Benefits of CIRS® or Certified Internet Research Specialist Certification
http://bit.ly/1TnmaIY
The #certification offered by AIRS is a way to gain a level of expertise in finding, compiling and organizing information using the #Internet for the #research #projects. One of the most significant challenges of performing Internet research today is that, there are numerous sources of information available online, and it can be difficult to find accurate information through the use of common Internet research #tools and #keywords alone.

#research  

Semiotics

Semiotics is defined as the study of signs and symbols as elements of communicative behaviour. This means that those common symbols attach themselves to ones mind with a certain meaning. These signs are broken up into three different categories of comprehension; Iconic, Indexical, symbolic.

Further analysis is an avenue which I am eager to explore. Iconic signs are described as when a sign looks like what is is intended to represent. This can be anything from a road sign of a bicycle, an symbol of a car on a slippery surface or an iconic symbol of an animal. To people on the roads globally, these signs are easily recognisable. An example of an iconic sign isThe six signs below; each are easily understandable to ones instant memory, allowing for quick reflexes to what is being conveyed in the sign. As these are roadside signs, these reflexes are extremely important, as to not distract the driver from the road for more than a split second.

Looking into iconic symbols is vital for my assignment, as my infographic consists completely of these easily recognisable signs. Like the images below, my symbols are flat, one layered, so the outline of the symbols has to easily be able to convey the messages I am conveying.

#Research  Cognitive theory/mental activities 

Cognitive theories are concerned with what an individual sees and how they interpret what they see. A person’s mental activities can affect how they understand what they see. Carolyn Bloomer found seven mental activities which impact our visual perception. Below I will briefly describe three of these activities and give an example of how they would apply in everyday life.

Memory: when we see an image, we compare it to images we’ve seen before in order to try and categorise an image and make it easier for us to understand. Images are subjective because your personal memories will impact how you perceive an image’s meaning.

Example: an image of a fire may have no personal meaning to someone if fire has never significantly impacted them. For someone involved in a house fire however, it could bring back negative memories associated with grief and loss.

Selectivity: we choose what we notice within an image, and we often do not notice small details.

Example: when we are doing research for assignments, we do readings where we skim read searching for key words that relate to what we are looking for. This shows we are selecting what information we take in.

Words: using a combination of words and images can create one of the most powerful form of communication as we relate the words to the images to create meaning.

Example: a picture of a small snake without any word would be just that - a small snake. If the snake had the words “A bite from this snake causes death”, then the snake is no longer viewer as a small harmless creature, rather the viewer knows it is dangerous because of the words used in combination with the image.

#Research  

In class today, we learnt about the cognitive role in design. An aspect of this which interested me was selectivity; the human tendency to focus only on the details which we find significant. This is something that is highly relevant when it comes to creating an infographic.

A prime example of selectivity is advertising on web pages. Users have become so accustomed to their presence, that they often gloss over them and give them no notice.

Users are also selective when it comes to design because they only pay attention to what will serve them in their task and usually to what follows conventions. Therefore in my own infographic design, I need to make sure that all of my content leads back to the main idea of veganism. I also need to work on making the design visually appealing while sticking to the conventions of infographics.

By sticking to conventions, the user will be able to identify that it is an infographic and therefore interact with the information presented.

Sources:

http://3.7designs.co/blog/2012/08/10-psychological-principles-to-design-with/

http://desktoppub.about.com/od/glossary/fl/Cognition.htm

#research
Semiotcis
In week 10 of class we learnt about semiotics. Semiotics is the study of sign and symbols and how the mind attaches to the meaning of the imagery. This is similar to perceptual theories which are concerned with how humans can associate complex meanings to what we see. Signs can be divided into three categories: iconic, indexical and symbolic.

Iconic signs look exactly like what they are meant to represent. An example of this is “ducks crossing” road signs. When passing one, we immediately signify that it means “ducks crossing”.
In indexical signs, the signifier makes you think of the related signified because the two are frequently connected in the real world. For example a scowling facial expression signifies displeasure or concern in a human. These signs generally take a little longer to recognise than icons do as they are not as obvious.
Symbolic signs have no exact or representational connection to what they represent, meaning that symbols need to be learned because of their abstract nature. Examples of this can be a company’s logo, medical symbols, or movie mascots. Cultural and social considerations influence symbolic signs greatly.


#Research  

This week I have started looking at the infographics depicting mass incarceration already out there. Pinterest is a wondrous place!

Whilst a few caught my eye, this one caught my eye due to its minimalist palette, grid formation, and iconography.

The Good:

Colour: I believe the colour palette works well in this infographic (with a few exceptions to be discussed later). This is because the red and blue - along with the stripes and stars - convey to the reader that this infographic is dealing with mass incarceration within the United States of America; executed by referencing the country's flag.

Iconography: The minimalist iconography made up of shapes (e.g. the red stripes acting as jail bars, and the barbed wire) depicts commonly known symbols of prisons and jails. These icons quickly provide the audience with context and the "need to know" facts.

Grid: The grid formation of this infographic is effective. The penitentiary dominates the top half of the image, which provides us with the most important piece of information for this infographics. Each statistic is broken up with margins and gutters, providing flow, and leading us around the infographic.

The Bad:

Colour: The negatives about the use of colour is that it washes away some of the infographics power to effectively educate, which is an infographic's main purpose. The red, white, and blue becomes ovewhelming, in particular, with the prisoners in blue tops. Thus, the bottom half becomes bland and uninteresting despite having quite a "wow-factor" statistic. Even using orange for the prisoners jumpsuits, or white instead of blue for the "every day" people would have been a lot more eye catching.

The Ugly:

This infographic has sacrificed cohesive meaning by concentrating too hard on the "American" colour palette and theme. For example: the stars, which depict USA's prison population was very hard for me to understand. It wasn't until I re-read the fine print three times over that I understood what the graphic was showing. Different symbols and colours, maybe even using shapes to depict the sheer enormity of the problem would have been a lot more effective and easier to understand.

Source: https://www.aclu.org/infographic-combating-mass-incarceration-facts

You can see some of my other mass incarceration infographic inspiration on my Pinterest: https://nz.pinterest.com/ebilham/infographics/

#Research
Semiotics

It is important to consider semiotics when constructing an infographic.
Semiotics or semiology is the study of signs and the meanings they create when we view them. It is focused on the meanings created by the mind and what the mind relates to when viewing certain imagery.
Signs can be sorted into 3 different categories: Iconic, Indexical and Symbolic.
Iconic signs are obvious and are shown exactly how they are supposed to be represented. They are easy to understand, and bring up quick imagery and meaning.
Indexical signs are slightly harder to understand quickly as they have a logical, common sense aspect attached to what they symbolise. This means they are more difficult to understand than iconic signs as they are less obvious.
Symbolic signs, or symbols, are certain pictures that equal quick meaning. Although they produce quick understanding, due to their abstract nature it means they must be learned. They are commonly influenced and impacted by cultural considerations and language barriers as symbols can mean different things internationally.
I will consider semiotics when producing my infographic as they are important for quick understanding and producing meaning from the mind.

#research  

This week in class we learnt different ways that a beginner can use illustrator, this will be helpful when working on assignment 2.

The presentation was on visual cues, something we already learnt about for our first assignment. However visual cues is an extremely important concept to grasp especially when we create our infographic.

Visual cues consist of: form, movement, colour and depth. My last research post that focused on visual cues discussed form and how lines and dots can help to communicate different messages visually. I decided to focus this post on colour. It's an aspect of visual cues we learnt about previously in the semester and I think important to consider when creating an infographic.

Considering colour can make all the difference when designing, infographics are all about visuals and visual cues are about using visuals to communicate a message. Colours work together in various ways. Analogue colours sit next to eachother on the colour wheel. Whereas, complimentary colours are colours that are “opposites” on the colour wheel. Lastly, triad colours are evenly spaced throughout the colour wheel.

The different ways colours can be used need to be thought about in order to create an effective visual design. Colours control where the eye looks and what aspect of a design is apparent to the eye first, therefore they become an extremely important tool for infographics.

Below I have attached a colour wheel that shows what both complimentary colours and analogue colours are. I have also attached an infographic that uses the complimentary colours blue & orange effectively.

#Research

In week 9 we looked at visual cues. Colour form, depth and movement. The human brain is programmed to respond to visual cues differently. There are four aspects of visual stimuli. In my research I have decided to focus on Colour.

It is important to consider the use of colour when designing anything that requires the viewers attention. The ability to distinguish between colours allow the viewer to be drawn in.

I decided to look more into basic colour theory to get a better understanding. Colour theories such as the colour wheel creates a logical structure for colour. The colour wheel highlights complementary colours meaning that the shade opposite your chosen colour will make it stand out more and create a contrast causing each colour to ‘pop’.

When designing an infographic it is important to take colour into consideration as you want it to draw in the viewer. Using complementary colours creates a contrast and acts as a visual stimuli causing the brain to want to focus on the design and read the information you are sharing.

Below is an infographic on colour theory. This infographic makes sure homeowners can find exactly what they need, while also educating them on colour theory. Seeing we are looking at colour as a visual cue I thought this was very relevant. 

#Research

This week's lesson is all about Semiotics. Semiotics refer to the study of signs and symbols and how they are used to communicate or interpret messages and meanings. Signs are important visual elements as they can easily suggest a particular message straight away. It can also stir positive or negative emotions depending on the meaning behind it. All signs are important and useful, however the speed of comprehension for each type of sign may vary. These signs can be identified into three different categories: Iconic, Indexical and Symbolic.

Iconic signs usually appear to be what they intentionally represent. (Examples: Road signs, Toilet signs). Indexical signs are signs wherein there is an element of logic or common sense connection to what they imply. (Example: Footprint) And lastly, symbolic signs refer to signs wherein the signified message can be purely conventional and culturally specific. (Example: Red cross)

Applying Semiotics to my infographic may be difficult as Filipino street food isn't particularly popular. However, I plan to incorporate other signs that may help in aiding my overall infographic. For my header, I wanted to replicate a horizon of a typical street just to add that extra detail. I'm still thinking of other visual elements that I can add to make my infographic look more visually pleasing.

#Research

Cognitive

Cognitive is the mental action where people gain knowledge through their thoughts, experiences and senses. The main processes of cognitive are memory, projection, expectation, selectivity, habituation salience, dissonance, culture and words. This will be vital for my info graphic as each of these steps clearly demonstrates the importance of symbols and images when applied correctly; and the effects it has on people.

Memory is when looking at an image and you recognize it from your memories. Projection is when we are confronted with a vague image but a recognizable form. expectation is when we have a preconceived idea which can lead to false interpretation. Selectivity is when we only see parts of an image that we want to see. Habituation is when our mind shuts off certain images as to not over stimulate our mind. salience is when an image has meaning to the viewer, it will be noticed more. dissonance is when distracting images are seen. Culture determine what you see and what you miss. Words are important when they are grouped with strong images.

#Research

In week 10 we looked at Semiotics. Semiotics is the study of signs and symbolism. It focuses on the meaning the mind attaches to imagery. A sign is defined as 'something that is used in the place of something else.’ Thus Semiotics is It is the relationship of signs to what they stand for, the process of also creating meaning.

Semiotics is important because it can help us not to take reality for granted as something having a purely objective existence which is independent of human interpretation.
An example would be the kinds of signs in everyday life such as the bathroom symbols in public toilets for men and women. We know just by looking at the symbol what they represent we make meaning of these symbols.

When applying Semiotics to my assignment ‘Egyptian cats’ why were they special, a lot of visuals will have similar meanings to each person who views my infographic. I will have Pyramids which will clear represent Egypt along side Egyptian Hieroglyphics. This will help convey the theme of my idea.

#research  

This week firstly we discussed cognitive thinking: this refers to how what is going on mentally in a viewers mind can alter what is literally being seen. Visual perception can be altered through a number of ways, these include: memory, projection, selectivity, expectation, habituation, salience, dissonce, culture and words.

Having an understanding of how cognitive thinking works will help me when creating my infographic as when I pick the visual aspects I will know the way the mind can interpret visuals. My tutor explained that the perception of words is extremely important to understand for our infographic. Words combined with images create one of the most crucial forms of communication.

Next, we discussed semiotics: this refers to signs and again how the mind links to visuals. Signs can be divided into Iconic (they look like what they represent), Indecical (have a logical sense to what they indicate) and Symbolic (these are abtract and therefore are learned and remembered).

We were told that semiotics are crucial when creating an infographic so having an understanding of them will benefit me when I am working on my assignment.

Below I have attached an example of using words & an image to create a message that the brain deciphers (the picture about money & the words along with it). I have also attached an image that explains examples of semiotics and also the McDonalds "M" as an example of a semiotic.

#RESEARCH  

Cognition & Perception: Chunking

This week I decided to look at the concept of “chunking” in information design. Chunking is simply putting relevant information in close proximity to other chunks of information, and using negative space or graphic devices to separate these “paragraphs” of information. This is relevant to the content we have been looking at in relation to perception and cognition because chunking is a strategy to make sure your audience gets as much of your information as possible and does not “shut off”.

Ideally, chunking information should result in 4-8 pieces of information sitting together, which makes it easier for readers to grasp concepts. This is a debated figure though, more often people refer to “miller’s magic number” which is the number 7 (give or take two chunks of information, ie. 5-9).

There is evidence of the effectiveness of chunking everywhere, it’s why phone and credit card numbers are normally split up into 3s, 4s and 5s – even with visual devices, the same principle holds true: too much information in one place will be too difficult for your readers to comprehend, so chunk it and separate it logically.

#Research Colour, Vectors, and Movement

As I narrow down the subject of my infographic, I am keeping the concepts of visual cues, such as colour, in mind to optimise the effectiveness of the information I wish to convey.

An example of this, is lighter/darker shades to convey concentration/density of something. I found an image representing this idea, which uses different shades of blue to convey numerical statistics in a stronger way.

As well as colour, the concept I choose, I need to be able to clearly illustrate with vectors, so I have been researching vectors which have a strong visual appeal, and won't be too complex to make. I am drawn to animal vectors, so one idea is to do my infographic on ranking animals intelligence. Another idea I have that would use animal vectors, is to show where animals live naturally on a world map.

I want simple visual elements on my infographic to optimise the human brain response. To do this, i need to control focus and draw attention to the important elements by keeping keep a low level of sensory. This will be informed with the use of blank space
My initial thoughts regarding colour are that a range of earthy tones (brown/dark grey) and oranges/reds will make up my colour palette as they relate to my subject matter and will allow me to create a visually appealing image.

To further draw focus and draw-attention to my infographic, I will focus on creating a path for the viewer's eye to follow. This use of movement can be done with use of colour, size and placement and information is imparted to them in an effective manner. I have researched infographics that have used this effectively, and attached some below with the other elements I researched. 

GI Motility

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#Research  Cognitive/Perceptual theory

Both cognitive and perceptual theory is about what humans see and the process of internalising a thought about what they have seen.

There is 9 mental processes that can occur once an individual has seen something:
- Memory = Memory can play a part in changing what an individual perceives and what is actually being presented, and vice versa.
- Projection = Psychology can use cognitive to theory to understand what people think, and in addition, also for advertising. Projection can be based on memory as there is no real idea in the foundation but people's internal components can transform an image.
- Expectation = People's expectations of imagery and vision can often make them feel pressured into making a visual conclusion when ultimately, it can be meaningless. Or in contrast, individuals can expect nothing from an image but really, there can be meaning.
- Selectivity = People tend to focus only on details of importance/preference within our vision.
- Salience = If there is a reason to look at something, there is ultimately more interest in understanding and acknowledge details in the visual.
- Culture = Our background or culture can change what we understand what we see.
& additionally, habituation, words and dissonance.

Fundamentally, cognitive and perceptual theory is about how our minds can intercept and change the information that we see due to the various elements that are mentioned above.

#research  

People do not expect infographics to be complex or cluttered. Infographics were created for the simple, or rather 'lazy' mind.

This is where visual cues come in. Visual cues direct our gaze to the most important part of the image. Instantly we save time scrolling through all the information and can pin point exactly what we need to take away from it.

Universal or recognisable images assist in the ease at which one would take in the information. An average visual cue takes the brain 1/4 of a second to register what it is.

If we are drawn in from this first visual cue, we navigate ourselves around the page through the hierarchy of the elements. Designers can cleverly manipulate your mind to follow a specific pathway of information by using size, shape, colour or orientation.

I personally think that the olympics infographic has attempted to use visual cues to ease the flow and speed of information, but the mark has been missed slightly. There is not hierarchy of visual cues. Initially our eyes look at the entire image as opposed to 1 immediate image. Once we've decided where to start, it's not clear to where we should look next, to follow the rings diagonally left to right, or to go across the top row then bottom? There is also a bit too much written information, which makes it seem overwhelming. The smaller infographics are strong enough on their own.

Although in saying this, if I were to produce something similar - I'd be pretty proud of my work.

#Research  

This week I am going to dedicate my research towards Semiotics.

Semiotics basically represents the signs and symbols as elements of a communicative behaviour;

Semiotics is the analysis of systems of communication, as language, gestures, or clothing. The general theory of signs and symbolism, usually divided into the branches of pragmatics, semantics, and syntactics.

In our case particularly in this assignment making an infographic, semiotics is the study of signs, and the way our brain links visual signs to meaning. Signs can be divided into three categories:

1. Iconic - Look like what they are meant to represent. Example: A bathroom symbol for each gender

2. Indexical - Have a logical, common sense connection to what they denote, because of this they tend to take a little longer to understand. Example would be

3. Symbolic - Have no logical or representational connection to what they are meant to represent - These need to be learned. They are influenced greatly by social and cultural nature. An example would be the Hunger games pin.

Clearly it is ideal not to incorporate too many symbolic symbols in an infographic as the purpose behind infographics is to make sure they are understood by all different cultures / ages/ people through visual cues. A great place to start would be making iconic vectors so that you can ensure you infographic will be easily understood.

#Research  - Infographics

For this next assignment we are to create an informational graphic, or also known as an infographic.

Infographics are a fun and easy way to learn about a topic without a tone of boring reading. The primary goal is to educate and inform the viewer through the use of illustrations, iconography, typography, colour and related design elements. Ideally, infographics should be visually engaging and contain content that is relevant to your target audience.

A successful infographic contains two main elements: focused data and a clear design.

Focused data should involve relevant data, reputable sources, reliable facts, and credited sources.

A clear design will present a limited colour pallet and simple graphics that tie your data together. An infographic that conveys a message from a glance has achieved its goal. When creating a message, it's often beneficial to consider the layout, where you can establish a connection between sections - good infographics will utilise the hierarchy of information.

Bellow is an example of a great infographic.