Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

We encounter information design every day, It has become an essential aspect of contemporary communication. The field of information design has grown rapidly in the past decade and is now routinely employed across many fields where the visual display of complex data, events, and phenomena provide concise explanations, new insights and even discoveries. Information Design is used in many fields, including product information, way-finding, mapping, biology, transport, news and journalism, interaction and interface design, and systems diagrams. The demand for visual communcators with expertise in information design continues to grow. In the interpretation and production of information design you will extend your understanding of visual design and communication principles to include principles for effective information design. This unit provides advanced knowledge and skills in visual information design, which will be applied in design outcomes for a range of contexts.

Aims

This unit aims to provide you with an advanced understanding of visual communication and the application of principles for effective information design for various contexts.

Objectives

On completion of this unit you should be able to:
1. identify and articulate your understanding of advanced principles of information design;
2. apply effective information design prioncples to a range of contexts to falitate understanding of data, events and/or phenomena;
3. apply technical skills in the production of visual communication;
4. produce design solutions to complex design briefs following an iterative design process.

Content

This unit provides a combination of theory and practice. Lectures will present the history, contexts and various uses of information design. They will demonstrate how information design in maps and diagrams has been used to represent meaningful relationships between spatial, temporal and conceptual data; to explain processes and procedures in product information, and to visualize relationships between events. Case studies will allow the evaluation and critique of applied visualization principles and practices. Practical classes will support you to produce effective information design by applying advanced information design principles.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

This unit will be undertaken through participation in lectures, tutorials and workshop sessions. Lectures will provide the theoretical and contextual basis to inform and support conceptual and technical development. Tutorials will develop skills in graphical applications and support exercises in concept and project development, while the workshops will provide a forum for iterative design and critique.

Assessment

LATE ASSIGNMENTS
An assignment submitted after the due date without an approved extension will not be marked. If you are unable to complete your assignment on time, you should submit on time whatever work you have done.

Faculty Assessment Information
To access complete Creative Industries Faculty Assessment Information please refer to the Blackboard site for this unit.FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
The tutorial environment allows for ongoing communication and feedback with relevant teaching staff and peers.
Weight: 0%

SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
You will be awarded a final grade on a 1 to 7 scale

Assessment name: Information Design -Individual
Description: You will produce a series of information designs in response to a specific brief. You will also be required to present a design document including a context analysis, rationale and design considerations including the principles you have learnt for effective information design and how they have been applied.
Relates to objectives: 1,2,3
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Mid Semester

Assessment name: Information Design folio
Description: You will submit a portfolio of examples of information design solutions to a range of data relating to briefs generated from a variety of contexts. In addition, you will present a design document including a context analysis, rationale and design considerations.
Relates to objectives: 1, 2, 3, 4
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Late Semester

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Required Text

There are no required texts for this unit. Readings and other reference materials will be published on the unit blackboard web site.

Recommended References

Tufte, Edward R. (2006) Beautiful evidence. Cheshire, Conn.: Graphics Press

Tufte, Edward R. (2001) The visual display of quantitative information. Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press

Tufte, Edward R. (1997) Visual explanations: images and quantities, evidence and narrative. Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press

Tufte, Edward R. (1990) Envisioning information. Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press

McCandless, David. (2009), The Visual Miscellaneum: A colourful Guide to the World's Most Consequential Trivia, New York: Harper Collins

Lipton, Ronnie. (2007) The practical guide to information design. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators. (2001) ISTC handbook of professional communication and information design. Cambridgeshire, England: ISTC

Jacobson, Robert (1999). Information design. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press

Michael J. Albers, Beth Mazur (ed.) (2003) Content & complexity: information design in technical communication. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum

Mijksenaar, Paul. (1997) Visual function: an introduction to information design. New York, NY: Princeton Architectural Press

Studio 7.5. (2005) Design for Small Screens. Switzerland: AVA Publishing

And other texts and media as detailed on the unit Blackboard site.

Materials:
You will require the following materials:

- Digital storage media (USB memory stick or portable hard drive)
- A4 size sturdy pre-bound sketchbook / 'visual diary' with a minimum of 50 pages. A good quality paper stock is recommended
- Fine line black felt pens, e.g. 0.2mm, 0.4mm etc
- Graphite pencils in a number of weights (HB, 2B, 4B)
- Coloured pencils
- Pencil sharpener and eraser
- Coloured markers

Risk assessment statement

Risk Assessment Statement Guidance Box

There are no risks associated with this unit.

Students should backup all of their digital files on a regular basis - daily or weekly - to ensure work is not lost if there is a hardware failure.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 05-Oct-2012