4. Conceptualising the text
Now I’m going to look at these sections using a slightly different approach that will shape the graphic I’m going to design.
Ultimately any one of the sections within the text could form an individual infographic (as we’ve explored), but our overall graphic needs to make sense as a way to symbolize all of them.
I’ve presented this principle with abstract shapes. This helps us think about how we’re presenting blocks of information and how they relate to each other without the initial distraction of the language itself. :
Approaches to presenting concepts
In Example 1. We see each section has its own concept (I’ve represented each concept as a shape), we’re not drawn to any one of them in particular and our absorption of the hierarchy of this information at a boiled-down level is equal. I.e. rectangles, triangles, circles, etc. look as important as each other.
If we apply this idea to what we’ve already looked at In Section 3, we focussed on how we might communicate each concept (or shape) individually, but now to communicate them all as a group.
In Example 2 we see a circle containing all of the concepts. Hierarchy has been introduced. We understand that those shapes belong inside the circle, yet within the circle, other concepts exist.
This is a good way to think about our infographic. We want the big circle to represent an overarching narrative or theme that encapsulates the concepts within it, and for the concepts inside it to feel in place.
In Example 3, we see a mix of the different approaches, some information is within one concept and others are outlying. This can start to be a bit jarring and it is hard to know what to look at.
In Example 4 we introduce a subsection so there are two concepts with different visual treatments. We understand just from looking at them that the meaning of the shapes in different sections will be different but that the level of information represented by the smaller shapes is of the same value.
So keep the big circle in mind, the larger concepts that will hold the other sections.
We’re going to devise visual concepts that will be used as the foundation for the overall look and feel of the graphic. We’ll sketch up a couple to explore options and decide on the most effective approach.
Picking a concept
How can we pick a concept that works to represent the whole journey of the poster? I think about this primarily as a theme for all the visuals and secondly, whether we can go a step further and have a centerpiece visual for the graphic. You can generally take this as far as you’re confident doing as long as it stays simple.
In this instance, It needs to be something that encapsulates the expected findings of a framework and certification trust indicator. There are several ways this could be interpreted.
I’ll usually write a different title for each of the directions to tie the concept together.
With the designs below, I’ll share the process from sketched concept, to scamp design.
As a first step, we’ll present the ideas in low fidelity and give an idea of how the composition will look if we decide to go ahead with these designs. I’ve just used stock icons and basic shapes to much up a layout.
Idea 1: Beneath the surface
This concept plays with the idea of the truth about climate apps being hidden below the surface, and the research study being part of uncovering that/creating a way to understand their truth.
I’ve explored this idea by presenting the key paragraphs ‘Why climate apps’, ‘Theory’, ‘Research questions’ and ‘Methods’ above the ground, as these are means and preparation for setting out on the discovery. Whereas when we get down to the expected findings, I’ve positioned those underground as they are yet unknown, but will be revealed throughout the research.
We zoom in to a person on the ground using a climate app among a leafy landscape.
I like this concept but a lot of the thinking behind it is quite conceptual without being explained visually. I think we can do better, and maybe take some of the ideas from this that work into the next rendition.
Idea 2: Indicators
This next idea uses the storyboard strip format as inspiration, while also emphasising the idea of displaying the indicators visually. I like this because it demonstrates that the paragraphs are connected and lead up to the last one.
Being inspired by the output of the research, I’ve given the poster the visual focus of the indicator. Visuals that indicate a big dial or series of dials that provide a result once something has been evaluated.
This would allow the reader to instantly see that the text is about the rating something. We need to make it clear this is the app, so perhaps the bigger imagine in window 5 should also contain an app illustration to make that super clear.
The advantage of this it works semiotically with the theme of the provided title and emphasizes a level if trust rating. I.e. one associates a dial and color coordination with good/bad ratings.
The slightly trickier thing might be making sure this relates back to trees. We’d have to be sure that this was illustrated in the story elements as the connect is not made quite as clearly as it is in direction 1.
Let’s keep this in mind and move on to the next direction.
Idea 3: Growing in stages /frequency.
So this idea started off looking at the sequence of plants growing from seed, to tree - the idea being that at each growing stage, we could add a different stage of our content. I really like this concept, but it did exclude the presence of either an app or visual references to an indicator framework. To build this thought, we can come back to that idea of a person holding a phone while pulling out a phone with an indicator screenshot or dashboard. As we’ve orientated it as landscape, we have enough horizontal space to add a character digging a hole to plant a tree, adding even more visual context.
This direction feels most complete to me, it brings together both the worlds of tree planting, idea of progress through growing, idea of discovering underground, and shows phone users using an indicator in the context of an app.
So I’m going to work with this one. The next step will involve devising the design itself, building up the visual language and working up the final idea.
