Information Design Lectures & Exercises

3/2/2025 - 21/3/2025 Week 1 - Week 7

Wong Kai Xin / 0353027

Information Design / Bachelor of Design in Creative Media / The Design School

Lectures & Exercises

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Exercise 1: Quantifiable Information (10%) 

- Quantify raw data and visualize information as a photograph
- Visual representation of numerical data that allows for easy interpretation and analysis. 

Instruction:
Gather a set of objects and separate it into category such as color, shape, pattern, and other quantifiable factor.
Example:

1. Box of Lego
2. Jar of button
3. Jar of marble ball
4. Set of colourful rubber strap & more.

In this exercise you're required to quantify our chosen objects and arrange them into a presentable layout or chart. 
The information must be presented as is, and you need to arrange the objects with relevant indicators written out with pens to help you to visualize the quantity and data. The examples of objects that can be use are buttons, coins, lego pieces, M&Ms, and more.

Submission:
E-Portfolio report consists of

1. Photo of the random objects before sorting out
2. Objects sorted out by categories (2 - 5 category)
3. Write and design the information on a piece of papers (A3 drawing paper)  

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LECTURES

Week 1:

Type of Infographics

Infographics are:

•  a powerful tool for capturing attention and boosting engagement. 
• visually communicate ideas in a clear and compelling way
• widely used in design and marketing

8 Types of Infographics 

1. List Infographics

   • Present information in a structured, easy-to-read list format.
   • Ideal for summarizing key points, tips, or steps in a process.

2. Statistical Infographics

   • Focus on presenting data and statistics through charts, graphs, and icons.
   • Used to highlight trends, comparisons, and numerical insights.

3. How-To Infographics

   • Break down step-by-step instructions visually.
   • Great for tutorials, guides, and educational content.

4. Timeline Infographics

   • Show events or progress over time in a linear or sequential format.
   • Useful for historical data, project milestones, or future plans.

5. Comparison Infographics

   • Contrast two or more concepts, products, or ideas side by side.
   • Helps in decision-making by highlighting differences and similarities.

6. Map and Location Infographics

   • Use geographical maps to represent data related to locations.
   • Commonly used for demographics, global trends, or regional statistics.

7. Flowchart Infographics

   • Guide viewers through a decision-making process with interconnected choices.
   • Often used in troubleshooting, processes, or interactive decision trees.

8. Process Description Infographics

   • Explain a sequence of steps in a process using a visual flow.
   • Ideal for business workflows, manufacturing steps, or service explanations.

Without even realizing before, infographics are everywhere in my daily life.

A few examples are:

1. Every morning, when I check the weather app, the little icons—sun, rain, or clouds—instantly tell me what to expect for the day. 
2. When I cook, a recipe infographic with step-by-step visuals makes things easier than reading a block of text. Even nutrition labels on food packaging use charts and percentages to help me make better choices.
3. Scrolling through social media, I see infographics summarizing news, workout routines, and budgeting tips—quick, easy, and engaging ways to absorb information.

From street signs to train maps, shopping receipts to fitness apps, infographics simplify my life, making complex information instantly clear and digestible. It’s amazing how much I rely on them without even realizing it! 

Week 2:

L.A.T.C.H theory

The L.A.T.C.H. theory provides a structured approach to organizing and presenting data. It stands for Location, Alphabet, Time, Category, and Hierarchy, which are the five fundamental ways to arrange information for better understanding and accessibility.

1. Location (Where)

• Organizes information based on geography or spatial relationships.
• Used in maps, floor plans, and geographical data visualizations.
• Example: A subway map showing train routes across a city.

2. Alphabet (A-Z Order)

• Arranges information alphabetically, making it easy to search.
• Used in directories, glossaries, and indexes.
• Example: A phone contact list or a dictionary.

3. Time (Chronological Order)

• Presents data in a sequential, time-based format.
• Ideal for timelines, historical events, and schedules.
• Example: A company’s history shown in a timeline infographic.

4. Category (Grouping by Type)

• Organizes information into groups based on shared characteristics.
• Commonly used in product catalogs, websites, and classification systems.
• Example: A shopping website sorting products by clothing, electronics, and home goods.

5. Hierarchy (Importance or Scale)

• Arranges information based on priority, ranking, or magnitude.
• Used in organizational charts, pyramids, and lists sorted by importance.
• Example: A list of best-selling books ranked by popularity.

Why L.A.T.C.H Matters?

Using these five principles helps create clear, structured, and user-friendly designs, making complex information easier to navigate and understand. It is widely applied in infographic design, UI/UX, data visualization, and information architecture.

Week 3:

Miller's Law of Memory

Miller’s Law is basically a fancy way of saying our brains can only hold about 7 things at a time. Ever tried to remember a long list and felt your mind go blank after a few items? That’s Miller’s Law in action!

• How This Affects Us Every Day

  1. Remembering Passwords

     • Long passwords are hard to remember, which is why so many of us end up resetting them all the time!

  2. Using Apps & Websites

     • Good designers limit options to 5-7 choices so it’s easier for us to process.
     • Websites break up info into small chunks—because reading a giant wall of text is the worst.

  3. Studying & Learning

     • Ever tried cramming too much at once and forgot half of it? Breaking things into smaller sections helps your brain keep up.

  4. Shopping Lists & To-Do Lists

     • You might think, “I don’t need a list, I only have a few things to get.” But once you hit the store, you forget half of it if there are more than 7!

  5. Giving Instructions & Presentations

     • If you're giving a speech or explaining something, breaking it into 5-7 key points makes people more likely to remember what you said.

  Once you realize how this works, you can make life easier—simplify what you say, group info into smaller chunks, and write things down when there’s too much!

Week 4:

Manuel Lima's 9 Directives Manifesto

Manuel Lima’s 9 Directives Manifesto is about changing how we think and design things. Instead of strict, top-down structures, we should embrace more natural, connected, and flexible systems—just like nature does.

Here are the main ideas:

• Think in Networks, Not Trees – Life isn’t a straight line or a strict hierarchy; everything is connected.
• Embrace Variety – Different perspectives and ideas make systems stronger.
• Share Control – Power and information shouldn’t come from just one source.
• Let Things Grow Naturally – Instead of forcing strict rules, allow patterns to develop on their own.
• Focus on Connections – Understanding how things relate to each other is more important than looking at them alone.

Basically, the world isn’t a simple, organized chart—it’s a web of relationships. If we design and think this way, we’ll create better, smarter systems!

Week 5:

Constructive Workflow

• A constructive workflow is all about working in a way that is smooth, efficient, and productive. It’s not just about getting things done but doing them in a way that builds on progress and improves over time.

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EXERCISES

Exercise 1: 

Quantifiable Information (10%) – Quantify raw data and visualize information as a photograph

Week 1:

We were to capture our objects in different states :

1. data
2. sorted
3. arranged
4. visually
5. story

1. Data 

• The unorganized, raw form of objects.
• No categorization or arrangement is applied yet.
• Example: A jar of buttons spilled onto a table, with different colors, sizes, and shapes mixed together.

I brought a variety of items- colored beads, game tokens, legos, miscellaneous items

2. Sorted 

• The objects are divided into categories based on a chosen quantifiable factor (e.g., color, shape, size, material).
• The goal is to separate items into meaningful groups.
• Example: Buttons separated by color into small piles (red, blue, yellow, etc.) or by size (small, medium, large).

Instead of sorting it out by color, I decided to sort my objects out by shades, as I had more colors altogether. I also wrote down the number of each items under.

3. Arranged

The sorted objects are arranged neatly into a presentable structure that highlights the numerical data.

This can be in rows, stacks, grids, or any clear layout.

Example: Lining up buttons in rows by color or size, or stacking them into columns to represent quantities visually.

I arranged my objects by width as they all had different lengths, I figured it would look aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

4. Visually

The arranged data is turned into an informative visual display—almost like a physical chart or graph.

You add indicators, labels, numbers, or annotations to show trends or comparisons.

Example: Creating a bar chart using stacks of buttons to represent frequency (e.g., a stack of 10 red buttons vs. a stack of 5 blue buttons) and labeling the quantities.

The objects in the image are arranged in a spiral pattern, creating a visually appealing and structured layout. They are sorted in a way that highlights their differences while keeping the composition balanced. I added a similar item (eg: red game token joined with yellow game token / yellow brick combined with green brick) to add onto the visual harmony. 

5. Story

The final step is turning the visualized data into a story that communicates insights.

Explain the meaning behind the data—patterns, trends, or relationships.

This infographic visually represents the idea of creating balance in life through variety.

• The tree-like structure symbolizes stability and growth, much like how we build a balanced life.
• The different colors and shapes represent the variety of elements needed for balance—work, play, health, relationships, and personal growth.
• The dice at the base could signify uncertainty or chance, reminding us that life isn’t always predictable, but balance helps us stay grounded.

My main point behind this design is hoping that it illustrates that a fulfilling life is built on diversity, organization, and balance.

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Exercise 2: L.A.T.C.H (10%) – Present information according to this principle as a designed poster

Week 2: 

topic ideas:

• Clothing sorted by season (summer, winter, fall, spring)
• food making process/recipe
  
  

  
  

  

  
  
• foods cat can eat

After a consultation session with my tutor, I decided to go with the topic "foods cat can eat' as it is something new.

A(alphabets)- food sorted in alphabetical order

T(time)- timeline of harmful food over time  

C(category)- foods cats can eat/ cannot eat, harmful over time

H(hierarchy)- organizing info from most to least important

🚨 Most Toxic 

• Chocolate
• Grapes & raisins
• Onions & garlic
• Alcohol

⚠️ Harmful Over Time

• Dairy (many cats are lactose intolerant)
• Raw fish (destroys vitamin B1 over time)
• High-sodium processed foods (can lead to kidney issues)

✅ Safe in Moderation

• Cooked fish  – Occasional treat, rich in Omega-3 (but avoid too much due to mercury content)
• Apples (No Seeds) – A good source of fiber and vitamins.
• Pumpkin (good for digestion) - Helps with digestion and hairballs

Timeline:

Immediately  

🚨 Caffeine (Coffee, Tea, Energy Drinks) – Leads to hyperactivity, tremors, and rapid heart rate.

Short-Term 
⚠️ Chocolate – Symptoms like restlessness, increased heart rate, and vomiting start appearing.

Mid-Term
🔴 Fatty Foods (Fried Food, Bacon, Butter) – Can cause stomach upset or trigger pancreatitis.

Long-Term
⚠️ Raw Eggs & Meat – Prolonged exposure can cause bacterial infections and nutritional deficiencies.

Sketch of layout:

As seen in the sketch, I listed where in the poster I will be using the L.A.T.C.H principles. I will draw a cat, with both sides (good and bad) to help users understand easier without much words and just by looking at the picture.

Work progress:

I used Adobe illustator for this exercise and I drew all of the items in my poster myself, using the brush and pen tool. I went for a cartoony look as it felt more fun to read. 

Final submission:

L.A.T.C.H infographic poster (png)

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REFLECTION

At first, I didn’t realize how much organization and visualization could impact the way we understand information. But through these exercises—both the LATCH infographic and the Lego quantification—I started to see patterns in how we process data.

With the LATCH method, breaking down the information about what cats can and cannot eat made me realize how much structure matters. By categorizing foods by their impact, timeline, and severity, it became easier to grasp why certain foods are immediately dangerous while others build up harm over time. It wasn’t just about listing facts—it was about making them clear and digestible.

The Lego quantification exercise was another eye-opening moment. Arranging objects based on colors, shapes, and patterns felt almost therapeutic, but it also showed me how visual representation can tell a story. Whether it was forming a spiral or stacking them into a tree, I saw how numbers and raw data could become something meaningful and engaging just by changing the way they’re presented.

Both exercises reinforced how important design and categorization are in making information useful. Whether it's understanding data through objects or creating an infographic to communicate ideas, these methods help turn overwhelming details into something simple and impactful. Now, I look at everyday things—whether it’s organizing my desk, sorting groceries, or even planning a to-do list—with a more structured and visual mindset.