Information Design - Exercises
3.2.2025 - 21.2.2025(Week 1 - Week 3)
Chong Hui Yi / 0363195
Information Design / BDCM
Chong Hui Yi / 0363195
Information Design / BDCM
Exercises
TABLE OF CONTENT
1.
Lectures
2.
Instructions
3.
Exercise 1
4.
Exercise 2
5.
Feedback
6.
Reflection
LECTURES
Week 1:
Type of Infographics
8 types of infographics:
1. List infographics
- Informational graphic that uses a written list
- Contextualizing information with visuals
- Displays data using pie charts, bar graphs, and other visual tools.
- More easier to understand
- Explains how to do something (how to solve a problem / perform a task)
- Presents step-by-step instructions in a visual format.
- Useful for showing history or project schedules.
- Highlighting historical progress or project timelines.
- Visually compares different options side by side.
- Helps readers understand differences and make informed choices.
- Uses maps to display geographic or demographic data.
- Ideal for showing location-based information.
- A sequence of different steps or actions.
- Visually describes the main elements, actions, and steps of a process.
- highlights the most important steps
Week 2:
L.A.T.C.H Theory
L.A.T.C.H Theory
- Location – Organizing by place or position.
- Alphabet – Sorting in A-Z order for quick lookup.
- Time – Arranging by when things happen, like on social media.
- Category – Grouping similar things together in a way that makes sense.
- Hierarchy – Ordering from big to small, cheap to expensive, or most to least popular.
Week 3:
Miller’s Law of Memory
Miller’s Law of Memory:
- Our memory is limited – We can only hold about 7 things in our short-term memory at once.
- We forget fast – If we don’t use the info within 30 seconds, it’s gone.
- Too many choices = overload – When faced with too many options, we struggle to decide.
- Chunking helps – Breaking info into smaller groups makes it easier to remember.
- Clear communication matters – Keep messages simple and structured so people don’t get lost.
A Daily Example of Miller’s Law
I recently noticed that license plates usually have 4 numbers and 3
letters, making a total of 7 characters. This reminded me of
Miller’s Law, which says our short-term memory can hold around 7 ± 2
pieces of information. Maybe this design isn’t just random—it could
actually help people remember license plates more easily. If they
were any longer, our brains might struggle to store and recall them.
INSTRUCTIONS
<iframe
src="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tBjuSKTjgPgjaSzESdBM9ivw2MrdrlTn/preview"
width="640" height="480" allow="autoplay"></iframe>
Exercise 1: Quantifiable Information
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.”
Fig. 1.0 Things to do
Sorted
First, I needed to find an object that could be categorised. I
came across my childhood toys, which come in different lengths
and colours, so I decided to use them. These toys actually
come in various shapes as well, but to keep the categorisation
simple, I chose only the stick-like ones.
Fig. 2.0 Data
I first roughly categorised them by length and colour.
Fig. 2.1 Simply categorise it
Then, based on the initial categorisation, I took one piece from
each of the three different lengths, wrote down their
measurements, and labelled their colours. While sorting, I didn’t
write down their quantities because I was worried that I might not
know what to do during the arranging step, so I left that for
later. At this stage, I was still somewhat confused about the
difference between sorting and arranging.
Fig. 2.2 Final Sorted
Arranged
Next, I had to arrange the objects. At first, I wanted to make a
table with the y-axis showing the quantity and the x-axis showing
the length, while grouping them by colour. To make it look more
interesting, I tried placing them diagonally. But in the end, I
gave up on the table idea because no matter how I arranged them,
some areas looked empty and unbalanced. I also worried that this
design might be hard to understand.
Fig. 3.0 Arranged - Draft idea 1
I did everything in class up to this point. Just before going home, I
noticed that the objects could be arranged in a leaf shape, which I
thought might be useful for the final look—though I didn’t end up
using this idea haha.
Fig. 3.1 Arranged - Draft idea 2
Later, I searched for ideas on Pinterest and realised that my toy
blocks could be connected into a curved line. That gave me the idea
to use them to form parts of a circle.
I split the layout into three sections: a big circle in the top left,
a small one in the bottom left, and a medium one in the bottom right.
I wrote the quantity and colour along each curved line and added the
lengths in the empty spaces between them.
Looking back, I kind of regret not using a thinner pen to write the
colours and numbers, but I had already finished everything.
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Fig. 3.3 Final Arranged
Presented Visually
For the visual presentation, Fig. 4.0 inspired me—I thought I could
create a dandelion-like shape with the feeling of being carried away
by the wind.
Fig. 4.0 Reference for Visually (from
Pinterest)
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Fig. 4.1 Inspired by Dandelion (from
Pinterest)
I tried different ways to arrange them, but some looked strange. In
the end, I chose the first one on the far left in Fig. 4.2.
.png)
Fig. 4.2 Presented Visually - draft ideas
I made some changes—I grouped the same colours together on one side
to make it look more like a dandelion. I also used coloured lines to
connect the pieces and show their quantity. In the top right corner,
three groups looked like they were drifting away, like
dandelion seeds.
Then, I realised I wasn’t sure how to label the lengths, and someone
also gave me feedback that the numbers and lines were too thin to
see clearly.
Fig. 4.3 Presented Visually - First Attempt
Fig. 4.4 Final Presented Visually
Story
Finally, since I was using my childhood toys, I wanted to create
something related to childhood memories. I used the toy to make a
swing, which was one of my favourite things to play with as a kid—and
it can actually swing!
Fig. 5.0 Story - Swing (Front View)
Fig. 5.0 Story - Swing (Side View)
Fig. 5.0 Story - Swing (GIF)
Final Outcome
Fig. 5.1 Final Quantifiable Information (Random Object, Sorted,
Arranged, Presented Visually, Story: Using the toys to build my
childhood swings)
Exercise 2: L.A.T.C.H
Instruction
1. Organize a group of information into a visual poster that
combines and utilizes the LATCH principles (Minimum 4).
2. You are required to use the digital photo editing/illustration
software available to assemble the information into a LATCH
infographic poster.
3. You are allowed to reuse back the images but you have to create
the rest of visuals to complete the poster.
Research
It’s hard to come up with a theme right away, so I looked at infographic posters on Pinterest for inspiration. I mainly saw ones about animals, plants, and food. The animal and plant ones were educational, while the food ones were mostly recipes. I realized I’m most interested in food.
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Fig. 6.0 Research on Animals and Plants Infographics
At first, I wanted to make something like Fig. 6.1 "Black Tea" and "Coffee" poster, but it seemed too complicated. I didn’t want to spend too much time and end up with something I didn’t like.
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Fig. 6.1 Research on Food Infographics
Then I saw Fig. 6.2, a poster about hot pot, and I was immediately drawn to it because I also like to eat HOP POT. I liked how it looked, and I wanted to create something similar. It felt fun and cute!
Fig. 6.2 This hot pot poster caught my attention (from
Pinterest)
Besides that, I really liked the simple and clean hand-drawn style of Fig. 6.3. I think it would be a great reference for my design.
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Fig. 6.3 Art style reference
Content & Sketch
Then, I started planning the content for my hot pot infographic poster, making sure to use at least four elements from LATCH. Initially, I chose Location, Alphabet, Time, and Category. My original idea for Location was to include a map showing the origins of hot pot in China.
However, while sketching, I realized there might not be enough space. That’s when a friend mentioned that steps could fall under Hierarchy, so I decided to replace Location with a step-by-step guide on how to enjoy hot pot.
In the end, I went with Alphabet, Time, Category and Hierarchy. You can see the details in Fig. 7.0.
Fig. 7.0 Hot Pot Infographic Poster (ATCH)
After that, I sketched out some drafts (refer to Fig. 7.1).
First sketch (leftmost): I planned to place a hot pot in the center, with four ingredient types (Meat, Seafood, Tofu Products, Vegetables) around it. Each type would list four ingredients along with their cooking times. The bottom section would feature three dipping sauces. However, I didn’t consider that the ingredients would need images, which might make space an issue.
Second sketch (second from the left): This version included images for each ingredient. I also added a hot pot illustration in the bottom right corner to balance the composition while keeping the other elements the same.
Third sketch (third from the left): I experimented with a table format. The top row showed ingredient types, and the first column arranged items by cooking time. A hot pot illustration was placed at the bottom. However, I realized this version only used three LATCH principles (Alphabet, Time, and Category), which felt incomplete.
Fourth sketch (rightmost): I modified the table by making the first column ingredient types and the top row cooking times. I also added four soup bases at the top for selection.
Fig. 7.1 Sketches
Later, I tried a fifth draft (refer to Fig. 7.2), structuring it into three steps:
1. Choose a Soup Base
2. Select Ingredients
3. Mix Dipping Sauces
Fig. 7.2 Sketch 2
Create All Art Assets
Next, I needed to find ingredient illustrations or images.
I wanted a cute illustration style, but I couldn’t find a consistent set of ingredient illustrations online—either the styles didn’t match, or there weren’t enough options. So, I decided to create my own assets to keep everything visually cohesive.
To guide my drawing process, I gathered some cute ingredient illustration references (refer to Fig. 8.5). I aimed for a simple style to avoid spending too much time on it.
I used Procreate to draw 16 ingredients, and they all have little faces—except for Japanese tofu and shiitake mushroom (I totally forgot, haha). The whole process took me 3 hours, and I’m really happy with how it turned out!
Fig. 8.0 Drawn 16 Ingredients in Procreate (Most with Expressions)
For the dipping sauces, I used this website as a reference (It’s easier to find hot pot sauce info in Chinese than in English).
Originally, I planned to draw three sauces, but due to time constraints, I only did Clear Broth Hot Pot Sauce and Seafood Hot Pot Sauce. I based the drawings on real photos but kept them simple, just making sure the colours were roughly accurate.
Fig. 8.1 Dipping sauces were simply drawn based on real
photos
I followed my original plan and drew four soup bases: Clear Broth, Mushroom Broth, Spicy Mala, and Tomato. By the way, my personal favorite is Clear Broth haha!
Fig. 8.2 Hot Pot Soup Bases: Clear Broth, Mushroom Broth, Spicy
Mala, Tomato
Infographic Poster Design
I started designing the poster in Adobe Illustrator. At first (Fig. 9.0), I chose red and yellow as the background colours. However, they didn’t match the style I was aiming for. The colours felt too strong, so I decided to go for something softer and more harmonious.
Fig. 9.0 Feels too red and hot, not the style I want
I also spent some time experimenting with different fonts. I wanted a handwritten, casual style, rather than something too formal. For the title (Hot Pot Guide), I chose Atma SemiBold, which has a lively feel. The subheadings (steps and ingredient names) are in Segoe Print Bold, while the body text is in Chilanka Regular.
Aside from fonts, I started working on the initial layout. However, I noticed that the ingredient section felt too far to the left. Shifting everything to the right didn’t help either, as it no longer aligned with the four soup bases above. It just didn’t look right.
Fig. 9.1 First layout feels messy, tried different fonts too
I decided to put that issue aside for now and focus on the background. The light yellow felt too plain, so I added a paper texture to give it more depth.
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Fig. 9.2 Added paper texture to the background
After that, I decided to try adding a divider next to the ingredient category names. It still felt a bit odd, but it made me realise that people might struggle to understand that each row of ingredients belongs to the category listed in the first column.
Fig. 9.3 Added dividers next to the ingredient type names, but it
still looks odd
So I decided to create a table for the ingredient section, which instantly made the layout look more balanced and easier to read. While working on that, I realised the poster still felt like it was missing something. A hot pot poster without a hot pot just didn’t feel right. To fix this, I added a hot pot illustration (link) at the top of the background.
Beside that, the black title "Hot Pot Guide" felt too heavy, so I changed it to red for a softer look. To improve readability, I highlighted the step names in a reddish-orange colour, making them stand out more. I also adjusted the text for the dipping sauces to ensure they stayed within the margins.
Fig. 9.4 Created a table for ingredients, changed title colors,
and highlighted step names
Although I was already happy with the design, I decided to try a left-aligned layout and found it more balanced than the centred one. To add a playful touch, I placed two dots next to the title. Finally, Exercise 2 is complete!
Fig. 9.5 Changed from a centered layout to left-aligned
Final Outcome
Location: Not used.
Alphabet: Ingredients types, ingredients and soup bases are arranged alphabetically.
Time: Cooking times are provided for each ingredient.
Category: Items are grouped into soup bases, ingredient types, and dipping sauces.
Hierarchy: The process follows three steps: choose a soup base, select ingredients, and mix a dipping sauce.
Fig. 10.0 Final Hot Pot Guide Infographic Poster - JPG
Fig. 10.1 Final Hot Pot Guide Infographic Poster - PDF
FEEDBACK
-
REFLECTION
If it weren’t for Exercise 1, I might not have dug out my childhood toys again. This was a rare chance to use physical objects for an assignment. At first, I couldn’t distinguish between "sorted" and "arranged," but I gradually understood the difference through practice. Compared to digital posters, physical ones have more limitations. For example, once a layout is set, it’s difficult to rearrange as taking it apart and reassembling is time-consuming. Plus, my handwriting isn’t great, which was another challenge. However, working with physical materials felt more like playing, making the process more enjoyable. Both have their advantages.
For Exercise 2, once I decided on the hot pot theme, I had a clear direction, which allowed me to fully enjoy the design process. Since UI/UX modules mostly focus on layout design, this was a rare chance for me to create some cute illustrations again. I spent most of my time drawing art assets, and my favourite ingredient was the fish balls, they looked adorable! Time was my biggest challenge, but fortunately, I managed to complete everything on time and was satisfied with the outcome.
Overall, I found both Exercise 1 and 2 enjoyable, but Exercise 2 was more time-consuming and engaging.
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