The Process of Information Design

According to the the reading contents of Module 3 " Instructor's Commentary", Information design projects require brainstorming, collaboration and planning; specifically, information designers are presented with a problem of how to best present and convey information to a particular audience.  

 

The first step of any information design process should consist of asking preliminary questions to determine the scope of the problem, the target audience, and the content of the information to be presented.  A good way to do this is by asking the basic questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? And How?  These questions are important.  Only by understanding the answers to this question will you be able to adequately develop a strategy for the rest of the process. 

The second step is organizing the information and data into a creative brief. This will allow you to take the data you have gathered above and organized it in a creative way that inspires brainstorming and thinking.

The third step is to determine personas and scenarios for presenting the data. A persona is an imaginary user.  This step is where your previous knowledge and questions concerning the target audience come into play.  Almost all of information design is targeted at a desired audience, because it is the user that you are designing the information for (so it is easy to read, understand, and process).  These personas outline attributes, desires, needs, habits, and capabilities of a typical user.  Once you have the persona in hand you will be able to refine your project needs and goals and determine the holes that still need to be filled in the design process.  Once you have completed the personas, you can also have them act out various scenarios.

The last general step involves the process of developing prototypes of your information design product and testing in on practice audiences.  A prototype is a model of what the final product of your information design process will look like.  This could come in a number of forms (presentation, website, storyboard, actual product, commercial, etc.). 

For an example I have uploaded a real-life blog that I presently use at my current job, I am the gatekeeping of a blog that my department utilizes to give out information in regards to our Advocacy work that we do.  

Please click aarpca.onehub.com/california-advocacy-hub to view. To develop the website all of the steps were implemented to successfully meet our needs.

Although, I do not believe that in developing the process to complete a blog that one step is less important than the other - they all matter.  However, to even reach an audience you will first need to determine your target audience, to share whatever your (e.g. product, information) will be and how it is relevant to that audience and why.

References:

M03 – Instructor’s Commentary/Contents

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Bob Hope Airport

Burbank, CA

Anyone that has traveled to Los Angeles, CA will tell you that there are many airports to choose from.  I have lived by two airports LAX and Burbank Airports.  Both of these airports will get you where you need to go.  Considering the traffic in LA, once I moved closer to the Burbank Airport, I was relieved to not have to go to LAX!  The design of the Burbank airport is very simply, the signage and mapping used to direct you to the airline counters, security, and gateway is very easy to follow.  However, the only problem I have with the Burbank Airport is that they do not have any baggage display tools that allows the customer to properly locate their baggage, you have to literally go from one baggage carousel to the other to see if you can recognize your luggage - luckily there are only two carousels.  That is the one great design that the larger airport LAX does have - there is no guessing game as to which carousel your luggage with be on. 

Convenience that Can't Be Beat

In addition to the short security lines, and easy access to and from the airport, travelers appreciate the central location of the Bob Hope Airport to major attractions and surrounding cities. Plenty of parking options and the availability of a variety of public transportation services, including Amtrak, Metrolink, and MTA and Burbank buses, are just a few of the reasons why vacationers and business travelers alike fly BURBANK.

Why BURBANK? Top Reasons to Fly Bob Hope Airport – BURBANK!

Passengers love it! Quick and easy to use, with an ideal location to go everywhere you want in Southern California, Bob Hope Airport is always the airport of choice. You, too, will say, “I LUV BURBANK!”

Close to major attractions – The Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros., NBC Studios, Universal Studios, Rose Bowl, Hollywood, Dodger Stadium, The Getty Center, Greek Theater, Kodak Theatre and more! Best access to downtown Los Angeles, Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena and the San Fernando Valley.

Your no-hassle airport – easy in, easy out! By the time you’re on the terminal curb, you’re practically on the plane! The average wait time in the security line is only five minutes. Arriving travelers are as good as home or at their meeting the moment they step on the ground, with curbside pick-up, handy rental cars, quick parking shuttles and freeways located only a mile away.

Great airlines and great schedules! Choose from over 80 non-stop flights daily on Alaska, American, Delta Connection, jetBlue, Southwest, United Express and US Airways to West Coast cities, mid-continent hubs and New York. You definitely can get there from Bob Hope Airport.

References:

Burbank Airport, http://www.burbankairport.com/

Google Images, http://www.google.com/imghp

"THE TOOLS OF INFORMATION DESIGN" INTERACTIVE MEDIA

Traditionally, media has been a one-way street; Advertisers present their products to the consumer and we then make a decision to 'buy/purchase' the product.  By contrast, interactive media is a dialogue, as viewers take a much productive role.  With today's technology, consumers can take advantage of the 'tools' to improve their everyday life by using the Web 2.0 technologies to connect with various forms of information and entertainment available on the world-wide-web. One major advantage of these tools is that the majority of them are free!  Here are some of the more popular ones:1

• Blogger
• Wordpress
• Myspace
• Youtube
• Metacafe
• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Furl
• Twitter
• Flicker
• Facebook

For the past seven, I have belonged to a book club. The fact that I moved to a new city from a previous one was exciting, but not immediately starting a job, I had very few outlets to meet woman like me with the same interest.  Luckily, I was able to meet just one person who introduced me to her book club and this enable me to meet 11 more ladies with like interest, mostly the need to read books and to have discussions collectively about what we've read.  Over the years a lot has changed about the members of the book club, some moving out of state, or career paths that lead them little extra time.  I have proposed that we have an interactive book club meeting with our members via a POD CAST and couple it with the ability to vlogging simultaneously. 1

How to Build a Video Podcast in 3 Steps

Creating video podcasts is easier than you might think. Here’s a look at the basics, from production to posting to delivery.
Tues., May 16, by Jose Castillo

By Jose Castillo

 

Below: A video podcast in iTunes)
Podcasting allows anyone to distribute free or paid media to the content hungry masses. With a few simple technology tools and a PC or Mac, you too can create a video podcast in 3 easy steps.
Overview
Anyone with a few pieces of technology and broadband can create their own channel, pump out content around the world, and join the ranks of the new media moguls. The same technology that has allowed individuals to build their own mini-media empires has also given corporations and established media brands new avenues for leveraging existing content and building new revenue streams.
Just one year ago, audio podcasting was taking its wobbly baby steps. Now, it’s an accepted form of new media delivery (see StreamingMedia.com’s assessment of podcasting from April 2005 here). The same scenario is occurring with video and will probably have an even bigger impact than audio. So how do we use video podcasting as a helpful tool in our streaming media arsenal?

Step 1: Produce It
There are several ways to capture your media, the two most common being taking existing content off the shelf or shooting it using a digital video camera. You can even use a webcam, and most digital still cameras have a video record feature. On a Mac with Final Cut Pro or iMovie you can capture videos off of a camera, or you can drag and drop your existing AVI, MOV, or other video file into your video-editing program. On a PC, you can use Adobe Premiere Pro or similar software to capture raw footage onto the computer.
(Below: Rendering video for iPod from iMovie)

  After editing and adding any additional titles, credits, etc. it’s time to output your video into a podcasting friendly format. Most content is either viewed in a browser/media player on a computer or downloaded to a portable media device (iPod, Creative Zen, Archos, etc.). For the purpose of this article, let’s render a video out for an iPod, which is also a standard output for some of the online distribution channels. In iMovie, Final Cut Pro, or QuickTime on a Mac you can simply export to iPod format, which is 320x240 at 30 frames per second in a QuickTime MPEG-4 file. On a PC you will want to render out using Adobe Premiere or similar video software to a 320x240 AVI or MPEG video file. There are a host of free or inexpensive converters at www.download.com or www.tucows.com that can convert AVIs or MPEGs to an iPod-friendly MPEG-4. Once your content is in the right format its time to post.
(Below: Submitting a feed to iTunes)

Step 2: Post It
With myriad ways to deliver your content, you want to make sure you are using the proper channel for distribution. Video podcasting content can be protected by hosting the content internally and using a variety of formatting procedures to protect from downloads. The current trend by major content providers is to provide media with fewer restrictions and advertisements for revenue streams. Other strong channels for content are TV advertisements and other clips that are specifically designed to be spread virally.
(Below: Uploading a file to YouTube)


Most video podcast content is designed to be downloaded and spread virally, so we will look at some free methods to spread your content. New media outlets like YouTube and Google Video let you post your video content free of charge and simply paste a link into your website or blog. Easy, quick, and free, it’s no wonder we are seeing video podcasting take off. If you want to post your video and have it available for an iPod or to download onto a portable media device, you can simply upload your file to a server and post a link. More and more Fortune 1000 companies are posting marketing-related material in iPod-friendly formats to download, view, and share.

Step 3: Deliver It
The final step in the process is to actually distribute your content; technically your video does not become a podcast until it has an RSS feed attached to it. Most blogging software has RSS feed capability built in and will have your video podcast up and running in no time. Once you post your content online, simply copy and paste the embed code given by YouTube, Google Video, etc., or the link to your hosted file, and paste that into a new post on your blog.
(Below: Video on YouTube; note the selection of the embed code in the "About This Video" box)

Submit your RSS feed to iTunes and a host of other video podcasting services, and your video blog, or vlog, is up and running. Using a free feed service like FeedBurner can help you maximize your usage of links, tags, and images in iTunes so your content is easily searchable. Every time you post a new video, FeedBurner updates your RSS feed and alerts the distribution channels and your subscribers of your new content.
(Below: Optimizing a feed with FeedBurner for an iTunes podcast)

Final Thoughts
With any new technology, there is a learning and adoption curve so choose your content and the target audience for this new medium with care. Keep it short, simple, and easy to spread. This has been a very brief introduction to this process with the basics on how to get started. There are plenty of resources available for more detailed information on how to add more options and customize a process that will work for you. As part of a new media strategy, video podcasting and vlogging are incredible tools in the quest for additional revenue streams and more customers. With any luck, and a little help from you, vlog could be the word of the year for 2006. 2

Works cited:

 1.  Web 2.0 Tools, By Paul Scott. http://www.webreference.com/promotion/web20.  
           Retrieved 4/4/2011.


 
  2.     How to Build a Video Podcast in 3 Steps
           http://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/ReadArticle.aspx?ArticleID=64813&PageNum=3.             Retrieved 4/4/2011.

“What's Your Personal Social Media Strategy?”

According to the author of, “What's Your Personal Social Media Strategy?”, The Social media(s) are changing the way we do business and how leaders are perceived, from the shop floor to the CEO suite. However, whereas the best businesses are creating comprehensive strategies in this area, research suggests that few corporate leaders have a social media presence- that is to say, a Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn page-and that those who do, do not use it strategically. Today's leaders must embrace social media for three reasons. First, they provide a low-cost, highly accessible platform on which to build your personal brand, communicating who you are both within and outside your company. Second, they allow you to engage rapidly and simultaneously with peers, employees, customers, and the broader public-in order to leverage relationships, show commitment to a cause, and demonstrate a capacity for reflection. Third, they give you an opportunity to learn from instant information and unvarnished feedback. To formulate your personal social media strategy, it helps to clarify your goals (personal, professional, or both), desired audience (private or public), and resources (can you justify using your company's?). You must also consider the risks of maintaining a large number of connections and of sharing content online. Active participation in social media can be a powerful tool- the difference between leading effectively and ineffectively, and between advancing and faltering in the pursuit of your goals. 1

 

1.         Dutta, Soumitra /soumitra.dutta@insead.edu” What's Your Personal Social Media Strategy?” Harvard Business Review; Nov2010, Vol. 88 Issue 11, p127-130, 4p, 1 Illustration. Retrieved 3/26/2011.

 

 

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"What is Information Design"

According to Luigi Canali De Rossi's article, “What is Information Design” 

The article states that Information Design is the detailed planning of specific information that provides a particular audience to meet specific objectives.

It’s designed to optimize the layout of information which facilitates navigation, readability and immediate understanding of what the information communicates. The purpose of Information Design is to Simplify, Integrate, Filter and Selectively Emphasize Information, and how users access, learn, and remember information.

INFORMATION DESIGN USUALLY ENCOMPASSES MANY DIFFERENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS, INCLUDING:

a) Analysis of users' needs and learning styles
b) Selection of the most effective layouts, colors, fonts, and graphics
c) Identification of most effective navigational infrastructures
d) Application of principles of simplification, synthesis and integration
e) Testing of readability, contrast and legibility in adverse situations and for handicapped users

 IT ALSO RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW TO DESIGN INFORMATION FOR DIFFERENT CULTURAL AND VARIOUS OTHER CONTEXTUAL DIFFERENCES IN THE AUDIENCE.

Information is now frequently delivered utilizing electronic media such as Web sites and CD-ROMs (with new possibilities for user interaction). A new discipline has emerged which deals with these aspects of information design from a user-centered point of view: Interaction Design.

Works cited:

1. Information Design, Module 1:  Content Guide

November 15, 2001
What is Information Design?
Learn what Information Design really is and why it is useful when creating charts and diagrams
by Luigi Canali De Rossi


       2.  Google image, www.google.com/image