Can i get a rewind!

Ok.. The presentation highlighted a few core issues in our design, namely:

The route should not be a route but instead 'represent' a route
It should be provide initial direction but should not 'direct' people precisely
It should be abstracted and not merely a map of Delft
It must be a perfect circle. Not an oval or other shape
The circle itself can not indicate direction in any manner
The 'map' should be more of a graphical representation of the richness of Delft

So.. Team Y is current busy completely overhauling our design. However, we must add, all is not lost, as we learnt a lot from our mistakes and now have a solid concept of the direction in which we are heading. We shall post some new concepts soon!

Subtle Contrast

Here is our concept for presentation on Tuesday the 15th March.

As we understand the assignment, the most minimal change with the maximum effect is the best design. As a result, we have chosen to present our concept that makes use of gradients to manipulate channel properties.

For this concept we utilized the information found in Chapter 4 (Color) of Colin Ware's book. Particularly the section on contrast.

To do this, the gradient and the subsequent path that is subtracted from the gradient, provides a high level of contrast on either the shopping or cultural route. The result is that the eye is attracted most to the area of highest contrast and that it follows this line as the contrast decreases. This exploits the eyes preference for finding areas where there are large differences in contrast.

This simple gradient is barely noticeable at first glance, however, provides a significant emphasis on either route.

In the image above we can see that the eye is lead into following the shopping route.

However, in this image, the eye is lead towards the top of the image, leading the viewer towards the cultural route.

Overall, we believe that this design is an effective way to communicate direction, whilst still keeping the most important visual information (the actual map) intact. We decided not to make the map too abstract as doing so would cause confusion to any user who has a real map of the area. To further develop this concept we aim to create mental markers, to help the viewer to translate what they see in the map to the real map they may be holding. This will be our next stage of research.

Gradients to lead the eye

The gradient encourages the eye to look for areas of higher contrast and to find patterns that identify edges clearly.

Or how about using chromatic contrast to emphasize the red and exploit the eyes tendency to look for areas of high contrast.

Or some blur, to encourage the eye to look for the sharpest area

In this case, the circle itself is very straightforward, however, the use of curvature in the map markers subtly indicates a sense of direction and movement.

Motion

Here we experiment with motion and pattern recognition. The pattern until the start of the cirle hopefully will be followed...

Now for something a little different...

In these designs, we strip away potentially redundant information to provide a stronger focus on the routes.

Here we look at differing the line thicknesses and the effects of tapering the directions...

Or how about tapering with some fading towards the ends...

Or how about using visual cues to indicate the intended start of the route?

Easy to invert and takes the viewer on two potentially different routes. Agree?
More to come

How about a little blur

We tried to use some directional blur to move the eyes in a particular direction.

Another concept using slopes to guide the viewer.

Concept

Would these two maps sway you in particular direction? Interestingly, people we have talked to so far say they would follow from large to small as it leads your eye to resolve the question "which is the next smallest ball?".

Assignment 2

How can we use this map to guide tourists around Delft in a pre-designed manner? Visually our eyes are drawn to many points in the map. Symbols used in the map help us to create mental markers so that we may digest information easier. However, if we wish the tourist to move around Delft in a particular way, then we will need to utilise visual communication theory to force the eyes to 'read' the map in a predesigned manner.

Here is the map of Delft. It's already quite compact and visually, we can see that the canals create a natural barrier that already helps to keep tourists centralised.

Team Y have been busy reviewing potential concepts for assignment 2. We will publish them soon!

Take a look at assignment 1

Please have a read through our assignment 1!

http://rapidshare.com/files/451451711/TEAM_Y_VCD.pdf

Enjoy!

Analysing the Visual Qualities of Images

We often take our eyesight for granted, assuming that everything we see is true and that we are aware of the entire world around us. However, the reality is that we perceive the world not as a whole but through a series of eye movements which are processed and interpreted by the brain to create a representation of the world around us. These eye movements are planned based on what kind of information the brain is seeking and can affect what is and what is not perceived. As a result, understanding the visual system, and how to guide the viewer, is an incredibly important tool when designing graphics, products, services or systems as well designed visuals can influence how the viewer will understand them. The next few blog posts will explore the mechanisms that the visual system utilises and, by critiquing various images, evaluates how such mechanisms affect the perception and cognition of images that may be experienced in daily life. We will also explore how images can be manipulated to affect the way in which they are explored and perceived as a direct result of their design.