Let's Have Some Design Equality Please!

Let's Have Some Design Equality Please!

“Design is an enormous privilege, but it is bigger responsibility”

        ~Sinèad Burke

People with disabilities have a constant need to adapt. Be it physically or cognitively, the need to reset one’s mindset is a necessity to function within a society that doesn’t always consider their needs. When we think in terms of accessibility, it is mostly in terms of how functional the object is, what it costs, and how soon we are able to obtain whatever it is we are looking for. However, we also must think of how it is designed, especially if we are individuals or caregivers within the special needs community. Unfortunately, in many instances, we have the distinct knowledge that all design- just like with clothing and the like- is not created equal. 

While studying this week’s assignment, it occurred to me that there are so many tropes in the stories of those who are not considered normal by societal constructs. The hearing and visually impaired, those with intellectual disorders and also physical disorders, be it permanent or temporary, are some of the most common when we think of the special needs community. However there are other demographics within this broad spectrum we haven’t taken into account as much as we as a society should. The Little People community and those considered Geniuses are often the most vulnerable when it comes to having design elements function to meet their needs. 

In listening to the TedTalk given by Sinéad Burke, I realized just how limited accessibility in not only information design, but design theories as a whole affect her activities of daily living. Things we take for granted, such as using a public restroom, is something she finds an incredible struggle in being able to do. Even the stalls for people with physical disabilities are not conducive to making her life easier- to celebrate her independence. Instead it hinders her in ways we don’t often think of or consider. It got me to thinking: What would it take for designers to think in terms of a whole, instead of just the primary goals of reaching the target audience within the constructed lines of supply and demand?  

Personally, I think it would take research, innovation, determination, and execution with the very last thought on the list being about profit. After all, the quality of a person’s life cannot truly be measured in dollars and cents. There are other things to factor in such as understanding that if- as a designer of any kind- the goal is to help the population you intend to service improve their mindset and self-esteem, it begins with empathy and compassion, not ego and coins. 

To end this post, I’m going to quote Ms. Burke in saying, “Design is a way to not only make a person feel included in the world, but it’s also a way to uphold a person’s dignity and rights.” I think if we all keep this idea in mind when we create anything, the impact we could all make would be immense and would make this field of unlimited potential, creativity and innovation truly equal at last.

Burke, S. (2017, July 21). Why design should include everyone [TED Talk]. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD_SLJG7oi8

 

ANALYZING INFOGRAPHICS: A WRITER'S PERSPECTIVE

In doing this assignment, there were actually two theories I could relate to the most. Being a creative entrepreneur, it is important to establish a timeline, flow and, of course, have a textual structure. They are all a part of my daily life in one way or another, especially when it's time for me to write, edit or meet with my team to get ready for publishing. However, when presenting written work of any kind, there isn't a one-size-fits-all formula. Each work has its own set of needs, goals, and audiences to reach. That said, one of the most important activities you can do as an author is to visualize not only the information or story you want to tell, but what the finished product should look and feel like. These thoughts consist of the subject matter, target audience, genre, the look, feel and font displayed on the book covers and a host of other major decisions wrapped up within the subject of information design. Below is just one sample of what the structure of "The Hero's Journey" actually looks when neatly converted into a readable document. Please note: My writing process is nowhere this neat and tidy. Just thought I would put that out there.

As you can see, infographics played a major part in taking these popular stories and showing what they would look like mapped out. However, there is also something that must be mentioned in regard to using the written word to convey ideas. They have to make sense, but also the size and font have to be considered carefully. When publishing books, especially those in paperback and hardcover, it is extremely important to pay attention to the font and color used, but also the size. This assists in getting the format correct, so a book that is 100 pages doesn't run the risk of becoming 300, thereby wasting valuable time and resources. These series of thoughts make up what we know as typography.

Although useful and necessary, according to the text, "Design for Information: An Introduction to Histories, Theories and Best Practice [...]", the author alluded to there being several problems with using typography, including the use of long words giving the misconceived impression of weight and importance (Meirelles, page 193). While I do somewhat agree with her statement, I also understand why it happens. In the author community, many of us are overly concerned about the white space on the page, which can be a good and bad thing. Good, because that means there is dialogue going on; bad if it's just being used as a filler or plot device to keep the reader turning the page. To that end, millions of advertisers and other notable people dealing with the business of promoting their client's work have decided to limit the amount a person should use words. Whereas the graphic above is devoid of anything except the information on those stories, its use of color immediately draws the eye and gives you a color to follow to reach the end of the list. 

In conclusion, Textual Structure is literally everywhere and present across a wide variety of mediums used to convey messages. It's on billboards, cars, the subway and a host of other places. Even handwriting can be considered a form of this theory in which a series of letters and numbers will always be considered the main source of communication. I believe as more people get into other forms of writing, such as hand lettering, we are bound to see an increase in fonts and the like. 

Meirelles, Isabel. Deign for Information: An Introduction to the Histories, Theories, and Best Practices Behind Effective Information Visualizations. Quarto Publishing Group USA, 2013. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/empire-ebooks/detail action? docID=3399922

 Let's Talk About Sitemaps

This week's assignment, we were to read about specific theories and their many components when it comes to seeing a project through. I chose sitemaps for the flowchart-like appeal when assigning tasks, and its straightforward approach in being proactive when it comes to laying out the expectations for other team members. Since I'm not generally a person who like hidden agendas, this is one of the theories I could relate to. 

Creating a sitemap is the first and most important step in the information design process. Without it, there isn’t a way to make order out of the chaos that always ensues when working on an interdepartmental project. Although there’s always a common goal, not everyone’s job is the same when it comes to seeing a fully fleshed out idea grow into a new reality. In order to do that, a sitemap should be in place before any work- individually or collectively- is assigned. 

But what exactly is a sitemap and why is it so important? 

A sitemap is a tool used to help the team figure out the entire website, with all its main sections, pages, and sublevel pages¹. Having this type of flowchart allows all the people involved in the project the ability to plan accordingly by knowing what their goal is, the timeframe in which it needs to be accomplished and the expected outcome. In short, it is a way to keep order in a situation that could become extremely chaotic without a guideline being implemented from the beginning. 

In digging further into this topic, I decided that I can't say I would change anything about it. Nor would I remove any steps, since each project's guidelines require different needs to be met and results to be achieved. For example, if the team is creating software for the special needs population- to include those with visual impairments- it would require a different set of guidelines to be met not only with the State Board of Education but in keeping with the Federal IDEA law as well, especially if being used in an academic setting. Conversely, designing educational programs for general education students is less strident, in one area, but no less important across the board.

 However, when looked at together, it is apparent that both groups of students have the need to be educated, but it must be done differently in order to achieve the goals listed on the student with an individualized educational plan (IEP) in place. Again, one goal is not more important than the other; just different in how they have to be handled. I would think the same reasoning would be used in any other field of commerce as well, especially if the same information design team is being used for competing companies. 

In conclusion, I am a firm believer that a person can’t rise to the occasion if they aren’t fully aware of what the goal is. Therefore, having a sitemap (or flowchart) would be valuable because it sets the expectations from the beginning, gives an idea of what the timeline would be, and gives signposts in case a contingency plan or extension is needed in order to complete the project. By giving the team the entire picture and scope of the situation, it also allows them to take ownership of their part in the development process. It’s said that an architect is only as good as his contractor, and the contractor is only as good as their interior designer, etc. This way of thinking also holds true when it comes to information design. Each person on the team holds the key to making the project as good as it can be before its release date. 

So in my opinion, having a blueprint before the project even starts is a way to not only get the project done mostly on schedule, but to avoid the ‘I didn’t know that’ implications later on if there are issues. 

1. Baer, Kim, and Jill Vacarra. Information Design Workbook : Graphic approaches, solutions, and inspiration + 30 case studies, Quarto Publishing Group USA, 2008. ProQuest Ebook Central, http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/empire-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3399804.
   Created from empire-ebooks on 2023-02-23 19:07:09.

User-Based or Human-Centered Design.... A Comparative Essay

In thinking about the topic this week, I examined two principles in Information Design: User-based and Human-centered information design. Now whereas it seems like the two terms are synonymous, their approaches are significantly different. At base, both have public consumption in mind. However, whereas the user-design model is much more generic in its approach, human design is more specific.

First a disclaimer… 

I see the merit in both approaches, although my core values due to my own personal experiences make me lean more toward the human design methodology. The user-based information design model is more Socretial in its approach, where the need for a product will drive its meaning towards a specific population. This need can include subcategories such as: lifestyle, economic disposition, profession, etc. In my opinion, it’s more generalized- a sort of one size fits all- mentality, and for large-scale services, it works. In a lot of ways, its value is also based on cost. Certain organizations and corporations are good for this, where negating the consumer experience entirely and only addressing any major concerns due to declining sales, poor reviews, or a potential uprising/riot are the only way they see or acknowledge an issue.

The problem is in the solely scientific approach used to gauge public opinion. As Nathan Shedroff said when he spoke in an interview with Singularity University in 2018, "Design is a set of processes that accentuate qualitative values paired with traditional business tools that measure quantifiable results, then you have a complete picture of opportunity, customer need, and how you can build better products and services [...] which has been missing from most companies." So by taking a somewhat scientific approach in asking key questions such as: What are the needs, processes, limitations and ultimately I'm sure, risk assessments, they manage to leave themselves room for improvement to see what works, what doesn't, what to try and what to discontinue. By setting those priorities in order, they give themselves a foundation, no matter how short-lived (or long-term) it might be. This is where human-centered design actually has an edge, since their core value is to get the product to the people thus creating a partnership of sorts with their target market.

Maya Angelou once said, ‘People will often forget what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel'. This is the human-design approach in a nutshell. The primary goal seems to be to market a product made for the people with the public’s input. The term coined by the late, Michael Coolley, helps not only to save money where production is concerned, but gives the public a personal stake in the success of a product or service. A partnership between the consumer and the inventor(s) builds a level of trust because they are being heard in what they see, need, what they think, how useful the product will be, and a reliability in that the customer is not wasting their money by buying something they thought was for one purpose, but not even close to what is expected of the product.

One of the companies famous for this kind of approach was Daymond John’s FUBU Corporation, which catered to the hip-hop community in a way companies like Nike and Adidas didn’t regardless of the popularity of their products. The creation of that company spawned other companies such as Phat Farm and later Roc-A-Wear and Sean John, which gave inner city kids a way to see people who grew up in their own neighborhoods- or those like them- being successful in their own rights, and the people of those neighborhoods gladly helped to make the brands what they all have become today. This one-hand-washes-the-other mentality gives a much needed control over where a customer spends their money, or expounds their energy when the need arises, especially when it comes to advertising. No doubt, word of mouth can sink an empire faster than any product war ever could. So consumer input is invaluable, particularly when used as a preventive measure for minor glitches as opposed to an economic fire extinguisher because the problems are blazing out of control.

In conclusion, there are many companies who use one business model over the other. And whereas there isn’t one approach that’s better than the other, I think combining the science behind the user-based approach and the empathy used to make the human-centered approach my favorite between the two, would give any company an edge in the competitive corporate sector. Number one, it would keep costs down, and secondly, it would give consumers a way to voice their opinions about the product before they hit the assembly lines, thereby keeping costs and public discontent to a minimum. Believe it or not, the only company I’ve seen successfully combine both the user-based scientific methodology as well as the human-centered services approach to providing information to the public- whether affected directly by a developmental disability or not- has been Autism Speaks, which helps parents such as myself find creative solutions to problems often based on medical and behavioral research, while informing others about events or services available in other areas of care. I hope other companies/corporations catch on and begin to implement these two ideologies to really make the difference they often laud as their core reason for existing beyond the boardroom and their bottom line.   

"TEDxTaipei 2011 - Nathan Shedroff." YouTube, uploaded by TEDx Talks, 11 May 2011 ,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9srqfiug8A. 

Singularity University 2018- Nathan Shedroff "Design Strategy" YouTube, uploaded by Singularity University https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Erc-pUYHbKI

The Role of Information Design within the Special Needs Population: A Caregiver's Perspective

 

The Role of Information Design within the Special Needs Population

A Caregiver's Perspective

By Nicole R.

Just a Brief Information...

In the text, An Introduction to Information Design, the authors state that well before early versions of writing in Mesopotamia around 3000 B.C. images were used as a way to communicate for thousands of years (Coates, page 2). People have presented many examples of information design in interesting ways. From its earliest forms, the use of pictures, and later, words have been used to convey messages. Sometimes they were warnings, while we could see many others as just a simple missive to the masses who would come later to declare "I was here". But oftentimes, we neglect to really understand how this communicative art form serves a population of people who may not always understand language in the same vein that you or I do..

With the rising number of people within the special needs sector, many of them have visual, auditory, or intellectual impairments which affect their ability to function in the safest, most self-assured ways possible. In my opinion, that is where the novel concepts and ever-evolving innovations of information design shine its brightest. As Plato said in 'Republic' by Socrates, "Our need will be the real creator" meaning that necessity is the mother of all inventions.

So throughout this blog, we will examine how information design has grown to encompass not just the able-bodied, but those we tend to overlook- however unintentional it may be- when designing various systems to enhance our complicated world.

1. Coates, Kathryn, and Andy Ellison. Introduction to Information Design, Laurence King Publishing, 2014. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/empire-ebooks/detail.action?docID=1876178.