Pre-critique compositions

Tension: The juxtaposition between the size of the focus areas creates a visual draw between the two. In addition there is a literal tension of thinking of each of the squares as boxes leaning over, which creates a very mental image if tension.

Order: Each square is decreased by .2 inches. The second series by 1/3. Thus the visual decrease allows one’s eyes to understand the mathimatical order that went into the composition.

Playful: The manner in which the composition pleases the eye by making it look in the center than outwards, presents itself playfully.

Comfort: The placement at the center and the draw into the center does not play with the eye, thus it is comforting.

Cluster: The non regularity in size and orientation does not allow the viewer to have any understanding of the composition thus it is clustered.

Sketching squares

My second attempt at this allowed me to create a simple pallet to achieve the 5 methods
This was my first attempt at it, before I realized we could only use squares. Using different types of typography and layout I attempted to achieve visual effects of Playfulness, Tension, Comfort, Congestion, and Order 

IDENTIFYING COMMUNICATION DESIGN

From a professional and academic sense, the design process chronologically begins with “clients objective.” The designer will then go back and forth between ideas, resource, and production. What interest me most about the design process is how vague it is, and how the process is easily turned in a stark direction by a simple decision the designer makes. As architecture students the primary question to ask are how one starts the project. Some choose to go research first, others may form make first. Regardless multiple iterations must be made, either by sketching thumbnails first, or making models. The next step is to merge the two, and create a product/space that appeals to the clients in both a functional and aesthetic means.

Elizabeth Resnick says “It is too easy to get stuck on preconceived ideas that might appear brilliant at first but create blocks to future development.” Which is an interesting thought. Our initial thoughts about advisements are very much generated to precedent images. As communication designer’s one must understand the ergonomics of human behavior. He/she must take what ideas work, however be able to better them.

A designer must always be able to take “articulate [ones] ideas to others and get immediate feedback.” One does not design for oneself, but others, thus one must be critiqued.

IDENTIFY COMMUNICATION DESIGN IN CONTEXT

One of the many things that have recently changed in design is the opportunity to expand from complete analog to a digital and mix media. What mainly comes to mind is the expansion of advertisement and the additional complexity that can be found when searching the web. While another aspect to examine is common everyday thing that can be simplified on the web. Such an example is Bills. Recently there has been a shift from paper billing to online billing. Companies such as Direct TV, AT&T, and many others are even offering incentives for those who choose to do online billing. Here are examples of why the design of paper billing is ineffective and how those issues are resolved in the design of online billing sites.

When reading a bill on paper, there is almost no hierarchy in design.  What the consumer wants is the amount they actually must pay. By including additional information, the main source of information becomes lost. Last semester for a class we had to examine heating bills, and the break down for the amount of energy v. cost used monthly. What can be concluded from that is how un-user friendly it is.  The lack of differentiating the fonts or the sizes of the numbers can be a design issue that could be a quick fix. The adaptation of graphs without complete description is another issue in paper billing.

What is resolved about this is online billing. It becomes almost pedagogical in how it is designed to be a step-by-step process. Where information that the user does not find important can easily be looked over, and likewise the amount of the bill is highlighted and can be shown in an additional window. The ability to also click the “pay now” and to save multiple account numbers is also a time saving step for many users.