heyhey. I go by the name of Louise Rhodes, and I am currently attending the University of Western Sydney studying a bachelor a design (visual communications). After completing my first year, I am sure that graphic design is a field in which I’d love to pursue a career in. Outside of uni, I enjoy sports for Dundas United, in both soccer and netball. This year i hope to gain a heap of work experience to learn some new skills, and to hopefully find a career relevant to my course!
The realm of interactive design
So why should you take time out of your schedule to check out this blog? Here are three reasons
- It explores the interactive design inside and out. Topics such as Web 2.0, interactive design, and information design are discussed in depth, provided with relevant examples.
- It illustrates personal examples of information designs such as flowcharts and storyboards.
- There are interesting links that are actually interesting
- It is from a students current studies, and discussed on a sophisticated level.
So, enjoy!
Informational Design
Information Design is the strategy of retrieving quantities of data and having the ability to graphically visualize this information into comprehensible documents.
It is the “visual method of explaining and interpreting complex info and data to help the user achieve a particular objective”. (Saul Carliner 2002).
Data graphics such as point lines, a coordinate system, numbers, symbols, words, shading and colours are the elements that make up the displayed quantities. Categories such as the alphabet and location can be visually explained through the visually measured display of maps and diagrams, allowing for a rapid and comprehensible translation.
Baby name wizard is an interactive graph that numbers, shading, line and colour to visualizes name popularity. As the user enters their name, they can watch the emergence of statistics and trends, which are measured by the popularity of a specific year. If the user does not wish to enter their name, they may use the mouse to hover over the graph enabling tags and statistics of various names to appear.
Chris Jordan – Cell phones 2007 part of his series “running the numbers” looks at the mass consumption of various products in contemporary american culture. He chooses to visualise gathered statistical data in quantities because the powerful imagery triggers a stronger reaction and response. He believes that
“Statistics can feel abstract and anesthetizing, making it difficult to connect with and make meaning of 3.6 million SUV sales in one year, for example, or 2.3 million Americans in prison, or 32,000 breast augmentation surgeries in the U.S. every month”. (Chris Jordan 2008).
City Rail network map is a world reknown map of the various stations and rail lines that run in various cities. Its clear, crisp, ordered design is kept consistant around the world so that it is internationally recognized. 
References
The baby name wizard. http://www.babynamewizard.com/
Chris Jordan, cell phones 2007. “Running the numbers 2008″ – . http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php
“Network map. Cityrail. http://www.cityrail.info/stations/network_map.
Saul Carliner 2002.
Richard Saul Wurman 1989.
Edward Tufte. “visual display of quantitive
how to make toast
- Place toaster on a stable, hard flat surface.
- Turn power switch on
- Grab one or two slices of bread
- insert bread into seperate slots
- Look at cook settings
- Is setting on med 4? Set dial
- Depress lever and wait for ejection
- Is it golden brown?
- Leave toast to cool.
- Test the temp
- Remove toast and prepare
Interactive Design
With interactive design we can just break it up to what is an interactive? and what is a design? Interactive is used to refer to something that is capable of “acting on or influencing” somebody. A design is a planned out thought process usually resulting in some kind of produce. Hence, Interactive design is a device or program that responds to the users act. Us as designers, design the function of the device and the way in which it responds.
That is Interactive Design in its most simplest form. If we are to dig deeper, We introduce terms such as New media and Convergent Culture in which both intertwine and build an Interactive Design. As Jenkins describes,
“Convergence, as we can see it, is both a top-down corporate-driven process and a bottom-up consumer-driven process” (18). “[T]he age of media convergence enables communal, rather than individualistic, modes of reception. Media companies are learning how to accelerate the flow of media content across delivery channels to expand revenue opportunities, broaden markets and reinforce viewer commitments. Consumers are learning how to use these different media technologies to bring the flow of media more fully under their control and to interact with other users.”- Henry Jenkins.
Check out these examples of interactive designs that we use in our day to day lives.
Vending machine
Here is a scenario for you which all of us will be familiar with. You approach the vending machine, place money in the slot and select the confectionary of our choice. The machine then responds to us, by recognizing the selection we make and then releases the confectionary of our choice!
The Tom Tom
If none of you are aware of this neat interactive I’ll give the lowdown. The Tom Tom is a portable navigator designed for drivers who wish for an easier driving experience. The user selects the desired destination, and the Tom Tom responds to them by locating there current location, and navigating the driver to the place which they wished to end up.
Ebay is an online shopping and auction website that is accessed around the world. This global marketplace allows for interaction through the online exchange of goods and services.
References
Henry Jenkins. “Call for papers: Convergence – The international journal of research into new media technologies special issue“. 14/08/2006. < http://scan.net.au/scan/news_events/display.php?story_id=611>
<http://www.ebay.com/>
Web 2.0
So what exactly is Web 2.0??
Well, thats the question that startled me when first introduced to the term. After vast research and really trying to discover some short succinct definitions I managed to assemble one that will HOPEFULLY give everyone a better understanding of the term
We can refer to Web 2.0 to the shift in advancement of application development, proceeding Web 1.0. It can be marked by the user’s created and contributed content, and social interactions online. The new suite of applications created in the evolving web 2.0 encourage further user participation and collaboration so that the user can add value to content. So, unlike the version Web 1.0, Web 2.0 users are not only the retrievers of information, they also act as the contributers
EXAMPLES OF WEB 2.0
Facebook is a social network used +400 million people that enables individuals to interact with friends through comments, messages, links and images. Everyday, users are interacting with each others allowing people to have the power to share and retrieve information from around the world. Facebook is blooming with popularity, making it easier for individuals to stay connected with friends whom they have not kept in contact, enabling the to feel more “open and connected” with society.
WIKIPEDIA
Wikipedia is a web-based, encyclopedia that can be accessed by visitors and may be edited by registered users (aka”wikis”). There are over 4 million articles that are constantly evolving as visitors collaborate on opinions and understandings to achieve the best explanation on a subject. Because it is accessed globally, there are copious amounts of information which viewers are able to retrieve.
Youtube
Is a website that allows individuals to upload and share videos
Hello world!
Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!
