looking at visual strategies in lab coursesgraphic design tools and features frankel & depace...

Looking at visual strategies in lab courses

Kelly Norris Martin | Rochester Institute of Technology

Background

•  Communication-In-the-Disciplines researcher at RIT specializing in visual communication

•  Interdisciplinary PhD in communication and design from NCSU

•  Study transfer of math, physics and communication skills from academia into the workforce

•  Member of SMERC

M

Thoughts on visuals from natural science faculty

visual process

“When I make scientific figures I don’t actively think about the rules. I just start creating and then re-arrange based on trial and error of what looks good /clear”

Scientist reflection on impact of good aesthetics / design

“Many students gravitate to the formatting of one of the papers. Less cluttered, bigger font, more white space. It isn’t until they started to dissect the writing that they realize that the more visually appealing paper was weaker.”

1 2

Why visuals and “the rules”?

•  Can clarify or strengthen argument

•  Guides, draws viewers into process

•  Allows researcher to discover patterns

A visual of a scientific concept is a re-presentation, not the thing itself – some interpretation or translation is always involved

~ Frankel & DePace

•  Requires clarity in thinking

•  Improves ability to communicate

•  Process can lead to to new insights

•  Must often account for basic assumptions

Advantage Agency Outcomes

Importance of graphic design in scientific communication

Until ~ 2010, training on

visual techniques

received little attention

What this talk will cover

1.  How to approach your design challenge / questions to ask

2.  Basic design tools and features

3.  Examples

4.  Suggestions for students

Essential elements

rich content

sophisticated execution

inviting visualization

Wong, 2010

How to approach your design | Part 1

brings meaning to a graphic

Interprets the content and highlights the

essence of the info brings content and graphics to life

Essential elements

rich content

sophisticated execution


Wong, 2010


It is the CONTENT that makes graphics interesting

No enhancements to distract from clarity of info.

Questions

Frankel & DePace, 2012


1.  Is the graphic explanatory or exploratory?

2.  How will the graphic be used?

3.  What is the first thing you want the viewer to see?

Explanatory or exploratory?



EXPLAIN

• Communicate a point or call attention to patterns

•  Evidence or proof

•  Teaching tools

EXPLORE

•  Invite the viewer to discover new information

• Make sense of data - organize and communicate main points

Still based on same set of principals

How will the graphic be used?



What is the context?

•  oral presentation

•  lecture

•  research article

•  poster

•  grant proposal

What are the demands of that context?

oral: graphic needs to make the point quickly and clearly (more so than research article) colleague different than a student

What is the first thing you want viewer to see?



Unlikely 1st time viewer will see what you see

Guidance needed to identify important details

For exploratory – allow for additional component of discovery


Interprets the content and highlights the

essence of the info

Graphic design tools and features

Frankel & DePace (2012); Williams (2004)

Design tools & features | Part 2

TOOLS

Compose (arrange)

Abstract (form)

Color

Layer (space)

Refine (simplify)

(depth, space, typography, graphics)

FEATURES

Contrast

Repetition

Alignment

Proximity

Tools: COMPOSE

Frankel & DePace (2012)


Organize elements and establish relationships

Where to start and go

Visual hierarchy

Spatial organization of signaling proteins. Nature, 2005. Single-molecule tracking reveals that spatial organization of signaling proteins in the cell membrane, often ascribed to lipid-based “rafts,” is probably a consequence of protein-protein interactions.


Tools: ABSTRACT



Graph? Cartoon? Accurate model?

Represent essential qualities and/or meaning of material

Exclude unnecessary info.

Make use of preexisting knowledge

History of a bee swarm decision-making process.Behav Ecol Sociobiol, 1999


Tools: COLOR



Draw attention

Label

Show relationships (compare and contrast)

Indicate a visual scale of measure

Separate roles for color in 1 graphic

Electromagnetic spectrum with light highlighted. Wikipedia

Tools: LAYER



“Add layers to overlap multiple variables to create a direct relationship in physical space”

Perseus. Online resource, 2011. Multiple views of the Perseus molecular cloud complex, overlaid to demonstrate the locations of different physical environments and the spatial relationship between them.


Eagle nebula. Astronomy, from the Earth to the Universe 2002.

A comparison between the Hubble Space Telescope visible light image of the Eagle Nebula (called M16) and the same area of space imaged with a ground-based telescope reading the new-infrared part of the spectrum.


Tools: REFINE



Step back and look with fresh eyes

Anything that could be removed?

Anything distracting?

Anything more clear?

Check “features”

A microfabricated multiphase packed-bed reactor. Ind Eng Chem Res, 2001. A microchemical device built in silicon and glass by using microfabrication meth-ods including deep-reactive-ion etch technology, photolithography, and multiple water bonding.


Features: CONTRAST

Williams (2004)


Avoid elements that are merely similar. If the elements (type, color, size, line thick-ness, shape, space, etc.) are not the same, then make them VERY DIFFERENT. Don’t be a wimp

Features: CONTRAST

Williams (2004)


Features: REPETITION

Williams (2004)


Repeat visual elements throughout the piece

Could be line thickness, color, shapes, spatial relationships, etc.

Strengthens unity and develops organization

Features: ALIGNMENT

Williams (2004)


Nothing should be placed arbitrarily

Every element should have a connection with something else on the page

Creates clean, sophisticated look

Features: ALIGNMENT

Martin Krzywinski


Features: ALIGNMENT

Williams (2004)


Features: PROXIMITY

Williams (2004)


Items relating to each other should be placed close together

Become one visual unit

Reduces clutter, provides structure

Williams (2004) Williams (2004)

Avoid

Martin Krzywinski


Tight packing and asymmetries

Tense Calm

Avoid Design tools & features | Part 2

Inconsistency in labeling complex steps

Outlines or bubbles for emphasis – use space

Use of identical arrows for different reaction vs. callout

Presenting too much detailed info. at once - use overlay

Martin Krzywinski

B. Wong


Baak, 2010

Helping students with visuals Design tools & features | Part 2

Provide visual restrictions and guidance for poster, slides, report, etc.

Make resources on improving visual techniques accessible and encourage use

Provide examples of good visuals or point out flaws in poor

Helping students with visuals Design tools & features | Part 2

Emphasize that correct use of visual tools /features /principals will be used to evaluate

Ask students directly why they made certain decisions in representations

Critique student visuals on content and design

Personal mindset Design tools & features | Part 2

Consider design not as only supplementary or a superficial component to communication

Try not to assume a well-designed or “slick” presentation is always an effort to cover up poor content

REFERENCES Cairo, A. (2012). The Functional Art: An introduction to information graphics and visualization. New Riders. Few, S. (2009). Now You See It: Simple Visualization Techniques for Quantitative Analysis. Analytics Press. Chapter 5: Analytical Techniques and Practices. Frankel, F. & DePace, A. H. (2012). Visual strategies: A practical guide to graphics for scientists and engineers. Yale University Press. Krzywinski, M. (2013). Elements of visual style. Nat. Methods 10, 371. Tufte, E. (1997). Visual Explanations. Chapter 2: Visual and Statistical Thinking: Displays of Evidence for Making Decisions. Williams, R. (2008). The Non-Designer’s Design Book. Berkeley, CA: Peach Pit Press. Wong, D. (2013). The Wall Street Journal Guide to Information Graphics. Norton & Company. Layout. Wong, B. (2011). Layout. Nat. Methods 8, 783.

looking at visual strategies in lab coursesgraphic design tools and features frankel & depace...

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