1st state

my idea
- creating an interface for newcomer students for the introduction week

target audience
- newcomer students
- dutch, international, from different majors, different ages
- young people (16 - 30)
- I am part of the target group

collection: wdka, rotterdam

main part of the project: MAPS

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original plus+ plan
goals:
- creating an interface for the introduction week ( demo )

why:
- I want to rephrase the assignment
of the third term
- I want to design an interface that
can help first-year students
on their first few days

what to achieve:
- be capable of creating a complex interface

development as a designer:
- I will learn how to create something coherent
- user experience

how?:
- working individually - feedback sessions with my group
- finding and using a software that
is not yet decided
- iterative testing and desinging

elective:
- nature’s data • processing
(the illustrations might
be created with processing)


activities:
- research on the new user group
- designing :
branding identity for the
introduction days
• illustration
• map design
• website?
- testing
• with actual students

documentation:
- on hotglue or miro
- the same way as it was on the 1.3 term
• notes
• sketches
• feedback

research
making maps

what is a map?
- depict a location and the relationship between elements within that area
- throughout history, they have also depicted myths, religious beliefs, theories about the future
- maps are a symbolic representation
of place
- not perfect replicas of reality
- modern cartography is more accurate than ever before
- a map maker must interpret and represent reality - opening space
for some level of distortion

map elements
- main body (the map itself)
- legend (key, explanation for symbols used on the map)
- title (subject of the map, geographic name, layer name, indicator name)
- scale (ratio) and orientation indicators (compass direction)
- inset map (a specific area of the
main map on a larger scale)
- source notes
- creator graphic (logo, name)

5 steps to laying out a map
- question and make sure anything you
add supports the answer

1. define the question
- the map is the visual representation
of the answer to the question
- what is the goal of the map
- once you know the goal, gather data
and start making decisions about how
the map should look

2. choose a map type
- reference maps
- focus on location, depicting natural and/or man-made features
- thematic maps
- illustrate spatial relationships, focusing on a specific theme or subject

3. consider your map elements
- which elements will help the viewer understand the map?

4. establish a visual hierarchy
- most important on top, least important at the bottom

5. decide on design elements
- design is where you can have some fun
- colors, fonts, outlines, borders, stroke widths

basics of map design
color
- colors should complement the intent of your map: adding another level of clarity
- too many/ unexpected color choices can overwhelm and confuse your viewer
- widely known associations create an easier viewing experience and a more effective map

outlines, borders, stroke widths
- every additional design element should look like it belongs: emphasizing details or adding clarity
- increasing the stroke width create emphasis - make sure to emphasize the right elements
- borders - separation for example

fonts
- stick to two fonts
- bold or normal (no italic, cursive)
- the map title should be larger than the rest of the text
- subtitles, labels should be readable but not too large

clarity is key

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1. define the question
- the goal of the map is :
- orienting new students in rotterdam/ through the walks
- how should it look:
- visual representation (more artistic) - connected to an existing map
(google maps)
- to do: gather data, gather inspiration

2. choose a map type:
- combination of thematic (illustrative) and reference (google)

3. consider your map elements
- main body
- title
- creator graphic
- legend?

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gathering inspiraton
- fun maps
- not too close to reality
- more artistic approach

logo

title

legend

main body

tips from Rogerio:
- following Mark's advice I've asked Rogerio for some references and I got loads of hints, that actually drove me
to my final design decisions

THE LEFT-TO-DIE BOAT /
Forensic Architecture

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2nd state

WELCOME

this is Kinga Barcs' presentation
of her plus+ project
(1001390)

CONTENT
1st state (on the right)
- plus+ plan
- idea
- research
- inspiration

2nd state (scroll down)
- designing
- feedback
- testing
- difficulties

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the scariest part was to start designing
but I had some ideas beforehand:
- foldable map
- A4
- two-sided
- contrast between a map and an anti-map

I started with a prototype
- folding often makes it difficult to understand, how the design works
- so I started with a huge, bold sign saying HELLO that would only be half visible and therefore encourage the viewer to search for the second part of the word - by opening the leporello

some insights

the anti-map
- my most important goal was to create
a map that is as far from reality as it is possible - and as far as I can go
with my obsessive urge to make everything clean and structured

- Mark asked me if readability is not the point of my map, then WHAT IS IT?
- Kimmy encouraged me to go with the anti-map idea

for some reason, I started designing with typography, and I was immediately stucked
- both Kimmy and David Avram told me to continue with the maps, as my main focus was on those, originally
- David pointed out, that after I built up the pyramid scheme with the "map body" as a base, and the "title" almost on the top, it was a weird decision to start with it instead of the main body
- they were right, after I found
a way to design the maps, everything
fell into place

maps and anti-maps:

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typographic grids

- in the meantime, I took a station skills held by Maytal, called "Typographic Grids"
- the grids really went with
my mapping ideas
- helped me out of the difficulties
I experienced with the creative block

typography
- with the improvised routes, custom maps and grids, I managed to continue with the typography
- I made three versions of the "cover"

1. original idea
- bold typography

2. more information

3. front & back cover

Maytal's feedback was very detailed, she gave me loads of ideas how to improve my designs
- adding more text
- hierarchy in typography
- colors
- combining the two fonts
- more versions for the cover

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and for the inside of the leporello,
I decided to go with the following:

the custom maps are not specifically used as maps, but more of a MEMORY OF THE FIRST FEW DAYS (as David said)
- although I placed a screenshot
of google maps in the corner
- the starting point is marked with
a star, and the line of text shows the walking direction (welcoming)

visual outcome (photo reel):

testing
- I tested the product on an actual future student
- she reviewed all three designs very carefully:
• 1 & 2 are very exciting, while 3 is quite boring compared to them
• "intro week" (2) is unnecessary,
we know that it's the intro week
• the "hel-lo" sign urges to search for the second part of the word
- she decided on the first one, as her favorite
- another wdka student also liked the first one the most
- and me too

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printing, folding
- definitely need some improvement
- as it turned out, the folding machine doesn't have the option that I've imagined, so I need to redesign the maps in the future:

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my design

folding machine

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