INFORMATION DESIGN/ PROJECT 1 & 2

 

18.02.2025 - 25.02.2025 (Week 3 - Week 4)
TAN JIE YING / 0353959 / BACHELOR IN DESIGN OF CREATIVE MEDIA
INFORMATION DESIGN
PROJECT 1

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INSTRUCTIONS

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Lecture Note

Week 3

Miller’s Law states that the average person can hold 7 ± 2 items in their short-term memory at a time.

I often apply Miller’s Law when I encounter words I don't know how to spell or complex words by breaking them into chunks to read and remember.

For example: Unbelievable (un - believe - able)

Week 4

Week 5

Tips for constructive workflow:

1. Understand the Question Clearly define what you are designing and its purpose.

2. Construct a Strategic Plan Gather data, analyze pros and cons, study case studies, and understand the workflow before proceeding.

3. Fill in the Blank Keep track of your progress by organizing, grouping, and labeling your work.

4. Get Some Inspiration and Ideas Explore references and insights to improve your design.

5. Set a Perimeter While ideas are limitless, focus on identifying strengths, using references as benchmarks, and finding the right solution.

Week 6 Revise Week 1 - 5

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Project 1: Animated Infographic Poster In this project, we were asked to select an infographic reference from the internet and redesign it to A4 size with improved visual hierarchy, typography, color, shape, and pattern along with the explanation.

Progress

Chosen Poster
I chose this poster because it lacked information and did not clearly describe the steps.

Figure 1.1 Chosen Poster

Visual References

Figure 1.2 References

Sketch
For Sketch 1, I use a flowing concept where the steps appear along the water as it pours from the pot. The water guides the viewer through each step naturally, leading to the final cup of coffee.

Figure 1.2 Sketch 1

For Sketch 2, I took inspiration from a coffee machine. The process flows from top to bottom, crushing the coffee beans and ending with freshly brewed coffee in the cup.

Figure 1.2 Sketch 2

Chosen Font

I chose "Lilita One" for the title because its bold, rounded style gives off a creamy and rich coffee vibe, enhancing the warm and inviting theme of the poster.

Figure 1.3 Lilita One

I used "Roboto" for the instructions, as it is clean, modern, and highly readable, making the step-by-step process easy to follow.

Figure 1.4 Roboto

Adobe Illustrator
I started by creating the overall image in Adobe Illustrator.

Figure 2.1 Poster Progress

Next, I started placing the text into the poster. But the text seem too long and crowned. 

Figure 2.2 Poster Progress

So, I tried formatting the information into two lines. While it is aligned, it still looks empty.

Figure 2.3 Poster Progress

I moved the text to both sides to create balance and fill up the empty space.

Figure 2.4 Poster Progress

Figure 2.5 Poster Progress

I adjusted the text size and placement to improve balance and fill the space more effectively.

Figure 2.6 Poster Progress

I replaced the letter "O" with a clock and a coffee bean to better match the theme of the title.

Figure 2.7 Poster Progress

Figure 2.8 Poster Progress

To make the steps clearer, I added the representative images.

Figure 2.9 Poster Progress

After completing the overall poster, I started adding the details and colors.

Figure 2.10 Poster Progress

I added lines to the title to create a dynamic, fast-paced atmosphere. I also increased the font size of the minor headings and darkened them to enhance readability and contrast

Figure 2.11 Details

Figure 2.11 Details

Final Outcome

Figure 3.1 Final Outcome

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Project 2: Minimal Animated Infographic Continue from part 1, animate the infographic poster into a 15-30-second looping video.

Progress
As I create a poster introducing the steps of making French press coffee, my looping video will focus on the machine's pressing action and the coffee's continuous flow into the cup.

I separate the layers into three compositions (Coffee, title, and text) to make editing easier.

Figure 1.1 Coffee, Title, and Text Compositions

I start by editing the compressed action of the coffee presser. Next, along with the compressed action, I adjust the coffee level. Three seconds after completing the compression, I add an attention mark near the button to make the next step easier to identify. Finally, the coffee flows into the cup, filling it up.

Figure 1.2 Compressed Action and Coffee Level

Figure 1.3 Attention Mark

Figure 1.4 Coffee Came Out

Figure 1.5 Cup Filled Up

After this, I move on to the title. Since it has a clock, I decided to animate the needle to turn. I also adjust the upper and bottom lines of the title to match the clock's speed, allowing the audience to visualize the passage of time.

Figure 1.6 Clock

Figure 1.7 Lines Position

Lastly, I adjust the opacity of the steps text to match the movement of the coffee presser from beginning to end.

Figure 1.8 Texts Opacity

To guide the viewer's sight from one side of the text to the other, I create a flow using coffee beans and a line before and after the next text.

Figure 1.9 Coffee Beans and Lines

Final Outcome

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FEEDBACK

• As the title is Coffee Time, you may add clock elements to the letter.

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REFLECTIONS

Task 1 involves compiling what we learned from the exercises and presenting the data in a clean and visually appealing graph. The most challenging part for me was the poster layout. At first, it looked either too crowded or too empty, and it took me some time to arrange everything in a clean and well-balanced way. 

Task 2 requires us to create a looped video based on the Project 1 poster. Compared to Project 1, this task is much easier for me since the typography and poster are already prepared—I only need to animate the coffee machine loop. The main challenge was adjusting the timing overall. Lastly, I’m very satisfied with both the process and the final outcome.