W11: Infographics

Welcome to TECH 120. This is a 3 credit hour course and meets for 2 hours and 50 minutes weekly. The syllabus describes the course:

Students in this course will engage in critical analysis of real-world problems and global challenges. They will demonstrate the ability to recognize opportunity and to take initiative in developing solutions applying the principles of human-centered design. Students will be able to communicate effectively and to work well on teams. Problems and solutions will be examined from societal, cultural, and ethical perspectives.

View the entire syllabus at: http://bit.ly/design-thinking-syllabus

View the course schedule at: http://bit.ly/design-thinking-course-schedule

Understand infographics

Infographics (a clipped compound of "information" and "graphics") are graphic visual representations of information, data or knowledge intended to present information quickly and clearly.[1][2] They can improve cognition by utilizing graphics to enhance the human visual system's ability to see patterns and trends.[3][4] Similar pursuits are information visualization, data visualization, statistical graphics, information design, or information architecture.[2] Infographics have evolved in recent years to be for mass communication, and thus are designed with fewer assumptions about the readers' knowledge base than other types of visualizations. Isotypes are an early example of infographics conveying information quickly and easily to the masses.[5] - Wikipedia

Create a solutions infographic

Groups have now identified their global grand challenge and have a potential solution, review multiple infographics and brainstorm the items your infographic will include. Remember, the purpose of the infographic is to define the problem, using statistical information, in a visually interesting way, that demonstrates the team's solution to the problem.

This is also a time for the group to evaluate the solution as it relates to the problem and ask the following questions:

• Does the solution solve the problem?
• Is the solution a project teams can use for their final project?
• Is the solution tenable (especially during a jury review)?
• What is still unknown about the global grand challenge?
• What is still missing regarding the solution?
• Can we create a compelling prototype, video and presentation using the solution?

Once teams have answered these questions, review the link below and create a group infographic:

How to Create Infographics in Under an Hour

While this site focuses on PowerPoint as the tool, you will use Google Slides.

Homework

See Course Schedule at: http://bit.ly/design-thinking-course-schedule.

1. W11: Group: Brainstorm infographic (200 points) - Free form. Groups decide the method of information collection, but homework submission (a single page infographic submitted as a PDF) will:
   • Identify and address the audience for your design solution (20 points)
   • Present at least five relevant and scholarly data points that makes your design relevant (50 points)
   • Presents the data in a visual style similar to the infographics shown during class and in groups own research (60 points)
   • Create the infographic in Google Slides formatted as a 11 x 8 inch sheet of paper; modify size using File | Page Setup | Other menu item (20 points)
   • Customize your infographic data with images that are relevant to your design solution (30 points)
   • Include a footer with your sources, team/company name, design solution name, and logo (20 points)
2. W11: Group: Create a working prototype - Free form. In your groups brainstorm a prototype of your design that each team will present during next week's course. The prototype will meet the following criteria:
   • include working features (either virtually or physically)
   • include enough detail to accurately represent materials used to construct the actual product
   • provide at least one interactive element (you do something and it reacts)
3. W11: Group: Continue to develop and add content to team web sites - fill in blanks on template created last week and add content from today's session.

Be sure to review each rubric prior to submission.