So I think I should narrow my topic to specific area I want to discover:
1. The "impact" of smog to human health instead of the cause.
http://are.berkeley.edu/courses/EEP101/spring03/AllThatSmog/extern.html
2. What benefits can we have if smog is reduced?
3. Compare NYC to Honolulu, Hawaii
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30476335/ns/us_news-environment/t/report-lists-worst-best-cities-air-quality/
4. A campaign for New York City (focusing on transportation and and consumer products, including paint, hairspray, charcoal starter fluid, chemical solvents, and even plastic popcorn packaging.)
http://environment.about.com/od/smogfaq/f/smog_faq_five.htm
http://library.thinkquest.org/26026/Environmental_Problems/smog_-_solutions.html
What interests me in the topic?
Back in Taiwan, I used to ride a scooter as my transportation to everywhere. It's important to wear a "mask" while I'm riding it because of the pollution. Otherwise my face will become black and the particles will cause some respiratory system problems. It's genetic that half of my family suffer from these kind of problem. I believe there are thousands of people suffer from the air pollution especially elders and children. The living condition will get worse if we do nothing about it. I hope that via design we can have influence on people and make improvement.
Interactive:
http://www.smogcity.com/
Architecture
http://inhabitat.com/anti-smog-architecture-a-catalyst-for-cleaner-air-in-paris/
Clean Air Act
http://www.epa.gov/air/caa/peg/
June 20, 2011
June 13, 2011
Health Condition
I found some reference on the EPA website.
Climate Change-Health and Environment Effects
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/health.html#ref
Severe climate change can cause heart problems, asthma, skin problems, and "vector-borne" diseases include malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and encephalitis.
Air pollution index
http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/
Smog-Who does it hurt?
http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=smog.page1#3
Scientists have found that about one out of every three people in the United States is at a higher risk of experiencing ozone-related health effects. Ozone can irritate the respiratory system, reduce lung function, and aggravate asthma.
Climate Change-Health and Environment Effects
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/health.html#ref
Severe climate change can cause heart problems, asthma, skin problems, and "vector-borne" diseases include malaria, dengue fever, yellow fever, and encephalitis.
Air pollution index
http://www.epa.gov/air/urbanair/
Smog-Who does it hurt?
http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=smog.page1#3
Scientists have found that about one out of every three people in the United States is at a higher risk of experiencing ozone-related health effects. Ozone can irritate the respiratory system, reduce lung function, and aggravate asthma.
What have others been doing?
Kaufman, Leslie. 2011. Preparing For A Warm Future. New York Times (May 26).
http://www.startribune.com/business/122687269.html
It is reported that in the end of the century, Chicago will be as hot as if you are in the south of American. Chicago city government already set up plans to prevent severe damages caused by extreane weather.
Public alleys are being repaved with materials that are permeable to water. The white oak, the state tree of Illinois, has been banned from planting lists, and swamp oaks and sweet gum trees from the South have been given new priority.
Navarro, Mireya. 2011. New York City Rule to Ban Dirtiest Oils at Buildings. New York Times (April 21).
http://tinyurl.com/6za726d
The new rule, announced by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg as part of an update to his environmental agenda, known as PlaNYC, affects about 10,000 buildings that burn the dirtiest types of heating oil: No. 6, the cheapest oil pumped into aging boilers; and No. 4, another heavy oil that is only slightly less noxious.
In a report released on Thursday (April 21), the city’s health department said air pollution from the fine particles emitted by the dirty-oil buildings, as well as other sources in the city, caused more than 3,000 deaths, 2,000 hospital admissions for lung and heart conditions and about 6,000 emergency room visits for asthma annually.
PlaNYC 2030
http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/home/home.shtml
Video: http://youtu.be/nh4fVjw-os0
http://www.startribune.com/
It is reported that in the end of the century, Chicago will be as hot as if you are in the south of American. Chicago city government already set up plans to prevent severe damages caused by extreane weather.
Public alleys are being repaved with materials that are permeable to water. The white oak, the state tree of Illinois, has been banned from planting lists, and swamp oaks and sweet gum trees from the South have been given new priority.
Navarro, Mireya. 2011. New York City Rule to Ban Dirtiest Oils at Buildings. New York Times (April 21).
http://tinyurl.com/6za726d
The new rule, announced by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg as part of an update to his environmental agenda, known as PlaNYC, affects about 10,000 buildings that burn the dirtiest types of heating oil: No. 6, the cheapest oil pumped into aging boilers; and No. 4, another heavy oil that is only slightly less noxious.
In a report released on Thursday (April 21), the city’s health department said air pollution from the fine particles emitted by the dirty-oil buildings, as well as other sources in the city, caused more than 3,000 deaths, 2,000 hospital admissions for lung and heart conditions and about 6,000 emergency room visits for asthma annually.
PlaNYC 2030
http://www.nyc.gov/html/planyc2030/html/home/home.shtml
Video: http://youtu.be/nh4fVjw-os0
Kaufman, Leslie. 2011. Preparing For A Warm Future. New York Times (May 26).
Reuters Global Energy and Climate Summit. June 13-19, 2011.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/13/idUS15048+13-Jun-2011+HUG20110613 Texas Campaign for the Environment
The Story of Stuff
June 7, 2011
Case study 1 Wait&Date
Speaking of "communication equals remembering not knowing," the key is how to make people remember what they see? It should unique enough to stand out. Then I think of my questions.
How to make people to take action regarding climate change?
Can info graphic be fun and lighthearted instead of serious to attract people?
When we talk about weather, we have specific images or symbols in our mind based on our past experience. What if I change this design to relaxing atmosphere (but the message and purpose are the same) and encourage people to participate? Can design change people's behavior? Here is the example.
Pre-reading material:
The art of design research (and why it matters)
http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/05/the-art-of-design-research-and-why-it-matters/239561/
Wait&Date
Designers: Yi-Chen Chiang, Jiao-Rong Lu & Erin Hover
Target audience: General public who is waiting.
Purpose:
People are constantly waiting in lines. Especially in New York City. Whether one is waiting to withdraw money, for coffee, to check out at the supermarket, for a subway train or for an elevator, people do not usually relish those precious moments that could be spent doing something else. Many people consider waiting a negative and boring experience, but can it be turned into a positive stimulating experience through visual communication? They turned into an experimental project that encourages people to interact and converse with one another in any given location including bars, subway and laundromat.
Components:
Jiao-Rong Lu http://jiaoronglu.com/filter/Publication-Design#1325312/WAIT-DATE
Yi-Chen Chiang http://cargocollective.com/yichenchiang#1387777/wait-date
Erin Hover http://www.erinhover.com/#1309719/wait-date
How to make people to take action regarding climate change?
Can info graphic be fun and lighthearted instead of serious to attract people?
When we talk about weather, we have specific images or symbols in our mind based on our past experience. What if I change this design to relaxing atmosphere (but the message and purpose are the same) and encourage people to participate? Can design change people's behavior? Here is the example.
Pre-reading material:
The art of design research (and why it matters)
http://www.theatlantic.com/life/archive/2011/05/the-art-of-design-research-and-why-it-matters/239561/
Wait&Date
Designers: Yi-Chen Chiang, Jiao-Rong Lu & Erin Hover
Target audience: General public who is waiting.
Purpose:
People are constantly waiting in lines. Especially in New York City. Whether one is waiting to withdraw money, for coffee, to check out at the supermarket, for a subway train or for an elevator, people do not usually relish those precious moments that could be spent doing something else. Many people consider waiting a negative and boring experience, but can it be turned into a positive stimulating experience through visual communication? They turned into an experimental project that encourages people to interact and converse with one another in any given location including bars, subway and laundromat.
Components:
Jiao-Rong Lu http://jiaoronglu.com/filter/Publication-Design#1325312/WAIT-DATE
Yi-Chen Chiang http://cargocollective.com/yichenchiang#1387777/wait-date
Erin Hover http://www.erinhover.com/#1309719/wait-date
June 5, 2011
Information architect
Information anxiety 2 ch 1, 2 & 3
Information anxiety
According to Nathan Shedroff, there are 4 main forms of anxiety.
1. The frustration with the inabiity to keep up with the amount of data present in our life. What makes this worse is that the data is not just passive, but actively inserting itself into out environment, out attentions.
2. The frustration with the quality. We need "insight" info, the most precious form rather than quantity.
3. The guilit not being better informed, of not being able to keep up with the amount of data masquerading as information.
4. There is a dangerous hubris that develops for "knowing things first."
The process of understanding
Data→Information→Knowledge→Wisdom
A fact or data itself make no sense without a frame of reference. It can be understood only when it relate to an idea. The job of architects is to make these info understandable to the audience through the experience they knew. They can be classified by location, alphabet, time, category or hierarchy. Once they are classified differently, we perceive different knowledge each time. How people perceive the info depends on the frame of design.
Communication equals remembering not knowing
It makes me think that during my research, I should test my prototype to the public and collect the response about how much they remember enough to take action...
Intergration
Can this thesis be used in different interface?
For example, cars are equipted with GPS. Moreover passengers can be tracked down by police and medical help if there's an accident. Can my thesis be provided by another industry?
Information anxiety
According to Nathan Shedroff, there are 4 main forms of anxiety.
1. The frustration with the inabiity to keep up with the amount of data present in our life. What makes this worse is that the data is not just passive, but actively inserting itself into out environment, out attentions.
2. The frustration with the quality. We need "insight" info, the most precious form rather than quantity.
3. The guilit not being better informed, of not being able to keep up with the amount of data masquerading as information.
4. There is a dangerous hubris that develops for "knowing things first."
The process of understanding
Data→Information→Knowledge→Wisdom
A fact or data itself make no sense without a frame of reference. It can be understood only when it relate to an idea. The job of architects is to make these info understandable to the audience through the experience they knew. They can be classified by location, alphabet, time, category or hierarchy. Once they are classified differently, we perceive different knowledge each time. How people perceive the info depends on the frame of design.
Communication equals remembering not knowing
It makes me think that during my research, I should test my prototype to the public and collect the response about how much they remember enough to take action...
Intergration
Can this thesis be used in different interface?
For example, cars are equipted with GPS. Moreover passengers can be tracked down by police and medical help if there's an accident. Can my thesis be provided by another industry?
June 4, 2011
There's always a question
I remembered that my teacher training professor told me that a good way to start a thesis is to find a problem and try to solve it. At first, do observations, and try to find a pattern or discuss "why." Then you have your questions to solve.
In my case, I want to deal with the climate information design due to the severe condition in recent years.
What I observed:
1. Information design appeared in all kind of media, including newspaper, magazine, television, ads, and Internet.
2. Their function is to deliver a message, a statistic, or a truth.
3. They may be treated as a secondary element supporting the designer's main idea.
4. There are millions of ways to make info graphics. Not all of them are able to communicate. A single info graphic is abstracted and can be perceived differently.
5. People perceive symbols and relate to something else based on their past experience and culture.
6. Information tends to be a one way trip, not getting feedback.
What I want to convey:
1. My audience is the general public.
2. Make information accessible and easy to understand.
3. Make info graphic itself interesting enough to have people's attention?
4. Raise people's awareness of environment and take action in real life.
The result:
What can I do in my thesis are:
1. How to make info graphics meaningful, understandable, and interesting?
2. Using different media to discuss the possibility and efficiency of communication.
3. Can information design trigger people's interest and take action? How?
4. Real devices to have people to interact.
In my case, I want to deal with the climate information design due to the severe condition in recent years.
What I observed:
1. Information design appeared in all kind of media, including newspaper, magazine, television, ads, and Internet.
2. Their function is to deliver a message, a statistic, or a truth.
3. They may be treated as a secondary element supporting the designer's main idea.
4. There are millions of ways to make info graphics. Not all of them are able to communicate. A single info graphic is abstracted and can be perceived differently.
5. People perceive symbols and relate to something else based on their past experience and culture.
6. Information tends to be a one way trip, not getting feedback.
What I want to convey:
1. My audience is the general public.
2. Make information accessible and easy to understand.
3. Make info graphic itself interesting enough to have people's attention?
4. Raise people's awareness of environment and take action in real life.
The result:
What can I do in my thesis are:
1. How to make info graphics meaningful, understandable, and interesting?
2. Using different media to discuss the possibility and efficiency of communication.
3. Can information design trigger people's interest and take action? How?
4. Real devices to have people to interact.
Information Anxiety 2 ch.5 & 6
Ch.5 The structure of conversation
Ch.6 Talk is deep
Although these chapters are talking about how to brand a online website or store, I still found it somewhat useful for my thesis. Dealing with information, it's about simplification and clarification. A good information design should not conclude all information on the plate all at once. The key is to give your audience the "teaser." And then to interest them to go further.
The book mentioned that X generation can handle multitasks at the same time. They developed the skills of quick scanning the information on television, and Internet. It is the efficiency not the aesthetics that matters. For me, I still think the simplified info should be both useful and beautiful to seduce audience to view the interface at some point. Designers have the power to direct the info to the direction they wanna pursue the audience as if the conversation is a way to have some body's mind across.
The author talks about the most efficient way to communicate is to have a conversation "face to face." You can get the response immediately and make adjustment according to your partner. The same idea for my thesis is to trigger people to think and act. I don't want my audience to be passive receivers. I want them to interact. How can I make them to act? I've been thinking about despite all the information I give them, it's time for them to give some feedback.
I have 2 ideas so far:
1. Connect my information design to social network. People can have their voice back.
2. Create a real advice to interact with people.Or can it be used combined with other industry?
For example, a friend of mine created a project to reduce metro card waste by collecting them with a real robot machine. They wrote a programme to use sensor to detect metro card. Once you put the metro card in the machine, it will show your lucky motto on the LCD screen. People are curious about this and are willing to put cards into the machine. So the machine is successful of catching people's attention and get interacted with them.
Ch.6 Talk is deep
Although these chapters are talking about how to brand a online website or store, I still found it somewhat useful for my thesis. Dealing with information, it's about simplification and clarification. A good information design should not conclude all information on the plate all at once. The key is to give your audience the "teaser." And then to interest them to go further.
The book mentioned that X generation can handle multitasks at the same time. They developed the skills of quick scanning the information on television, and Internet. It is the efficiency not the aesthetics that matters. For me, I still think the simplified info should be both useful and beautiful to seduce audience to view the interface at some point. Designers have the power to direct the info to the direction they wanna pursue the audience as if the conversation is a way to have some body's mind across.
The author talks about the most efficient way to communicate is to have a conversation "face to face." You can get the response immediately and make adjustment according to your partner. The same idea for my thesis is to trigger people to think and act. I don't want my audience to be passive receivers. I want them to interact. How can I make them to act? I've been thinking about despite all the information I give them, it's time for them to give some feedback.
I have 2 ideas so far:
1. Connect my information design to social network. People can have their voice back.
2. Create a real advice to interact with people.Or can it be used combined with other industry?
For example, a friend of mine created a project to reduce metro card waste by collecting them with a real robot machine. They wrote a programme to use sensor to detect metro card. Once you put the metro card in the machine, it will show your lucky motto on the LCD screen. People are curious about this and are willing to put cards into the machine. So the machine is successful of catching people's attention and get interacted with them.
June 2, 2011
Information Anxiety 2 ch.4 An age of connections
Information Anxiety 2
Richard S. Wurman
Que; 2nd edition (December 28, 2000)
What do escalators, bananas, bathroom stalls, and chair backs at movie theatres have in common? They are all new Media for marketing.
Advertising-Communicating
Communicating is that people engage in to share understanding and meaning. Advertising is all about consistent messaging and the key is not to have technology for technology's sake, but to create something that consistently delivers information to your audience.
I think consistency of advertising help brands to reinforce their image to audience again and again. So how do you reinforce the information to the audience? Well, it reminds me of my teacher training skills in college.
1. Creating interest. It's like teaching kids that you have to grab their attention first. Secondly, don't let them get lost on the road to interest. The interest connections can be anything as long as it relates to your theme.
2. Making your own connections first. Connecting unfamiliar ideas to familiar ones, so your audience can understand easily.
3. Remembering what it's like not to know. It means stand on the audience side, especially information they have have no idea what it is about. How to simplify information?
4. Build relationship to your audience. How do you bring people to your website or store? Add value to your information.
Quality check for your information connection
1. Is it useful and relevant?
2. Does it have meaning or is it merely facts?
3. Is it feedback to the customer's question?
4. Does it have the power to change or expand the customer's knowledge?
These notes are suitable for design no matter what design field you are in. In digital age, the simple things become complicated due to the mass exploration of internet. It's important for designers to clearify and simplify the concept to customers and make points.
Richard S. Wurman
Que; 2nd edition (December 28, 2000)
What do escalators, bananas, bathroom stalls, and chair backs at movie theatres have in common? They are all new Media for marketing.
Advertising-Communicating
Communicating is that people engage in to share understanding and meaning. Advertising is all about consistent messaging and the key is not to have technology for technology's sake, but to create something that consistently delivers information to your audience.
I think consistency of advertising help brands to reinforce their image to audience again and again. So how do you reinforce the information to the audience? Well, it reminds me of my teacher training skills in college.
1. Creating interest. It's like teaching kids that you have to grab their attention first. Secondly, don't let them get lost on the road to interest. The interest connections can be anything as long as it relates to your theme.
2. Making your own connections first. Connecting unfamiliar ideas to familiar ones, so your audience can understand easily.
3. Remembering what it's like not to know. It means stand on the audience side, especially information they have have no idea what it is about. How to simplify information?
4. Build relationship to your audience. How do you bring people to your website or store? Add value to your information.
Quality check for your information connection
1. Is it useful and relevant?
2. Does it have meaning or is it merely facts?
3. Is it feedback to the customer's question?
4. Does it have the power to change or expand the customer's knowledge?
These notes are suitable for design no matter what design field you are in. In digital age, the simple things become complicated due to the mass exploration of internet. It's important for designers to clearify and simplify the concept to customers and make points.
Thesis Directions
After class, I've been thinking about my thesis directions.
Who is your audience?
At first, I was thinking about discuss the efficiency of information design through different media. My topic is climate change, and I will use psychological analysis such as color, shape, form to explore how people perceive information.
But what can I do after I deliver all these information? Can my design trigger people to take action? How can I stimulate my audience to think and do something? So I kind of what to explore how can information design to make people to take action.
Who is your audience?
At first, I was thinking about discuss the efficiency of information design through different media. My topic is climate change, and I will use psychological analysis such as color, shape, form to explore how people perceive information.
But what can I do after I deliver all these information? Can my design trigger people to take action? How can I stimulate my audience to think and do something? So I kind of what to explore how can information design to make people to take action.
December 1, 2010
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