#dynamicsofdesign

The long and short of it--there isn’t one. We will work on an image/graphic exercise next week (five), and will reduce the data visualization exercises (six and seven) into one that will be a part of your infographic for the project. So, hopefully a win-win.

That being said, you’ll still be thinking about visuals this week. I am modifying the collection/curation exercise this week to think more specifically about your projects. 

What I’d like you to do is to modify your gathering for the week; instead of collecting anything of interest, look for examples of texts that can serve as models for what you want to make for the instructive, informative, and infographic resources you’re creating. They can be models in terms of content (i.e. they have to do with what you’ll be creating a resource about) or based on design/form (you like they way they look/communicate). 

Please note and account for (record your responses) to the following: Who do you think the audience is and their motivation for accessing this text? Based on what tells you this?

Ø  The text that I chose is a skiing trick tip video.  It is hosted on youtube by Momentum Ski Camp, which is linked to from a media tab on the Momentum Ski Camp website.  The audience of this video is up and coming terrain park skiers who are looking to learn new tricks.  Their motivation for accessing the text is that they want to try new tricks and do not want to injure themselves.  Given the extreme nature of freestyle skiing, it is important to learn new tricks from people who have already mastered them. 

Are you able to “read” it (read being abstract because you might have to look differently or watch or listen)? 

Ø  Yes, I am able to read the text.  The video is easy to understand, however it may be too simplified for many viewers.  Nevertheless, for the audience that would actually go out and try these tricks, they understand exactly what the skiers are saying. 

What meaning or content do you take away from it? How do the features of the text impact your reading either by guiding or obstructing?

Ø  The meaning I take away from this text is how to approach performing a flatspin 540 on skis.  The features of the text help me by guiding me visually. If this was simply a written guide of how to perform a flatspin 540, I doubt it would be nearly as effective.  Actually watching a skier perform a flatspin 540 helps the audience visualize and guide what they will soon be trying.

Using the best practices for creating accessible digital texts, assess the text on (all that are applicable):

 Layout and design

Ø  The use of youtube allows viewers to easily navigate throughout the text.  They can pause, play, or rewind the video to a specific point they would like to watch again.

Interactivity

  Ø   In addition to the ability to navigate throughout the text through youtube’s controls, the viewer can also submit comments and feedback to the publisher of the video through private messages.

Audio

Ø  There is closed captioning available, however the words do not all match what the skier in the video is explaining.  For example, the skier says tricks and the closed captioning says tracks.  Nevertheless, closed captioning is available and, for someone who knows skiing, is not hard to interpret correctly.

Video

Find a text that fits the form of one you are interested in. It doesn’t matter what it’s purpose is per se, you are interested in the form—a booklet, brochure, webpage, podcast, video, flier, poster, etc. 

Please note and account for (record your responses) to the following:

Who do you think the audience is and their motivation for accessing this text? Based on what tells you this?

Are you able to “read” it (read being abstract because you might have to look differently or watch or listen)? 

What meaning or content do you take away from it? How do the features of the text impact your reading either by guiding or obstructing?

Using the best practices for creating accessible digital texts, assess the text on (all that are applicable):

layout and design

interactivity

images

audio

video

Please note and account for your responses. 

This post can take the form of notes and needn’t be in paragraph form. Please link to or embed the text you are analyzing.

to think on:

Sewing Machine Manual

My found object is one of a couple instructional manuals that came with my new sewing machine.  I chose this one because it is the smaller quick reference guide, so it doesn’t heavily rely on text, but the text works in conjunction with the graphic images (on the inside).  When discussing this with my group we arrived with some of the following ideas about this manual.  It isn’t for pleasure reading, but is a handy reference that is very important to help me learn how to use my new machine and make the process less scary.  I like the teal color that corresponds with my model machine, although it was pointed out that this gender biased with nothing appealing to a male user. It’s not too big to be cumbersome and not too small making it hard to read.  

 I believe the layout and cover information supports the functionality of the manual with important information like model name and number and the company’s contact information. There are several sizes and styles of type used and they are strategically placed on the page, but I fell they’re unremarkable. They serve the purpose of presenting the information, different styles differentiating the text blocks.   There are also two company logos which serve the distinct purpose of identify the machine.  I’ve learned that many quilters/sewers have several machines, so I believe the company very intentionally made sure that you knew this was their book and it went with this particular machine and could identify the book quickly.

 To re-design this object I used Windows Publisher to create a new cover.  It is a standard default size 8.5 x 11, making it slightly larger that the original.  To redesign this cover I wanted to do the opposite of some of characteristics of the front cover.  First, I noticed all the white space, which is not uncommon, but I wanted the text to take up all the negative space, leaving the graphic image areas to be the only white space.  For the text I used the default Calibri font trying to mostly use all the same size.  Initially I tried to use all the same size to create a bland effect, but then the type wouldn’t fill up the white area like I had intended.  Also justifying the alignment of the type didn’t stretch it across the page and fill up the space as imagined.  To compensate for that, I placed a large grey box in the background of the page, eliminating the white space. As for the layout of the information, I inverted the order of the information on the cover so the text that was on the bottom of the original is now on the top of the redesigned.  The white shapes replace the spots were the logos were place, providing negative space but taking out more of the visual elements.

 This redesign is not aesthetically pleasing but it still contains all of the original information, which is somewhat easily found, however the fact it is a “quick reference guide” is no longer prominent.  This version doesn’t visually link with the brand or the machine but is more gender neutral.