MID & UArts Finance Office
Language Fraser Marshall Yu-Ching Hung Justin Witman
Language
We were approached by Bill Mea, the Chief Finance Officer, to help him communicate important financial information to the larger school community. Our target was to create a presentation style for the “State of the Union� finance address to the school. The aim was to begin creating information that was transparent and encouraged conversation between the Finance Office and the larger school campus.
Intro-2
It was clear from our first meeting with the CFO that we were dealing with an issue of communication and language styles. As an accountant, the CFO was accustomed to talking in numbers. However, he was presenting to an audience of artists, designers and musicians. What type of language would be best for this audience to understand?
Understanding Intro-3
LEFT BRAIN LANGUAGE As we knew, the CFO used numbers to communicate information. This is a very left brain centric method, which may not be effective at communicating to right brain biased artists, designers and musician. Research has shown that right brained professions communicate more effectively using images, visuals, emotions and patterns. Therefore we began investigating the potential of infographics.
RIGHT BRAIN LANGUAGE
Deciphering language
From collaborating with the CFO, we began to decipher the information he wanted to communicate to the school during his upcoming presentation.
Creating a new language Infographics were created using the following criteria: The use of iconography to indicate money. A visual affordance of green signifying positive and red signifying negative money. Sequential slides that build on previous slides to allow audience understanding.
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Annual Budget
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Annual Actual
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Extra Surplus
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Infographic prototype
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Infographic prototype
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Saved Expenses
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Infographic prototype
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Extra Revenue
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Presentation
The CFO used these infographics to present information on the financial predictions for the end of 2009 and the upcoming 2010 school year.
Presentation
An audience consisting of school faculty and staff still had major questions regarding the financial information they were being presented with.
The Process Phase II
Phase 1 developing language
Bill
Phase 2 The first stage of this project was completed. refining language and developing the story
We had created a new language for the CFO to communicate financial information to the school.
“I need the right language”
Bill
CLIENTS
DESIGNERS
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Infographics
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Prototype 1
Presentation
sabaticals?
However,“graphics although the “we want needthe CFO was happy with Faculty Graphic more story” work” infographics, it was clear from his presentation Design Council that the audience still had some concerns.
benefits?
School Community
Co-design
Prototype 2
Process Phase 1 developing language
Bill
Phase 2 refining language and developing the story
“I need the right language”
Bill
Graphic Design
“graphics need work”
Faculty Council
“we want more story”
CLIENTS
DESIGNERS
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Prototype 1
Presentation
For the next phase of the project to succeed we would have to engage with not only the CFO, but sabaticals? also the faculty and staff. What issues and concerns did the faculty and staff have? In order to find out, we had engage with them and bring their voice and opinion into the design process?
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benefits?
School Community
Co-design
Prototype 2
Co-design
In every group there are always complex internal issues that make everyday life a struggle. By co-designing with the faculty and staff we hoped discover their concerns and questions regarding financial information communication in the school. By engaging them in this process we hoped to promote autonomy in order to create a more unified solution.
Autonomy
Autonomy means being in control of your own life. We hoped that by getting the faculty and staff to help co-design a group solution, it would not only creates a better informed solution but, also one that everyone collectively owned.
Collective action
Autonomy helps groups become invested, because everyone feels like the own the solution. This helps boost the collective action of problem solving.
Interviewing
With our foundation rooted in Human-centered design, we believe that the key to helping groups design solutions, starts with interviewing. This is where you can gather the most rich and true information about a group. Therefore, we began a series of interviews with members of the staff and faculty council.
Collaborative refinement The more often the our team actively engaged the faculty in the process, the more excited and invested they became in helping us develop the solutions. We revisted some of the faculty to collaborate on an iterative process of refining the infographic style. We continually redeveloped and adjusted to get it just right for the most impact.
Collaborative refinement
Collaborative refinement
Interviewing
Interviewing
Interviewing
Interviewing Story Development
Story development Great storytellers not only know the right words to say, but also the right way to say them. it’s not simply adequate to deliver the dry facts, and this project is no different. In the case of this project we discovered after further interviewing that the goal was not to graphic design a better presentation. Our goal was to help the presentation tell a story of finances and of staff concerns. It became a visual story as well as a verbal story.
Story development “Speak about restoration, not gifts” “It would be great to use the Faculty Council as a sounding board” “We need a more clear distillation method for financial information” “More of a dialogue, even if we cant change the reality of the numbers” “It would be great to have a full picture of the options”
Anxieties and needs
Finance
Faculty
Bill
Larry
Faculty Council
Anna Jack
Mary Peter Amy
Staff Council
Sara
Themes Accountancy Delivery Methodology Clarity
Design Delivery Methodology Aesthetics
Liberal Arts Details Clarity Sensitivity Acknowledgement Prioritizing Awareness
Media Delivery Methodology Details
Administration Delivery Methodology Clarity
Story development FINANCIAL DATA
VISUAL DATA
VERBAL DATA
EXPANDED STORY
Story development Facilitation Phase I Pragmatic
an incomplete story
(visual language)
infographics
questions about the story
Phase 2 Pragmatic
(visual language)
infographics refinement
Psychology
(verbal language)
content priority tone awareness sensitivity acknowledgement
+
conversation about the story
a more complete story
Design as facilitation Our role initially places us between the Finance Office and the Faculty. It is our role to act as a facilitator between the two group.
Finance
Designers
Faculty
Future model We can’t stay forever. We have begun identifying a future facilitator and owner within the group, to carry on the project after we leave. Designing solution is great, but when we can get the group to design it’s own solutions it is much stronger solution and it lasts much longer.
Finance
Faculty
owner
Facilitator
Process summary Future
1
Pragmatic Psychological
Phase 1
Research Single client Infographic prototype
Process summary Future
2 1
Pragmatic Psychological
Phase 1
Research Single client Infographic prototype
Phase 2
Research Increased clients Infographic iteration Story development Co-design Ownership
Process summary Future
2 1
Phase 3 - future Research Increased clients Infographic iteration Story telling Conversation Co-design Increased ownership Learning
Pragmatic Psychological
3
Phase 1
Research Single client Infographic prototype
Phase 2
Research Increased clients Infographic iteration Story development Co-design Ownership
Process summary Future
2 1
Phase 3 - future Research Increased clients Infographic iteration Story telling Conversation Co-design Increased ownership Learning
3
Phase 4 - future
Pragmatic Psychological
Research Infographic iteration Story iteration Conversation Co-design Facilitator Increased ownership Learning
4
Phase 1
Research Single client Infographic prototype
Phase 2
Research Increased clients Infographic iteration Story development Co-design Ownership
Process summary Future
2 1
Phase 3 - future Research Increased clients Infographic iteration Story telling Conversation Co-design Increased ownership Learning
3
Phase 1
Research Single client Infographic prototype
Phase 2
Research Increased clients Infographic iteration Story development Co-design Ownership
5
Phase 4 - future
Pragmatic Psychological
Research Infographic iteration Story iteration Conversation Co-design Facilitator Increased ownership Learning
4
Phase 5 - future Research Infographic iteration Story telling iteration Conversation Co-design Increased ownership Learning Handover
Acknowledgements Thanks to: Finance Office: Bill Mea and Staff
Faculty
Larry Bach
Faculty Council Anna Beresin Mary Martin Amy Feinberg Peter Rose Jack DeWitt
Staff Council Sara Olsen