Transparent Assignment Introduction: To introduce this assignment, I would have a short video that includes several realworld examples of infographics that are either effective and confusing. It would be funny and engaging, and it will also give examples of when infographics can be very important, for example fire exit directions. Prior to the assignment, we will build a list as a class on the wiki of successful strategies used by the different infographics in the video. Purpose : The purpose of this assignment is to create an infographic that is effective. Students will analyze the strategies, elements, and design principles that lead to successful translation of a message in infographics. Afterwards, they will apply these strategies and principles to create an effective infographic. Infographics are a very common, practical application of many of the fundamental concepts in graphic design. All design is used to say something, and in the case of infographics, the message is very apparent. Other forms of graphic design, such as branding, can be more subtle, layered, or sophisticated, so it is important to begin with a grasp of the more fundamental aspects of communication in design. Skills : ● Recognize an effective infographic. ● Identify the elements that make it successful. ● Analyze the infographic’s strategy, principles of design, metaphors, and why it works. ● Create an infographic, using design tools such as Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator to combine lines, shapes, text, and images. Knowledge : You will gain the following content knowledge from this assignment: 1. The strategies that make an effective infographic. 2. The principles of design that support different messages and goals. 3. How metaphors are successfully communicated with infographics. 4. Practical application of strategies and design principles within Photoshop and Illustrator.
Task(s) : 1. Research infographics and select one that communicates an idea, concept, process, etc. visually and effectively and write an analysis of its message, elements, and success. 1. Write a 500word or a 1minute video analysis of the infographic. It should discuss each of the following aspects of the infographic you chose: 1. Purpose (the message, data, or idea) 1. Elements of the infographic, (text, images, lines, and shapes) 1. Strategies used to relay the message. 1. Principles of design (color, size, placement) 1. Metaphors (symbols, analogies, relationships) 1. Analyze how why and it works overall. 8. Apply at least 4 of the elements you identified in creating an infographic using Photoshop or Illustrator. Include a short paragraph describing which elements you used and why. 1. Submit your selected infographic, your analysis, and the infographic you created to the Infographic Analysis wiki by creating a new wiki page. 1. Review and comment on at least three of your classmates’ submissions. Criteria for Success : A successful infographic will be easy to understand, and employ design strategies previously identified. For example, an infographic designed to explain a concept should include as few words as possible, with a limited color and clearly utilized color palette, lines to draw attention from one place to the next, and it should be created for the target audience.
A successfully completed assignment will be a clear and concise analysis of an infographic, and an infographic created by the student that demonstrates four of the successful elements described in the analysis. The assignment will be graded in three parts. Participation on the wiki prior to the assignment, the submitted analysis, as well as the infographic will be given a total grade out of 75 points. This and 11 other assignments make up 50% of the final grade for this course. Use the following checklist to evaluate the completion of the assignment: ● Have you added two or three elements of a successful infographic to the class’ list on the wiki. Do not repeat any that have already been added? ● Does your analysis include a discussion of the purpose of the infographic? ● Does your analysis describe the basic text, shape, line, and space elements of the infographic? ● Have you discussed the design principles the infographic employs? ● Have you answered the question: “Does the infographic use any metaphors? How? ● Have you answered the question: “How does this work and why?” ● Have you created an infographic that relays a message? ● Have you used the tools we’ve practiced with (pen tool, bezier curves, image types) to create your infographic? ● Does the infographic you created include 4 of the elements you identified as successful in your analysis? ● Have you submitted all parts of the assignment to the wiki on Blackboard? ● Have you responded to 3 of your classmates’ submissions? What you will do after the assignment to support student learning? Students will respond to each other’s submissions to help them recognize the strategies that are effective as well as to identify problems that arose for others in their process. I will also offer feedback on their papers to indicate whether their analyses cover the topics with enough detail and with logic.