Wednesday, Feb. 5

Recap (5)

Last class focused on task analysis. At the end of class, we produced task models for the process of making espresso. I consulted the partially and fully complete models for today's class.

Today we will focus on information design, and the Schriver chapter. You will apply Schriver's heuristic to analyze documentation for a coffee brewing device or tool.

The assigned chapter and activity correspond to objectives from Project 2:

• Make observations about strengths and limitations of existing documentation (e.g., definitions, descriptions, instruction, plain language, risk communication, visuals, accessibility) based on analysis of text, visuals, and/or video, and grounded in premises about technical writing 

Schriver, Information design (10)

• Introduction and Example

  • • Miguel

    • Needs to revise a flyer for parents about healthy foods and their benefits, which includes a list of foods and researched reasons why they are nutritious. 

    • Needs to create the first in a new series of documents to inform parents about issues related to nutrition, which will form a template for future documents

    • how can he design the information paying attention to 

      • • understanding, 

        • visuals and verbal information, 

        • spatial elements of the document

        • graphics

        • typography

• Defines and explains the use of information design research

  • Information design

    • • integrates writing and design

      • focuses on relationships with audiences

      • emphasizes visual elements, because it enhances engagement and understanding

• Gives a Heuristic: Grouping, Contrasting, and Signaling

  • Groups

    • • Are visual and verbal

      • Help readers perceive coherence and recognize how items fit together

      • Help readers avoid frustration and difficulty

      • Simplify complex information and improve scan-ability

      • Include chunking information, including white space, formatting, to enhance legibility of meaning 

  • Contrasts

    • • Involve graphics and typography

      • Illustrate hierarchy and relationships

      • Include juxtapositions in the size, shape, color, weight, saturation, and position

      • Typography

        • • Font: light and dark text, thick and thin type, roman and italic, uppercase and lowercase, serif and sans serif

          • Black text on white background is most effective

          • Sans serif typically more legible with average or low resolution displays

          • Sans serif also preferred for technical prose

          • Readers prefer larger type

          • Smaller type can slow reading, but also enhance accuracy of reading

          • Alternating small and large text helps readers read more quickly

  • Signals

    • • are also visual and verbal

      • Visual

        • • Also includes size, position, weight, style, repetition, and alignment

          • Size can signal importance and hierarchy, as well as other relationships

          • Sometimes multiple cues can help signal

          • Too many cues can flatten a visual hierarchy

      • Verbal

        • • Can include previews, summaries, sidebars, headings, subheadings, topic sentences, logical connectives, structural guesses, pull quotes, legends, captions

Example (10)

From Task Analyses

Activity: Analyze Information Design of Existing Documentation (25)

Existing Documentation

• Hario V60 dripper  (Birtu, Kathan, Kira)

• Aeropress Coffee Maker-Original  (Kyle, Kira)

• Bialetti Moka Induction Moka Pot (Lucas, Ethan, Kathan, Liam)

• Bodum French Press (George, Milo, Henry, Liam)

• Black and Decker 12-Cup Programmable Coffee maker (Anabelle, Esperanza, Kosuke)

• 1ZPresso JX-Pro manual grinder

• Niche Zero electric grinder

• Bonavita 1L gooseneck variable electric kettle

• Fellow Tally Pro scale

Identify (5)

Identify how the documentation groups, contrasts, and signals relationships among items of information.

Discuss (5)

Assess and Propose (10)

• Assess how effectively the documentation groups, contrasts, and signals relationships among items of information.

• Propose three (3) revisions to improve how the documentation groups, contrasts, and signals relationships among items of information.

Discuss (5)