INFORMATION DESIGN - INFORGRAPHIC REDESIGN
February 4, 2025 | Week 1
NAME: Miao Xinjun
STUDENT I.D: 0379525
Information Design / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media/ Taylor's University
Task - Infographic Redesign
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INSTRUCTION
2. TASK
2.1 Analysis
2.2 Reference
2.3 Sketches
2.4 Digital Work
2.5 Comparison of two posters
3. Canva Usage Evaluation
1. INSTRUCTION
2. TASK
2.1 Analysis
The poster's main title is Interaction Design (IxD), and its purpose is to analyze the constituent elements of interaction design, as well as the hierarchical relationships and relative importance of these elements.
Bad Infographic:
1. Layout
The layout was the first issue that came to mind when I saw this poster. This infographic uses different circular color blocks to analyze and dissect the different elements that constitute interaction design and their containment relationships. However, the problem lies in the placement and layout of these semi-transparent color blocks. They don't help readers quickly read and understand the information the poster wants to convey. They are piled up haphazardly and unnecessarily, forcing readers to struggle to understand the hierarchical and containment relationships between different elements, making reading less efficient. I also noticed that some elements' color blocks are simultaneously covered by multiple other color blocks, but not clearly, which could easily lead readers to misunderstand the information in the poster.
2. Graphic
The inconsistent sizes and shapes of the circular color blocks at a uniform level in the poster create a chaotic overall visual effect and a poor viewing experience.
3. Typography
In this infographic poster, the title's font is neither bold nor highlighted, making it less prominent. The inconsistent font sizes and unclear hierarchy disrupt the reading flow. Some fonts are too small, making them difficult to read and compromising readability.
4. Color
Regarding the color scheme, I believe the color combination of this infographic poster could be improved to make it more aesthetically pleasing. Furthermore, although the main title is highlighted in a striking red, and other color blocks at different levels are subtly differentiated by color, the contrast between the two colors is extremely low, making them difficult to distinguish and hindering reader comprehension. Additionally, the overlapping of semi-transparent color blocks creates multiple blocks of varying shades, resulting in a cluttered and inconsistent appearance.
2.2 Reference
To better complete the redesign of this poster, I used Google Chrome and Pintrest to search for some good infographic posters as references.
Fig 2.2.1 References for Infographic Redesign
Considering the informational characteristics of the original poster, I found three other poster layouts that could also be used for element analysis and expressing inclusion relationships as references.
These three posters all have clear layout designs and systematically break down the elements of the theme into different levels through different methods, allowing readers to quickly interpret the inclusion relationships between different elements and quickly locate the poster's theme and key information.
2.3 Sketches
I believe that sketching is a crucial step in poster redesign, much like preparing a script and storyboard before a shoot. Sketching helps us envision the poster's overall effect in advance, preventing unforeseen problems when digitizing the final work, such as illogical layout, under-prominent titles, or insufficient space for certain information.
When I first started drawing the draft, I tried to arrange the layout based on the actual information in the original poster. The original poster was about dissecting the elements involved in interaction design and trying to express the relationships between different elements, but it was clear that its expression was too chaotic for the reader to understand.
Based on this clear weakness in the original poster, I believe that if I want to improve it in the redesign, it would be better to use a fishbone structure or a radial structure to organize the poster. In some ways, this reminds me of a mind map. I think the way mind maps are designed is very suitable as a reference for this redesign, because their logical structure can clearly break down elements and show the relationships between them.
Based on this idea, I believe that before creating sketches, it is essential to first clarify the specific information that the original poster is trying to convey, as well as the elements included in each module of interaction design and their relationships. This process allows me to predict in advance which modules need more space in the poster to present their information, and which modules have stronger connections and should be placed closer together to make reading easier for the audience. As I mentioned before, I believe this can effectively prevent large differences between the sketch layout and the final work.
- Sketch 1
I first tried drawing a semicircle on the left side of the page and dividing it into five sections to represent the five main modules that should be most noticeable. These five sections occupy different proportions within the semicircle based on the amount of elements they contain. Then, I expanded and extended these five sections around the semicircle to represent the elements dissected from these modules.
Ultimately, the section in this draft used to place information looks like a large, eye-catching semicircle. I arranged the semicircle this way because people's usual reading order is from left to right, and this arrangement helps the information I placed within it conform well to people's reading habits. At the same time, I placed the title in the upper right corner of the page to ensure it is easily noticed and clear. Due to the semicircle's shape, a space was left in the lower right corner of the page for illustrations or other secondary information, using a font size slightly smaller than the main information within the semicircle. This balances the composition and prevents the poster from appearing too cluttered due to excessive information.
As shown in the figure, the following is a draft I drew on paper for the secondary design：
To better document and demonstrate my ideas and concepts for this draft, here is my explanation：
After completing this draft, I realized it might have two problems:
1. When readers see this infographic poster, they might immediately notice the headline, but they might not know where to start reading the charts on the left, making it inefficient.
2. These cone-shaped containers used to organize information may, due to their shape, lack sufficient space to properly accommodate text.
- Sketch 2
For the reasons mentioned above, I drew a second draft so that I would have more options.
My starting point for creating the second draft was to present the text information in a better, neater way, with good readability and legibility, rather than cramming it into a shape. To this end, I referenced the fishbone diagramming technique, displaying the information in a more concise and clear way next to each module.
Furthermore, regarding how the elements in the poster guide the reader's reading order, I arranged the five modules in an alternating top-to-bottom arrangement, which already aligns with the common habit of reading from top to bottom. I also further guided the reader's reading order by labeling each module with numbers 1-5, or by using more prominent colors to decorate the modules that should be read first, ensuring efficient reading of the redesigned infographic poster.
For the main title and subtitle, I also placed them in the upper right corner of the poster. Based on the layout of draft 2, the upper right corner needed to balance the poster's layout space, and placing the title in this position with a highlight makes it easily noticeable to the reader.
As for the lower right corner of the poster and other blank areas, I think I should leave appropriate white space in the layout if there is no extra information to be placed there. Too much information will make the poster space look cluttered, cause visual fatigue for readers, and thus reduce their interest in reading the poster information.
Because Draft 2 displays the information more clearly, I decided to use Draft 2 for digitization using Canva.
- 2.4 Digital Work
When creating an infographic poster using Canva, I first selected a customizable design template. Based on my prepared draft, I modified almost all elements of the template, such as the layout, colors, and graphic decorations, while retaining the font styles.
I set the poster's color scheme to a cool tone, primarily blue and purple, because I felt this better suited the theme of 'interaction design'. Then, to ensure the text was easy to read, I slightly increased the font size, including the headings.
To improve the poster's visual appeal, I used Canva's Elements feature to add some graphic embellishments.
Regarding color, for the five different modules, I intentionally differentiated the contrast between their colors and the background, following the reading order. I increased the saturation and decreased the darkness of the numbers in the first module, which should be read first, to highlight the slightly higher contrast between module 1 and the background, making its color more noticeable to the reader compared to the other four modules. Similarly, from module 1 to module 5, the contrast between the numbers and the background decreases as the modules are read later. I hope this approach will help readers efficiently navigate my infographic poster.
Next, I imported my poster information into Canva according to the format of the draft and repeatedly adjusted the poster's layout to achieve a balance in the layout space.
Final Work
- 2.5 Comparison of two posters
3. Canva Usage Evaluation
- Difficulty and Intuition:
In my experience using Canva to complete this poster design, I found it to be a tool that is easy for designers to understand and use. This is mainly reflected in the following points:
Firstly, Canva doesn't feature overly complex interactive designs or hidden buttons. Function key labels are simple and clear, and the logos are also fairly common. This allows users to quickly understand and master Canva's methods, especially for designers with experience using multiple design tools.
Secondly, Canva's design interface is clean and clear. A full range of design tools are displayed on the left side of the screen, making them readily available when needed. Even first-time Canva users can receive excellent guidance and quickly learn how to use Canva to complete designs.
- Practicality:
While Canva may not be as feature-rich as Photoshop or Adobe Illustrator, as a design tool, it offers comprehensive basic functions, capable of meeting various design needs such as presentation slides, posters, and resumes, and provides a large number of ready-made templates. For users lacking design experience, Canva is intuitive and easy to use, helping them quickly create visually appealing works. For users who want to achieve greater originality, Canva also has basic and complete design functions. Although there are some limitations in creative freedom, it can be used in conjunction with professional software such as Photoshop to complete more complex and personalized designs.
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