CCDN 271 Tristan Oorschot
Assignment 4 (35%) 300232859
Research Paper Tutor: Vanessa Crowe
Information Graphics: Globalisation of Symbols Due: 1/06/2012
The aim of this research paper is to find out how some symbols have already become globalised and how other important information graphics may follow similar methods to become this way. The research question is, ‘How can information graphics become globalised to align with developing technology?’ This question will help to find out how important information graphics have already become globalised and how designers can follow these methods and ideas that will allow important information graphics that they have created to become globalised so that they can be understood by a global audience. The key source for this research paper is Mobile Graphics Written by Kari Pulli and Scott Klemmer. Pulli is a research fellow at the Nokia Research Center. He recently wrote a book on 3D mobile graphics and holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Washington and an MBA from the University on Oulu. Klemmer is an assistant professor of computer science at Stanford University, where he co-directs the Human-Computer Interaction Group. He received his BA from Brown University in art-semiotics and computer science; his MS and PhD from UC Berkeley in computer science and is also a recipient of the Microsoft Research New Faculty Fellowship and Sloan Fellowship (Pulli, & Klemmer, 2008).
One of the most iconic globalised information graphics is undoubtedly the battery icon. It appears on nearly every handheld device of which there are thousands. Figure 1 shows an example of the standard Apple Incorporated battery icon which appears on nearly all rechargeable battery devices from the biggest laptops, to the smallest iPods. The graphic is simple yet extremely effective at showing the information it is trying to display. Pulli and Klemmer say in their article talking about cell phones that, “…the small form factor constrains the physical size of input devices and graphical displays” (2008). The important part of the quote is the limited size of the graphical displays. This makes it more important than ever that the graphic is simple and easy to understand because of its very limited size. It is clear that cell phones and laptops were the cause of the globalisation of this symbol as it was previously unknown before these devices went global. Pulli and Klemmer, state that, “…according to the International Telecommunications Union, more than 3 billion people are mobile subscribers—more than double the number of PCs in the world”(2008). This article was written in 2008, four years ago and since then the number of cell phones and mobile subscribers has only grown. With nearly all of these cell phones displaying their remaining battery life through a battery icon, similar to that shown in figure 1 it is obvious why it quickly became globalised. The simple nature of the icon and its relation to peoples past experiences and perception of the typical AA battery and the power consumption of these batteries is what made the battery icon instantly understandable by most people when they first started using these devices.
With the globalisation of symbols there is always going to be a period where the symbol has just been released and not all consumers understand them how the designer intended or the design is not understood at all. A fairly recent example of this is Apples’ desktop computer interface. Apple uses many graphics in their interfaces such as the trash can, otherwise known as the recycle bin shown in figure 2. This symbol has been understood by consumers as a way of deleting information and files from your computer from when it was first used as pointed out in User Interface Design and Evaluation, “The trash can being associated with deleting files and folders is understandable, and users had no trouble with that” (Stone, Jarrett, Woodroffe, & Minocha, 2005). From this it is understandable why people were confused by the new way Apple came up with to eject external flash drives. Apple created a system where the user had to drag the icon of their flash drive containing all their files on it into the trash can to eject it. This caused a lot of confusion as users were scared they were deleting their flash drive with all their files when they did this. “Some users thought they would lose the contents of the disk if they used the trash can” (Stone et al., 2005). This was not so much a bad graphical design as a poor understanding of how the global audience interpreted the previous information graphics that they had released. Apple rectified this problem by making the trash can change to an eject symbol, shown in figure 3, when the user started dragging their flash drive icon around the desktop. This example is an effective response to the problem that they created as they originally tried to change how people interpreted the trash can symbol. This would be similar however to trying to make a battery icon represent the phones level of reception rather than battery life. Designers did however learn an important lesson here, that once a symbol has become globalised, people have a perception and interpretation of that symbol that can not be played with or changed.
In some cases information graphics are being used to give important safety information and if people worldwide cannot interpret this information then it may have serious consequences in the case of an emergency. In the article Infographics: Facts in focus the writer says, “…the explosion in data visualisations, infographics and mash-ups has produced a number of ill-informed, badly designed and even misleading representations.” (2010). Designers must be careful when designing these types of infographics and make sure that they do not “…produce stuff that’s visually impressive but not good.” (Facts in focus, 2010). The article then goes on to say, “But there’s no doubt that data can be aesthetic too” (Facts in focus, 2010). This is a very good point as infographics can be both aesthetic and strongly represent information. A good example of this today is the safety information cards on airplanes. Figure 4. shows an example of a safety card for a Boeing 747-400 aircraft, retrieved from the Air New Zealand website (2012). The safety card is typical of most found on planes today and has a look to it that is serious and official, while still being simple so that the everyday person flying can understand it. There are very few words and a lot of different infographics, including another example of a globalised graphic the iconic red circle with a line through it also known as the prohibition or universal no symbol. This symbol is used all throughout the world and it basically means, no or other forms of no such as no entry. In the case of the safety card it is showing what is not allowed on the aircraft such as smoking and mobile phones. This shows the importance of globalising symbols. If for example someone could not understand the infographics on the safety card then they may endanger themselves or others by not being able to follow the information provided. There is no denying that there are a lot of bad information graphics around. The reason that there are bad information graphics is often a lack of research and understanding of the audience or simply concentrating on the aesthetics rather than what information or data the graphic is actually trying to display. Jacques Bertin (1967), a French cartographer, supports this idea as this quote suggests. “A graphic representation is not merely a drawing, but often entails a heavy responsibility when deciding on how to proceed. One does not “draw” a graphic representation in a solid form; instead one constructs it and rearranges it until every relationship with the data has been revealed” (as cited in Banks, 2012). Bertin believes that information graphics must be designed like anything else. Researched, developed and refined to create a final product that does what it is supposed to do, in this case provide information in a simple and aesthetic way.
This topic of globalising symbols is very important because the world is becoming more and more digital and globalised. With the internet and globalised mass production, people all over the world must be able to understand the information that common information graphics are trying to portray. Big international technology companies such as Apple Incorporated and Microsoft Corporation are leading the globalisation of information graphics through technology and devices. If these companies do not use or create globalised symbols in or on their products then people worldwide will not be able to understand and use them. These and other companies must understand the use context for the devices they are creating as they are available at all times and the interactions are often brief (Pulli et al., 2008). One description of globalisation that I found in Julius’ book, Stakeholder Conflicts: A corporate perspective is, the creation of a ‘borderless world’ being driven by firms, not governments (1997). This relates strongly back to my idea of major companies driving the globalisation of symbols and information graphics around the world. With major companies driving the globalisation of symbols it is the people and especially the designers within these companies that carry a heavy burden on their shoulders. These designers must understand the global audience that they are designing for and how this audience interprets graphics. There are still limitations to who around the world will use their products such as, cell phones or laptops but third world countries are starting to grow and use technology like the western world. “Advances in technology and the expansion of trade have improved the standard of living dramatically for people around the world” (Turri, Maniam, & Leavell, 2006). So at the same time the designers must be aware that at any time new markets could open and the products and symbols used on them may need to be understood by this new audience as well.
How can designers implement the use the method of globalised products to create globalised symbols so that important information graphics can become like the battery or trash can icons? The truth of the matter is that with, Data visualisation on the-up, brought on by statistical data becoming more readily available, research is now a key factor in designing information graphics (Pulli et al., 2008). With adequate research the graphics they design will be understood when they become globalised through devices. If the information graphic is aesthetically sound and easy to understand then when the product it is used on does get released worldwide the graphics will be understood and accepted by the global audience as a useful and effective symbol.
The sources cited in this research paper clearly back up the idea of globalised information graphics and the importance of this now and in the future. With more information being displayed on smaller screens, information graphics being used to display safety information and growing third world economies, people the world over need to be able to interpret the symbols that designers are creating. The evidence shows the importance of the graphics to be understood by a global audience, especially in safety related documents or devices. The research also identified the most common method of globalisation, which turned out to be the implementation of symbols in products mass produced by major companies such as the technology companies mentioned earlier. This led to globalised information graphics such as the battery icon but also caused confusion, like with the example of Apple’s flash drive eject graphics. It is essential that the designers who work for major companies, research thoroughly the graphics they intent to use on devices so that there is no confusion when it comes to bringing these products to market. The challenge here is obvious. Create information graphics that can be understood worldwide, while still maintaining a simple and aesthetic look that is visually appealing to the global audience.
Word Count: 1975
References:
Banks, T. (2012). “Information Graphics.” Design Week 29 March 2012 (Online). ProQuest
Central. Web. 28 May 2012.
Bertin, J. (1967), “Semiologie Graphique.” (Semiology of Graphics). Paris, Mouton, Gauthier-Villars.
Figure. 1. iDownload Blog. (2011). Battery Icon. [PNG Image]. In iPhone 4s. Retrieved May
25, 2012, from www.idownloadblog.com.
Figure. 2. Icon Finder. (2012). Trash Can. [PNG Image]. In Icon Details. Retrieved May 28,
2012, from http://www.iconfinder.com.
Figure. 3. Iconspedia. (2012). Eject Icon. [PNG Image]. In Computer Icons. Retrieved May 26,
201, from http://www.iconspedia.com.
Figure. 4. Air New Zealand. (2012). Safety Card. [PDF Image]. In In-Flight Wellbeing.
Retrieved May 7, 2012, from http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/inflight-wellbeing.
“Infographics: Facts in focus.” (2012). Design Week8 July 2010: 14. Academic OneFile. Web.
8 May. 2012.
Julius, D. (1997). Globalization and stakeholder conflicts: A corporate perspective.
[Electronic version]. International Affairs, 75(3), 453-468.
Pulli, K., & Klemmer, S. (2008). “Mobile Graphics,” Computer Graphics and Applications,
IEEE , vol.28, no.4, pp.18-19, July-Aug. 2008.
Stone, D., Jarrett, C., Woodroffe, M., & Minocha, S. (2005). User Interface Design and
Evaluation. Amsterdam; Boston, Mass: Elsevier: Morgan Kaufmann, April 5, 2005.
Turri, A., Maniam, B., & Leavell, H. (2006). “Globalization: The Good, Bad and Ugly.” The
Business Review, Cambridge 6:1 Dec 2006: 31-37
Appendix for Assignment 4, Research Paper.
CCDN 271 Tristan Oorschot
Assignment 3 (20%) 14/05/2012
Substantiating Claims
Information Graphics: Globalisation of Symbols
The world is becoming globalised through big international technology companies such as Apple Incorporated and Microsoft Corporation. If these companies do not use or create globalised symbols in or on their products then people worldwide will not be able to understand and use them. One description of globalisation that I found is, “…the creation of a ‘borderless world’ being driven by firms, not governments” (Julius, 1997). This relates back to my idea of major companies driving the globalisation of symbols and information graphics around the world.
The companies and interaction designers who design the information graphics for these devices need to test and make sure that they are understood or can become understood. One of the most iconic of these device information graphics is the battery icon, which displays the remaining battery life of devices. It can be found on everything from cell phones to laptops and most other devices that run on battery power. “Advances in technology and the expansion of trade have improved the standard of living dramatically for people around the world” (Turri, Maniam and Leavell, 2006). This has allowed these devices to become readily available to people with average incomes, driving the globalisation of symbols that are used on them. “It doesn’t take an advanced degree in Moore’s Law to realize that we’re getting a lot more computing razzle-dazzle for our dollars today than we were ten, 20, and 30 years ago” (“Infographic: Shrinking Smartphones,” 2011). The globalisation of companies around the world, especially those who develop such devices is what has caused the globalisation of certain symbols used on these devices.
In some cases information graphics are being used to give important safety information and if people worldwide cannot interpret this information then it may have serious consequences in the case of an emergency. For example “…the explosion in data visualisations, infographics and mash-ups has produced a number of ill-informed, badly designed and even misleading representations.” (“Infographics: Facts in focus,” 2010). Designers must be careful when designing these types of infographics. And make sure that they do not “…produce stuff that’s visually impressive but not good…” (Turri et al., 2006). The article then goes on to say, “But there’s no doubt that data can be aesthetic too” (Turri et al., 2006). This is a very good point as infographics can be both aesthetic and strongly represent information.
A good example of this today is the safety information cards on airplanes. Figure 1 shows an example of a safety card for a Boeing 747-400 aircraft, retrieved from the Air New Zealand website (2012). The safety card is typical of most found on planes today. There are very few words and a lot of different infographics, including another example of a globalised graphic the iconic red circle with a line through it also known as the prohibition or universal no symbol. This symbol is used all throughout the world and it basically means, no or other forms of no such as no entry. In the case of the safety card it is showing what is not allowed on the aircraft such as smoking and mobile phones. This shows the importance of globalising symbols. If someone could not understand the infographics on the card they may endanger themselves or others by not being able to follow the safety information in the case of an emergency.
Word Count: 538
References:
Anna Turri, Balasundram Maniam, and Hadley Leavell. “Globalization: The Good, Bad
and Ugly.” The Business Review, Cambridge 6:1 Dec 2006: 31-37
Figure. 1. Air New Zealand. (2012). [PDF Image]. In In-Flight Wellbeing. Retrieved
May 7, 2012, from http://www.airnewzealand.co.nz/inflight-wellbeing.
“Infographics: Facts in focus.” Design Week 8 July 2010: 14. Academic OneFile. Web.
8 May. 2012.
“Infographic: Shrinking Smartphones Offer More Bang for the Buck.” PC Magazine
Online 27 Dec. 2011. General OneFile. Web. 9 May 2012.
Julius, D. (1997). Globalization and stakeholder conflicts: A corporate perspective.
[Electronic version]. International Affairs, 75(3), 453-468.
Figure 1.
CCDN 271 Tristan Oorschot
Assignment 2 (15%) 30/04/2012
Abstract and Argument
Information Graphics: Globalisation of Symbols
For this Research Paper I will research Information Graphics but more specifically the globalisation of symbols. I hope to find out how some symbols have already become globalised and how other important graphics may follow similar methods to become this way. This abstract will address the background of information graphics and the globalization of symbols. It will also identify my research question, indicate the approach I will take to this question and give some possible outcomes and conclusions for my research.
My research topic Information Graphics: The Globalisation of Symbols is important because the world is becoming more and more digital and globalized. With the internet and globalized mass production, people all over the world must be able to understand the information that common information graphics are trying to portray.
My research question will be: ‘How can information graphics become globalised to align with developing technology and the internet?’ In choosing this question I hope to find new methods and ideas that can possibly allow important information graphics to be understood by a global audience.
I will approach the research topic by accessing a wide range of sources and making my own observations to gain a wide range of views and knowledge on my topic. By doing this I will gain knowledge and opinions from many different experts in the field as well as knowledge from the world around me through observations on different information graphics and how people interpret them.
Possible outcomes of my research include, finding information graphics that have already become globalized, finding information graphics that need to become globalised and finding out how globalised information graphics have become this way in order to find similar methods that can be applied to information graphics that need to become globalized, or may need to become globalised in the future due to developments such as technology.
CCDN 271 Tristan Oorschot
Project 1 (15%) 26/03/2012
Assessing and Critiquing Sources
Information Graphics: Globalization of Symbols
The beginning of the journal article addresses how there is a large amount of data currently being recorded all around the world. “With data feeds streaming into news and press organisations in real-time, there is very little that isn’t recorded.” (Anonymous 2010) The article then goes on to discuss how sensitive data is also recorded and manipulated into visual representations but also how these can mislead those trying to interpret the data. “…the explosion in data visualisations, infographics and mash-ups has produced a number of ill-informed, badly designed and even misleading representations.” (Anonymous 2010) The article then says that creating infographics that represent the information and are also aesthetically pleasing is the design challenge for designers today. In the article the author says the challenge is “…providing engaging and useful access to information without misleading or skewing the truth behind the numbers.” (Anonymous 2010)
The main points that the article puts forward are firstly, the amount of data that is currently being recorded is growing larger and larger, secondly, with the large amount of data being recorded and visually represented there is more and more misleading and badly designed representations and finally, what the challenge is for designers who create information graphics today.
The Journal article was published on 8 July 2010 making it quite recent. This is important for the topic of information graphics because they are a relatively new way to deal with large complicated amounts of information and are become ever more digital and interactive. The article presents solid arguments about the three points outlined above. They back up their statements, using examples and quotes from the head of graphics at British daily newspaper ‘The Guardian,’ Michael Robinson.
This article relates strongly to my research topic of Information Graphics and the globalisation of symbols because it raises issues about how masses of information are becoming globally available. “We have access to information like never before and it’s almost overwhelming.” (Anonymous 2010) It also touches on how technology has allowed for this mass sharing and globalisation of information. “We’re entering a new world where events, locations and contextual information are open and shared, and it’s going to be huge.” (Anonymous 2010) However also mentioned is how this technology has allowed anyone to input and use information. “Improvements in software have made it easier to input data, but what people are doing with it creates a whole other problem.” (Anonymous 2010)
In relation to my research topic the article failed to address any actual examples of information graphics that have become globally recognised. These have mostly become this way through mass production and the internet. Examples include battery icons on computers and cell phones and the green and red stick men that show when to cross the road.
The work as a whole is extremely useful for my research topic as it looks in depth at the information side of information graphics as well as the graphic side. It looks at what information people are representing visually and what the challenges are for designers in the field of information graphics today.
Reference List:
Anonymous. (2010). INFOGRAPHICS: Facts in Focus. Design Week, 14. Retrieved from Victoria University Library Database.
