Information Design_Exercise
5/2/2025-19/3/2025
Ruthlene Chua Zhen Si 0365222
Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media
- Instruction
- Lectures
- Class Summaries
- Task
- Exercise 1 (Quantifiable Information)
- Exercise 2 (L.A.T.C.H information poster)
- JUMPLINK TO:
- PROJECT 1 &1.2
- PROJECT 2 (GROUP PROJECT)
- Feedbacks
- Reflections
INSTRUCTION
Class Summaries
Week 1_5/2/2025 : Introduction to Infographics
Infographics are a great way to present information in a visually engaging and easy-to-understand format. They combine text, images, and design elements to make data and ideas more digestible. Compared to traditional text-based content, infographics capture attention more effectively and improve retention.
- Types of Infographics
- There are eight main types of infographics, each serving a different purpose:
- List Infographics – Organize information into a structured list while using visuals to enhance readability.
- Statistical Infographics – Present data using charts, graphs, and percentage indicators to make statistics easier to interpret.
- How-to Infographics – Break down a process or task into clear, step-by-step instructions using visuals.
- Timeline Infographics – Showcase events, historical developments, or progressions in a chronological sequence.
- Comparison Infographics – Help compare two or more options side-by-side to highlight differences and similarities.
- Map/Location Infographics – Display geographical or demographic data through maps and location-based visuals.
- Flowchart Infographics – Represent processes or decision-making steps through a structured flow of information.
- Process Description Infographics – Outline complex processes by breaking them into key steps with clear visual representation.
- Why Use Infographics?
- Simplifies complex information – Visuals help break down large amounts of data into easily digestible pieces.
- Enhances engagement – People are naturally drawn to images, making infographics more appealing than plain text.
- Improves retention – Information presented visually is more likely to be remembered.
- Provides quick insights – Infographics make it easier to grasp key points at a glance.
Week 2_12/2/2025 : L.A.T.C.H. Theory, Organizing Information Effectively
Information can seem endless, but there are only five fundamental ways to organize it: Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, and Hierarchy—also known as L.A.T.C.H.. These principles, introduced by Richard Saul Wurman, help structure information in a way that makes sense to users.
- 1. Location
- Organizing content based on its physical or digital location.
- Often used in maps, directories, or store layouts.
- 2. Alphabet
- Sorting information alphabetically—one of the simplest and most universal methods.
- Works well for dictionaries, glossaries, or contact lists.
- But remember: The labels should be meaningful to users!
- 3. Time
- Arranging information based on chronological order.
- Common in timelines, news feeds, or historical records.
- Social media platforms rely on this heavily (e.g., newest posts appearing first).
- 4. Category
- Grouping information based on shared characteristics or topics.
- One of the most widely used methods in websites and apps.
- Helps users quickly find relevant content (e.g., online stores categorizing products).
- Tip: Use tools like Card Sorting to create categories that make sense to your audience.
- 5. Hierarchy
- Ordering content by importance, size, cost, popularity, etc.
- Examples: Price filters (Low to High), ranking systems, or bestsellers lists.
Week 3_19/2/2025 : Understanding Cognitive Limits
Effective communication is often hindered by interruptions and misunderstandings. One key challenge is the limitation of short-term memory, which affects how much information individuals can retain and process at a given time.
- Miller’s Law: “The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two”
- According to psychologist George A. Miller, the human brain can retain approximately seven items (±2) in short-term memory. If the number of information units exceeds this limit, retention becomes significantly more difficult. Additionally, short-term memory has a limited duration of around 30 seconds, unless the information is reinforced through repetition or organization.
- Cognitive Overload and the Paradox of Choice
- Miller’s Law underscores a crucial issue in information processing—cognitive overload. When individuals are presented with excessive information or too many choices, decision-making becomes overwhelming. This phenomenon, known as the Paradox of Choice, suggests that an abundance of options can lead to indecision and reduced comprehension.
- Strategies for Effective Information Processing
- To enhance comprehension and retention, information should be structured in a way that aligns with cognitive limitations:
- Chunking: Grouping related information into smaller, manageable units improves recall. This technique is commonly applied in numbering systems (e.g., phone numbers).
- Simplification: Reducing unnecessary complexity helps users focus on essential content.
- Prioritization: Highlighting key information ensures that the most critical points are retained.
Week 4_26/2/2025 : Understanding Human Memory Limits
- Key Concept: "The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two"
- Humans can hold about 7 items (±2) in short-term memory.
- Exceeding this limit makes it harder to remember information.
- Short-term memory lasts only about 30 seconds unless reinforced.
- Why Does This Matter?
- Too much information at once leads to cognitive overload (difficulty processing and remembering).
- This is known as the Paradox of Choice—too many options can cause confusion and indecision.
- How to Make Information Easier to Remember
- Chunking – Group information into smaller, meaningful sections (e.g., phone numbers).
- Simplification – Reduce unnecessary details to focus on key points.
- Prioritization – Highlight the most important information first.
- Repetition – Reinforce key details to improve retention.
- Practical Applications
- In design, limit choices and organize content into sections.
- In communication, break down complex messages into digestible parts.
- In education, structure lessons to avoid information overload.
Week 5_5/3/2025: Constructive Workflow
- 1. Thought Process & Workflow Alignment
- Align mental processes with digital workflows for efficiency.
- Balancing left and right brain thinking helps structure ideas effectively.
- Logical structuring makes thoughts easier to process and implement digitally.
- 2. Understanding Computer Language
- Computers operate through structured logic—understanding this improves workflow efficiency.
- Thinking in a structured manner allows better communication with digital tools.
- Breaking down complex ideas into simpler, executable steps leads to better results.
- 3. Mental Overload & Focus
- Too much unstructured information causes mental clutter.
- Reducing unnecessary steps helps maintain focus.
- Organizing thoughts clearly leads to smoother execution of tasks.
- 4. The Role of Digital Tools
- Digital workflows should match the way you think and work best.
- Optimizing tools to fit cognitive patterns improves productivity.
- Automation & structuring reduce repetitive thinking and task overload.'
- 5. Constructive Thinking & Problem-Solving
- Approach tasks with a clear structure before execution.
- Divide complex tasks into manageable chunks for better handling.
- Use a logical flow when solving problems—starting with core ideas and expanding systematically.
- 6. Maintaining an Efficient Workflow
- Identify bottlenecks in how you work and optimize them.
- Workflows should be adaptive and evolve with changing needs.
- Keeping a consistent structure improves efficiency in handling multiple tasks.
Exercise 1_Quantifiable Information
For this exercise, we need to collect a set of objects and sort them into categories based on things like color, shape, or pattern. The goal is to turn raw data into a visual representation by arranging the objects in a clear and organized way, almost like a chart. Everything should be presented as it is, without any modifications, and we need to write out labels by hand to highlight the quantities. We can use items like buttons, coins, Lego pieces, M&Ms, or anything similar to create our display.
As for this exercise, I choose buttons as my data, I don't actually know what was the quantity for the buttons.
Figure: All the buttons that i gathered as information
Figure: Divided into different colors.
Figure: Create a list for the information, similar to a rectangular chart.
Figure: Information in swirl formation
Figure: More details and clear version of the information buttons
Figure: List the information in more detail and in a more structured manner
Exercise 2_LATCH infographic poster
For this task, the goal is to create a visual poster that organizes information using at least four LATCH principles: Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, and Hierarchy. This must be done in a clear and engaging infographic format using digital photo editing or illustration software. While reusing some images is okay, the rest of the visuals should be created from scratch to complete the design.
Create an infographic that visually represents different processes instead of using text. The focus is on analyzing how design choices, structure, and layout influence the effectiveness of the infographic. While content matters, the main goal is to evaluate the delivery mechanisms that affect how well the information is presented and understood. Use critical thinking and ideation strategies to assess, refine, and improve the design for better clarity and impact.
So for this particular assignment , I choose My little pony animation television series season one as the data. After getting the confirmation from the lectures I started working on it. Then, I search Wikipedia for the data, and I list out the Data in the google Doc.
Figure: Wikipedia data of My Little Pony movie characters
This is the data that I have gathered, I divided them into several pieces of information:
- L=Location (where they live)
- A=Alphabetical (When listing out the other data I will list out following the Alphabetically)
- T= Time ( I will list out the pony appearance from episode 1 to episode 24, and arrange the episode release order from earliest to latest )
- C= Category ( I will arrange the Colors in rainbow color order *but I found some of the pony colors don't fit in the category of rainbow, so I changed the idea*; I changed to divide their pony species *4 types in total*)
- H= Hierarchy (Arrange by pony power: weakest at the lowest, strongest on the top)
Figure: Data arrangement and Sorting
Before designing the infographic poster, inspiration was gathered from Pinterest by searching for infographic posters. This resulted in many ideas and a surge of creativity.
Figure: Reference information graphic poster
Then I started to draw some sketches for the infographic poster, although it was a little bit rough.
Figure: Rough sketches in notes
The sketches were digitized in AI, and the third one was chosen as the infographic poster. The design focused on the middle section, making the structure visually striking.
Figure: First and second sketches
Figure: Third and fourth sketches
After some consideration, the third sketch was chosen for the design and information layout. However, it didn’t work out as expected. Upon realizing this, it became clear that some design concepts couldn’t function properly because the layout was too cramped for organizing information. This made everything more complicated and chaotic, leaving no choice but to switch to a different design for a more refined and effective result.
Figure: The process of making sketches number 3
Figure: The movie character living places map
Then, I cropped some images from online sources that represent the different character types in the movie, showcasing their species and character settings.
Figure: One of them is a representative image of the Pony species.
Not only that, but the entire poster was improved to enhance its visual clarity and information delivery. The alignment and hierarchy were adjusted, and arrows were added to provide hints and indicate where the information should be conveyed.
Figure: Process of improving the entire poster
Each character has a unique representative symbol. For the entire poster, the plan was not to rely solely on text, as that would make it feel uninteresting and cluttered. The main goal was to use mostly graphics to convey information about the movie series effectively.
Figure: Representative symbol of every single character in the movie
To make every single symbols looks even and tidy, I crop them into same size circle and present them in the poster.
Figure: Cropping pictures and symbols into same shape same size icons
As the work progressed further, it felt like the layout could be refined to reduce complexity and make it look more organized. Therefore, adjustments were made to improve the overall design.
Figure: 1st version of the poster
Last but not least, this is the final outcome of the infographic poster. It could be improved even further with more learning in the future. This information graphic course has been quite interesting, as it taught valuable skills in conveying information clearly and effectively.
Figure: Final outcome of the poster
Feedbacks
Week 1: You brought many types of buttons, and you can present multiple methods and various types of information analysis. For example, color and size, the number of holes in the middle button, or patterns. You can break down the information about the buttons into more details.
Week 2: You can choose characters from "My Little Pony" as the theme for your information poster, but you need to make sure that there are at least four types of information. The data analysis charts you're showing me now can be categorized in many ways. You can combine two types of information into one graphic, such as the alphabetical order of names and types. Try to make the categorization of your information poster more unique. The higher the readability and attractiveness, the better the effect of attracting the audience. Remember to use typography and design principles you've learned to present your information graphic poster, such as hierarchy, font family selection, and grids...
Week 3: The sketch you presented is a bit cluttered, and it's hard for me to understand. However, you must pay attention to whether the layout and typography are correct. You can look for references online to get inspiration and ideas, which will help elevate your work.
Reflection
Observation
Throughout the tasks, I observed how powerful infographics are in presenting complex data in a visually engaging and digestible format. The use of the L.A.T.C.H. principles (Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, Hierarchy) helped in organizing information in a clear and structured way. I also realized the importance of simplifying content to avoid overwhelming the viewer, focusing on prioritization and chunking information to enhance comprehension.
Experience
In the first exercise, I sorted buttons into categories based on color, size, and pattern. This taught me the value of organizing raw data visually. For the infographic poster, I used "My Little Pony" characters and applied L.A.T.C.H. to categorize the data. Initial sketches were cluttered, but through feedback and revisions, I simplified the design to improve clarity and readability. This hands-on experience reinforced the significance of design elements like typography, layout, and hierarchy in creating effective visuals.
Findings
I found that successful infographics strike a balance between simplicity and detail. While it's essential not to overwhelm the audience, providing enough context is key. The iterative process of sketching, receiving feedback, and refining the design helped me understand how to guide the viewer through the information effectively. These tasks have sharpened my design skills and reinforced the importance of clear, structured communication in visual formats.
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