes already in place and make efficient use of them within my information design. It will be easier for both me and my users if I capitalize on what already works!
• 70 is the magic number
• I've never heard this idea of 70% contrast being the perfect amount before! This will be helpful, especially if my information design would be implemented outdoors and viewed from a far distance.
• Provide options
• This will be important for me to remember going forward. I want to make sure to accommodate a variety of users by structuring the information in a way that "allows the reader to attain multiple levels of understanding, from overview to expert."