Death Star two page spread from Lego Star Wars : The Visual Dictionary
1)What is the purpose of the information design. What did you learn from the information?
The intention behind the
design of the Death Star spread in the Lego Star Wars Visual
Dictionary is to define the subject (the Death Star), and to inform
the viewer of the anatomy of the Lego model of the Death Star.
2) What specific characteristics made the information
design successful?
This design was successful
through use of large, crisp photos of the assembled Lego model, as well as an
in depth labeling system identifying a multitude of parts and details of the
ship. The design also includes information regarding the specific details of
the product itself, including date of manufacture, dimensions, and parts
included.
3) Where there
any failing characteristics of the information design [chart junk?
aesthetic issues? lack of information]? If so why did they hinder the
clarification of understanding the facts?
While the large format of
the main photographs help to balance the amounts of text and image, the design
remains to be slightly heavy on text given that the book is intended for ages
seven and up.
USDA Food Nutrition Poster
1) What is the purpose of the information design. What did you learn from the information?
This poster is an official
USDA guide for food nutrition, and is very similar to the familiar food
pyramid. However instead of a pyramid the design features a dinner plate with
four sections indicating specific food groups which when combined and
proportioned correctly results in the proper nutritional sustenance as specified
by the USDA.
This design is somewhat
successful through use of unambiguous graphics and bold color to indicate the
different food groups. There is also a successful visual hierarchy that makes
the poster fairly easy to read intuitively.
The design has plenty of
aesthetic issues including tacky graphics and colors schemes. The poster also
lacks actual quantitative nutritional statistics about the different food
groups, nor does it feature physical portion sizes, only a rough pie chart of
appropriate proportions.
Futon Frame Assembly Instructions
1)What is the purpose of the information design. What
did you learn from the information?
The purpose of this design is to instruct a consumer
on how to assemble a futon frame.
2) What specific characteristics made the information
design successful?
The design is successful by using clearly labeled
icons of each individual part of the bed frame, as well as through the labeling
of each part by letter, and instcutions on each step of assembly.
3) Where there any failing characteristics
of the information design [chart junk? aesthetic issues? lack of information]?
If so why did they hinder the clarification of understanding the facts?
The design lacks a clear numeric order of the steps of
assembly, as well as the lack of a diagram depicting the final fully assembled
frame. This hindered the designs clarification of understanding by not showing
the audience the end product, as well as by confusion through a lack of
specificity in its instructions.
