Learn experience for future Development-Design 2 report

Brief 1

Flaws of the smart city

By embedding sensors in the streets, the smart city is under constant surveillance. People’s activities are tracked and recorded by CCTV anytime and anywhere. This studio session looks at the social role and ethical practices of speculative critical design. Even someone took a picture of you while you are out on the streets they can scan it and cross-reference it against photo databases to get a match. With the city becoming more and more transparent, privacy is a major concern and speculative critical design can help to connect people to privacy issues which appear incredibly complex. Mapping, drawing, collage , prototype, collect, making a zine and creating data wall can help designers to form strategies that are realistic and empathetic. Finally, the presentation from Studio Kin encompassed everything we’ve learnt in this studio and how these skills are implemented in the industry today.

The most useful and interesting insight I have gained from this studio is the importance of research methods for communication design. Before this journey, design research (for me) was about collecting texts, images to make mood boards. Without downgrading the importance of these methods,
there is a lot more to research than that. In the design for the flaws of smart city studio I have gained an understanding of specific research methods such as quick drawing, collage, case studies, creating research zine, especially making a design fiction. These methods help designers understand the complexity of the problems and then develop strategies for speculative critical design to the flaws of smart city that actually have some validity and meaning. These ways of creating design fiction were very helpful in speculative critical design.

In the speculative critical design for smart city I have changed my design thinking that the designer no longer attempts to generate answers, but instead aims to formulate really great questions. Design fiction can be understood as both a discipline and a method for my future design practice, because design fiction focuses on the methodological approach, the functional characteristic of the method can be described as a way to envision new strategies in the distant future. It can help me identify insights gained through critical incidents in the design process and activities in the future practice. This field of practice is not futile and that I can continue to develop my skills in speculative critical thinking for design challenge and sustainable design strategies.

Reference:

What is design fiction https://www.quora.com/What-is-design-fiction

Bruce Sterling:  Interactions Article on Design Fictions:http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1516021

Brent, Bill:Make a zine! : a guide to self-publishing disguised as a book on how to produce a zine

Brief 2

Data visualization

Design for using data to tell a story in a visual way, in my study the story is about one-way traffic system in Winchester. The studio looked at practices of designing data visualization. The One-way traffic system is normal in our daily lives. I think the project requires in-depth use of data to tell a story or deliver information. Mapping and case studies are useful tools for us to create data visualization. By studying good examples, we gain some principles creating data visualization. A good data visualization design is distinguished by three main key points, visualization, story telling, and interactivity. And I find the more you incorporate the components into your content, the better the data visualization.

My specific insight from this studio is how to efficiently tell a clear story. The audience wants to know the story or knowledge derived from our data visualization. This is important in this studio because we need to design an exhibition of the end of brief 2. My initial strategy focuses on the form of the data visualization. This turned out to be wrong. I realized my strategy actually required a great consideration of
content rather than form. In the Design for data visualization for one-way traffic system I have gained an understanding of using visual language to tell a story. These principle helps a designer understand the design brief, and create a efficient and useful design. By building skills in case studying, And a good example can give you a lot of inspiration, you can immediately learn  some of the design skills and knowledge. For example, color matching, how to set the font size, the locations of text blocks, etc. I think this studio has challenged and strengthened a range of my personal and professional skills as a designer: how my story can appeal to the target audience, how they might interact with the strategy and how I can develop a long-term connection between my strategy and the audience.

In the Design for data visualization I have changed my approach to design
from a focus on things to a focus on ways. The data visualization makes recognizing this pattern and outliers as easy as watching a short time-lapsed video. people can easily consume the data if it is properly visualized. This is a useful tool for people to analyse data, find out problems, and receive specific insights in real lives.

 

Brief 3

Collect

This studio session, design for collect, looks at collecting a variety of research material relevant to my final project topic. Tangible media is my final project topic. Tangible media is a complex topic into practical outcomes, so it requires in-depth research on this knowledge for me to deepen my understanding of the topic, define an area of focus and establish the problems that will drive my final project. Quantitative and qualitative collection, case studies, and Pecha Kucha as tools help designer to form strategies that drive my final project. All of this helped me develop a deeper, personal understanding of the strategy, which I felt, was conveyed in my final project. The new knowledge, Pecha Kucha, will be used in my future practice.

The most useful and interesting insight I have gained from IDEO method. Before this journey, design research (for me) was about making mood boards and identifying basic issue. Without downgrading the importance of these methods,
I now recognize that there can be a lot more to research than that. I think IDEO method is a useful tool to inspire design, because it also keeps people at the center of my work. From this methods I have gained an understanding of specific research methods such as extreme user interviews, experience prototype and camera journal. These ways of the extreme user interviews is very helpful in designing my final project.

Brief 4

Research magazine

This studio session, research magazine, looks at using the publishing process to comprehend final research and establish a clear brief for understanding my final project.

The most useful and interesting insight I have gained from this studio is the importance of identifies the communication design problems. Before this journey, I think that create a design magazine only need to put the image of art works in the magazine, with the text about the inspiration of the work process, and the meaning of the works. Without downgrading the importance of design challenge,
I now recognise that there can be a lot more to research than that. My initial strategy does not pay more attention to identify the problems and insights. I was trying to think about the form or materials of my final exhibition. And also I did not make very clear correlations between tangible media and long-distance relationship. I realized my strategy required a great consideration of
finding an interesting insight from my topic. By building skills in mapping I made very clear correlations between tangible media and long-distance relationship. Strengthening my skills in interviewing and researching helped me to develop a persona understanding in this area. Design challenge is human-centered; it requires in-depth research on people and issues that affect them. So identify a problems and issue which is very important and useful for my future design. I think a good design work should aim to develop an innovative solution to a problem rather than a beautiful design work.

All of this will help me develop a deeper, personal understanding of the strategy. My new understanding of design challenge will be used in my future practice.

 

Reference: How To Properly Frame Your Design Challenge https://medium.com/digital-experience-design/how-to-properly-frame-your-design-challenge-36104910dfc8

D&AD Festival-week30

User Experience UX

Today, Christopher Lee Ball share his address about user experience in D&AD Festival. Firstly, he talk about what is user experience.UX design refers to the user experience as the center of the design.The interaction between people and the system is the user experience ,include web sites, web applications, desktop programs,ect, in the concept known as human-computer interaction (HCI). User experience focus on the ease of use of the system, value representation, practicality, and efficiency. And he show us some good examples about UX.For example, he show the Citymapper, it has very nice user experience, this app not only has accurate route navigation,but it is important that it is able to record how many kilometers you walk and how much calories you consume. 

In fact, my final project is tangible media. Tangible media is a user interface in which a person interacts with digital information through the physical environment. In a word, it is user interaction,which means communication between people and machine. Absolutely, designers should focus on user experience, it can help me find a interesting interaction between media and user. Actually, my design is based on user experience,using user experience can easily help designers find out special insights, critical thinking, and design challenge. User experience make our interaction more relaxed and full of pleasure.

Tangible media-week25

With the rapid development of computer hardware technology and continuous improvement of computer software systems, based on the progress of these technologies, especially the rise of VR, tangible media become well known.

I chose this topic because this is a more popular and interesting topic, such as now very popular VR, is a good example of tangible media, although in the 90’s VR technology, but In recent years, with the VR technology more and more mature and perfect, more and more people are familiar with and use it. VR is just a part of the tangible media. That makes me interested is the tangible media interaction  change the way we communicate. For example now is the digital communication , We can communicate with anyone in the world in real time, but if you want to attend an exhibition seminar, you still need to come to the local venue to be able to communicate face to face. We can not face to face communication, because all the tools are still not completely . But tangible media this technology can make us communicate more naturally, I can even see who is listening to the wholeheartedly.Because there is a part of the tangible media interaction is reality.This communication and interaction, on the past is absolutely impossible, this is completely change our way of communication, with the previous skype communication is completely different.

Finaly,with the computing power of mobile devices and the ability to improve the sensor, the actual situation, in the vast majority of cases, interactive multimedia function is that the designer’s thinking can be strong, not the amount of technical content. It is also a challenge for me.

Picutres:https://uk.pinterest.com/search/pins/?rs=ac&len=2&q=tangible%20interface&eq=tangible%20&etslf=7005&term_meta%5B%5D=tangible%7Cautocomplete%7Cundefined&term_meta%5B%5D=interface%7Cautocomplete%7Cundefined

How to formative a data visualization-24

I give this project a high mark.This project is about how many people choose to go to the store to buy food instead of going to the supermarket between 12 hours in High Street, Winchester. The project shows the high street map,and also it uses high light color to map out where people like to go to, and indicate which kind of food do people prefect to buy in the market instead of a supermarket. I like this project, because firstly It is for whole sense of color, It looks more comfortable，i think it choose the colour palettes, looks like McDonald’s. Secondly, it does not use the type of typeface more than one, and just use one or two variations in size or style.The important thing is that it uses suitable information visualization to tell a lot of  stories, include point, line widths, font family, font sizes, locations of text blocks, and so on, for example the rectangle means store, the color means how many people choose the stores instead of supermarkets.

I think this project could do better. Absolutely, this project can tell us the story clearly, but I think the form is too simple, they do not use the visual language to tell a story, it signally show the data. I think each information visualisation should has their own focus on point to tell a story, and include point, colors, line widths, font family, font sizes, locations of text blocks, and so on. Maybe this group can focus on how to use more visualization language.

Tell a clear story-Week23

My specific insight from this studio is how to efficiently tell a clear story. The audience wants to know the story or knowledge derived from our data visualization. This is important in this studio because we need to design an exhibition of the end of brief 2. My initial strategy focuses on the form of the data visualization. This turned out to be wrong. I realized my strategy actually required a great consideration of
content rather than form. In the Design for data visualization for one-way traffic system I have gained an understanding of using visual language to tell a story. These principle helps a designer understand the design brief, and create a efficient and useful design. By building skills in case studying, And a good example can give you a lot of inspiration, you can immediately learn some of the design skills and knowledge. For example, color matching, how to set the font size, the locations of text blocks, etc. I think this studio has challenged and strengthened a range of my personal and professional skills as a designer: how my story can appeal to the target audience, how they might interact with the strategy and how I can develop a long-term connection between my strategy and the audience.

In the Design for data visualization I have changed my approach to design
from a focus on things to a focus on ways. The data visualization makes recognizing this pattern and outliers as easy as watching a short time-lapsed video. people can easily consume the data if it is properly visualized. This is a useful tool for people to analyse data, find out problems, and receive specific insights in real lives.

Graphic design principles for visualization-week22

Today, i want to share the graphic design principles for information visualization.

1.Less is more

Every information design has a number of visual attribute.Design should systematically use only a few option for each visual language attribute.The common attribute include point, colors, line, typeface, font sizes,locations of text block, etc. It is pretty important for designer to use only a few options for each visual attribute. For example, use no more than one typeface in your design with only a few variations in size or style.Two is better, one for your title, one for your labels

Simplify Content,take away everything which is not essential.Get rid of everything and think about design elements in the most basic terms – color, type, space, grid and essential elements. The key point of data visualization is easy to understand,

2.Use color palette

The color palette generators can give your more professional color matching，you not only can use more professional color matching，but also can salve the time to match color.

3.Use Grid and find a well-deaign example of visualization and imitate it to your own design.

In the design work, the location of words and graphics need to be considered，So using Grid can make your design work more accurate, especially using golden ratio to make your design work better. And a good example can give you a lot of  inspiration, you can immediately learn  some of the design skills and knowledge.For example, color matching, how to set the font size, the locations of text blocks, etc.

4.Connect visual attribute with the semantics

In the design work, the visual attributes have the effect of conveying information, we all know that the structure of the design works include color, lines ，font, and other elements constitute its unique visual system, designers want to give these attributes semantics, designer should use  these visual attributes to communicate information with readers.

 

Reference:www.visualcomplexity.com

flowingdata.com  

datavisualization.ch

Good Data Visualization & Bad Data Visualization-week21

Data visualization refers to representing data in a visual context, like a chart or a map, to help people understand the significance of that data.

https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world/

This is a moving data visualization, you just scroll your mouse, there will be a line and text.It’s the interactive part that makes the story move along from beginning to end.The point of the visualization is to disprove theories that claim that natural causes explain global warming. The first thing you’ll see is the observed temperature as it’s risen from 1880 to present day. As you scroll down, the visualization takes you through exactly how much different factors contribute to global warming in comparison to what’s been observed, adding a richer layer of storytelling. The conclusion the authors want viewers to draw is made very clear.

I think this is a good data visualization.First of all, the line chart is the one of most basic and common forms to show the data. But from this data visualization the interactive part  makes me feel very interesting. And the other important things is that line chart is simple. So the audiences can immediately recognize them. They know how to read them. And they will not be confused.  Secondly, from the Data Visualization Fundamentals course, a good data visualization must have three factors, accurate, story, and knowledge.Due to the time span is quite large, the numerical change is accurate within the technical scope. And this data has a very clear story line,this data tells us what happened this time, and readers can clearly see the global warming faster and faster, and finally the chart also lists the causes of global warming, by comparing the different data, people understand the specific greenhouse gas caused by global warming, which led to people’s thinking: what are we going to do about it?

 

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2015/10/06/syrian_conflict_relationships_explained.html

This data visualization is not good.This is A Guide to Who is Fighting Whom in Syria. Relationships among many different groups can be difficult to understand — especially when there are 11 of them, many of which are on the same side as groups they’re normally at odds with, and vice versa. I think it very confusing. It can not recognize immediately. And it is pretty hard to read. I do not know how to read it. And there is no obvious data comparison, we do not know what happened.

An Effective piece of Design-week20

Today, I am going to design science museum, find out something interesting. There are a lot excellent design work. The Fibre Market is my favorite, that is made of Dutch product designer Christien Meindertsma. The issue is that most of the clothes you throw away will end up in an incinerator or as landfill, while the ones that are recycled will be turned into materials of low value, such as carpet liner or movers’ blankets. One of the reasons why it is so difficult to recycle clothes is because there has been no easy way to sort them by fabric and color. So Christien Meindertsma chose to explore the potential of recycling textiles, and created an installation made up of rainbow-hued piles of fibres taken from 1,000 discarded woollen jumpers.

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Meindertsma worked with two textile companies to machine-sort the jumpers by fabric and color, demonstrating that the fibers coulee retain their value. Behind the fibre piles, with the original labels attached.

From the exhibits, the author must have done enough research about fibre, and the number of exhibition is very shocking, with a strong visual impact, to attract people to see what works want to express. The author uses small squares on the wall，and this squares. The author also uses the graphic design and three-dimensional form of all aspects of the fast-paced fashion consumption caused by a large number of garbage and waste. And she discovered that many of the labels were inaccurate, so she put a large number of labels on the wall suggesting that consumers are often misled about what they are buying. Fibre Market is both a critique of our disposable, fast-fashion consumption habits and a proposal for a more sustainable future.

Design fiction films-week19

 

Designer Jill Nussbaum takes a closer look at storytelling from a design perspective and discusses how stories can be a framework to help imagine the future of products and services. In my opinion, the reason why good stories are so important, because stories have the ability to take new ideas and put them in a context that everybody can understands. Firstly,design Fictions need to be stories, because stories have internal logics that other informational forms lack. Having a interesting story can make you fiction better. I think the key point of make design fiction is having an interesting and clear story. And then the using storyboard is pretty useful for creating design fiction. The storyboard is a graphic organizer that provides the viewer with a high-level view of a project. There are two benefits from the storyboard. One advantage of using storyboard is that it allows the user to experiment with changes in the storyline to evoke stronger reaction on interest. Another benefits is the production can plan the move in advance. So using storyboard to work through the benefits, challenges and implications of a new design idea or technology.

I find out a video, i think it useful for me to create a design fiction, because first of all, this video is relatively short, the story line is very clear. There is only one protagonist, and the audience can understand the meaning of the film to express. Secondly, using real people and products and creating ordinary life not heroes and not extremes.Finally, the video also very clearly express the main point of view that the intelligent future is not perfect, often it is a bit problem.

How is Speculative Critical Design useful for designers?-week18

In my opinion, speculative Critical Design(SCD) is a discursive practical, based on critical think and dialogue, which questions the practice of design. The Speculative Critical Design(SCD) tries to anticipate and explore the uncertainties of everyday life and emerging technology in a new light. Suppose a future scenario to reveal the practical problems in reality world and the possible consequences of the technologies, and then questions the cultural, social and ethical implications of emerging technologies.A form of design that can help us to define the most desirable futures, and avoid the least desirable.

So many designers approach takes the critical practice one step further, towards imagination and visions of possible scenarios. SCD is a powerful tool that can be used as a lens to see implications for the future.

https://www.nextnature.net/2015/03/interview-liam-young-on-speculative-architecture-and-engineering-the-future/

For example, Liam Young is a speculative architect who, in his own words, “operates in the spaces between design, fiction and futures” .With his London-based design think tank, Tomorrow’s Thoughts Today , he explores the future implications of emerging urban developments.Named by Blueprint magazine as one of 25 people who will change architecture and design, Young uses fiction and film to discuss probable futures.

However, Ramia Mazé underlines that design practices can never be neutral there are always critical and political issues, in the other hand, Anab and James believe that speculative design would still be useful for policymakers. But politics is not optional for designers, but an integral part of their activity. This is crucial because if critical and speculative design are in the business of generating debate, and these debate can better promote the output of ideas and problem solutions.