By Larisa Epp
Data is all around us, and as designers, this may not seem
important. But it is. All graphic designers should pay attention to data, as it
can be a useful tool when conducting research for a project or even when
designing the project itself. There is a whole field centered on designing
data, known as data visualization, which includes infographics. This series of
blog posts, Data Designers, will
showcase successful graphic designers who design with data at the forefront of
their minds.
However, Felton is best known for his Annual Reports,
personal data visualizations showing data he collected about his own life over
a year. Although he has discontinued this series of designs after its tenth
year, they provided him with a design challenge, allowing him to apply a
thorough methodology to tracking, compiling, and designing data. The more data
he collected, the more difficult it became for Felton to design (Driver, 2016).
Any graphic designer knows it can be difficult to communicate a message
perfectly, especially if that message involves data. It is easy to accidentally
skew the data in a way that can have false implications. But Felton’s designs
seem to always say exactly what they are supposed to and in a simple,
easy-to-understand fashion. In fact, Felton is quoted as saying, “I always
strive to make sure anyone can understand the data at a glance without too much
work. To do that, you have to understand the data and design around that rather
than conforming the data to your design” (Driver, 2016). This is an important
tip to remember when designing with data: Let the data drive the design and not
the other way around.
Felton has an interesting outlook on data in today’s world as shown in the Adobe Create article by Dustin Driver (2016):
“Data is being collected and logged all around us every second of every day, and most of it is just sitting there, waiting for us to pick it up and use it. It’s one of the greatest tools designers have ever had to tell stories visually. It’s the most exciting time to be a designer or visual artist, and it’s data-driven.”
Some samples from Felton's Annual Reports can be seen below. The full reports and some of Felton's other data visualizations can be found on his website.
Other Data Designer Series Posts
Sources:
Driver, D. (2016, March 16). Designing with data: Nicholas Felton.
Retrieved from https://create.adobe.com/2016/3/16/designing_with_data_nicholas_felton.html
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Hi, Larisa!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea 'data design' was a segment graphic designers could specialize in. I've had to make data more presentable in my internships, and this blog post was really helpful to me. I think this is why I have grown so much appreciation for this course because as Fenton says, we have to understand the data and how to read it to become better at designing it in a way that people can understand.
Pat on the backs:
-I found the images you used to be very visually appealing. It was also nice to see some of his work to get a better idea of why he is someone worth following or looking up to in this field. Incorporating images is visually appealing, can increase search engine traffic, gain social media shares, makes an article look more detailed, and can explain ideas more efficiently. https://www.shoutmeloud.com/4-ways-how-images-enhance-your-blog.html (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
-Having internal links in a blog post can really boost the credibility and SEO of the blog according to Smartbugmedia, and you did a great job of including a number of links that went to more interesting information! https://www.smartbugmedia.com/blog/why-internal-links-are-essential-in-your-blog-posts (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
-Including quotes can be tricky and sometimes draw attention to information that isn’t so relevant. However, the quote you included is great and really explains the idea of data design! The following website explains how quotes are great when they are used correctly and #6 even has some creative solutions to draw even more attention to them. https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2008/06/block-quotes-and-pull-quotes-examples-and-good-practices/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
-Breaking up a blog into paragraphs is a great way to keep your blog looking simple. You did a great job of varying the size of your paragraphs! https://9clouds.com/blog/15-blog-formatting-tips-increase-readers-time-on-page/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. #5
Suggestions for Improvements:
-The Headline Analyzer tool gave your headline a score of 18, which falls in the ‘generic’ category. This suggests increasing number of common, uncommon, emotional and/or power words in order for your story to receive more attention. Basically consider taking time to conjure up a more creative headline. https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
-This is nit-picky, but make sure your text (aside from pullout quotes and the citations at the end) is all the same size. The final sentence starting with “Some samples of Felton’s Annual Reports…” appears bigger than the other text.
-9clouds suggests bolded text is an essential blog formatting because it helps skimmers find the most important points quickly. https://9clouds.com/blog/15-blog-formatting-tips-increase-readers-time-on-page/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. #11
Hi Larisa!
ReplyDeleteI am an ADPR major and I was actually leaning towards graphic design before I declared my major. I am glad that I read your post because even though I did not declare my major in graphic design, I am still interested in graphic design. This post taught me the importance of data in a graphic design world and how it is being used. What I found most interesting was that Nicholas Felton is a data designer. Before reading this post, I have always thought that all graphic designers are to do whatever the client, company, etc, wants. I did not know that there are people that specializes in data visualization and information-design.
What you did great:
• I love the fact that you made your post surrounded by Nicholas Felton. I understand that you used him in your post because it relates to your topic because he is a data designer. His work and when he talks about how designers should rely on data to design. In particular, I like the quote “Let the data drive the design and not the other way around.” Since he is a data designer, his designs to base on the data.
• I also like that you included samples from Felton’s Annual Reports and included a link to his website for readers if they want to see more of his work.
• Your blog post looks like an actual published article. It looks organize and it is pleasing to the eye. Content wise, I think you have a solid amount and it all relates to data.
Suggestions for improvements:
• In terms of content, you could also talk about how he used data to produce a better visualization or design. Instead of just telling the audience that data is important when designing, show them how he did it. In other words, be specific.
• This ties up with the first suggestion, you could give them tips on how to use data to be a better graphic designer. Regardless of their concentration, you could give them a generalized tips that all graphic designers use.