Design Challenge
To research and design a large-scale multi-layered information graphic emphasizing data visualization based on a topic of personal interest. Full attention given to:
• Qualitative and quantitative research exploration and understanding
• Analyzation of data to develop a system of categorical relationships
• Visualization & organization of data into multi-faceted layers of information
• Typographic nuances: hierarchy, tracking, leading, rag, line breaks, alignments
• Combination of type and image
Concept
To enlighten and inspire viewers by taking them on a deep-sea journey into the hidden depths of the Mariana Trench (the deepest place on earth), and illuminating the miraculous life that flourishes there. By categorizing the five zones of the ocean (from the surface to the most extreme depths where light can no longer penetrate), the viewer explores each zone’s properties (temperature & pressure), the creatures that have adapted to reside there, as well as man’s technological achievements of exploration.
Audience
Young adults, age 18 – 35. Based on observational research at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California, this age group tends to take the time to read the exhibits’ facts. This age group would likely be intrigued by mysteries of the sea, receptive to learning the history of deep-sea exploration, and able to comprehend the level of scientific information presented.
Format
I chose a vertical format based on the “natural shape” of my information. Temperature and pressure correlate to the depth of the ocean. Man’s accomplishments over time are in chronological order, which also correlates to depth as each new technological advancement enables deeper exploration. A vertical format also emphasizes the visual journey from the top layer of the ocean to the bottom, heightening the viewers’ visual experience and perception of information.
Color
I chose a vibrant turquoise blue for the overall design to create an authentic, underwater vibe. The five ocean zones shift in hue to differentiate one from another and to show how sunlight is unable to reach past a certain depth. Pops of orange in the sidebar on the right compliment the overall blue tone and draw the viewers’ attention to specific information. Subtle background textures were applied to evoke life, movement and the mysterious nature of the sea.
Organization
Lines of varying weight were used as an organizational tool to categorize and differentiate levels of information. Thick blue and orange lines distinguish the right and left sidebars from the center zone of information. In each zone, very thin lines help separate the zone’s properties, creatures, and man’s accomplishments.
Typography
The title and main headings use serif typeface Eloquent. The typeface’s contrast between thick and thin represent the known & unknown of the ocean as well as the physical forms of the diverse creatures of each zone. The geometric sans serif typeface Gotham was used for body copy due to its easy legibility at small scale, which lends well to informational design. Tracking and leading were used for optimal legibility of subheadings and body copy.
Image Treatments
The colorful creatures of each zone are detailed photographs from deep-sea explorations. A glow was added to the ones possessing bioluminescence to emphasize its specific hue. Viewers can compare each creature’s hue to the bioluminescence hue chart to learn about what each hue means. The white skeletal images depicting man’s accomplishments, as well as P.S.I. values, are derived from scientific sketches that have been converted to black and white and inverted to let the color of the creatures take visual priority.