During one of our MA class, we accumulated a range of statistical information captured in photographic form. We were asked to analyse, present and conclude a range of information based on these data collated. It is a creative challenge that helps us understand data collection and teaches us how to translate these data into information for a broad audience.
My goal is to create an informative and, yet, entertaining visually. So, it is interesting to look at how storytelling can be used in an informative design. Furthermore, I decided to focus on (future) leaders within the defined sample. Before creating the informative design, information has been collecting regarding the following topics: (visual) storytelling and lead (leadership).
BACKGROUND RESEARCH
[VISUAL] STORYTELLING
Visual storytelling is being used in various media such as newspapers, magazines, websites, advertising, museums etc. According to Losowsky, visual storytelling is the combination of emotional reaction and narrative information. To approach visual storytelling, designers will either aim to maintain a sensation of continuity (through a colour scheme, typography and tone of the information) or invoke contradictory emotions using a piece of visual language and its content (Klanten et al., 2011). Studies showed that more than half of the brains is dedicated to the processing of visual input, so it is necessary to convey information in a memorable and/or digestible form using visual-based storytelling.
The book, Visual Storytelling: Inspiring a New Visual Language, provides a collection of inspiring visual ‘graphics’ examples, but the main idea behind the book is to explain how visual storytelling takes a familiar image context, photos and illustration, and use them in a new way.
Design storytelling is a book, which looks at narrative techniques to create satisfying graphics. Lupton (2017) explains the importance of a good story for good design because a good design connects an audience through shared experiences. Thus, it is important to narrative techniques to create powerful work. The book looks an action tool, emotion tools and sensation tools.
To create an informative design, I decided to use action tools like the storyboard tool to sketch ideas and to illustrate the final product. The Rule of Three tools was also explored because studies show that the audience is more likely to understand and absorb any type of information are grouped into threes (Lupton, 2017). A study showed that a visual present no more than 6 to 12 elements when representing a single concept or idea (, n.d.). So, 12 elements can be presented in a visual as long as they are grouped into threes. Finally, it is very important to visuals simple and straightforward to get the message across (KISS Principle).
LEADER[SHIP]
For a career perspective, I seek to be an inspirational art/ creative director, so I decided to focus my assignment on leadership. Thus, I will investigate leaders who are taking part in this visual statistics assignment.
Leader. To achieve organisational goals, a leader should possess a number of specialist qualities. According to Marcus and van Dam (2007), a true leader possesses the following qualities:
- Does not impose his/her leadership
- Attracts supporters without needing to be coerced
- Demonstrates an ability to fulfil the wishes of followers
- Is an expert
There are historical examples of strong leaders like Napoleon (French emperor), Winston Churchill (British prime minister), Mahatma Gandhi (Indian activist), Nelson Mandela (South African president), Richard Branson (Virgin Group CEO), and Steve Jobs (Apple co-founder) just to name a few. The French general/ president, Charles de Gaulle, once said ‘’the effective leader has to be well informed about the details of specific circumstances, he should not think in abstract or vague general theories and should have more self-confidence than his rivals’’.
Nowadays, leaders need to challenge the status quo, create visions of the future, and inspire organizational members to want to achieve the organisational/leaders/their visions. A study looked at charismatic leaders and reported that the relationship between a leader and his/her employees would have the following qualities (Marcus and van Dam, 2007):
- A leader is considered by his employees (followers) in some ways to be superhuman
- Employees do not question the opinion of the leader
- Employees follow their leader unconditionally
- Employees will give a leader complete emotional support
From a leader to leadership style. Leadership refers to ‘’the ability to influence a group toward the achievement of a vision or set of goals’’ (Robbins and Judge, 2013). Leadership can also be the relationship through, which one person influence the behaviour or actions of other people, meaning on an interpersonal/behavioural context (Mullins and Christy, 2013). There are different styles of leadership style but there are 9 that are commonly known, check them out by clicking here.
What makes a ”good” art leader/ director? According to Niklas Dorn (n.d.), if you want to be a successful art director, you need to adopt the following 7 traits:
- Self-confidence in every project you work on, and every assignment you turn in.
- Keep on learning from your superiors and take all advice/ feedbacks (of course, with a grain of salt). Keep on asking questions, curiosity leads to new ideas.
- Stress-resistance because creative agencies deal with several projects at the same time, so you’ll have to stay on top of your work.
- Think out of the box, it is important to try and create unique, successful projects by using your colleagues and superiors to help foster your creative success.
- Communication skills because you’ll have to build relationships with clients, co-workers, and superiors.
- Strategic thinking because you’ll to have a tactical plan to achieve your objectives.
- Teamworking skills where you’ll inspire your team and strategically place your colleagues were their strengths lie for every project.
According to Artisan (2016), there are 10 qualities for becoming a successful art director:
- Resilience, to
- Focus, to think of the big picture while
- Imagination to invent a project from scratch.
- Diplomacy skills when discussing ideas with the team and client (b graphic designer to throw away an idea).
- Courage and remember to not be afraid of failure.
- Good design sense, a
- Punctuality and efficiency as meeting the deadlines are crucial in this field.
- Market knowledge to pitch the ideas to the marketing department/ client.
- Experience/
- An outstanding portfolio is more important than a resume (important to document everything).
CONCEPT
Goal: Translating photos into visual statistics by selecting parameters to create digestible information for a broad audience.
Message: A closer look at future art leaders traits from MA Graphic Design and Design, Innovation & Brand Management courses at University for the Creative Arts in Epsom.
Format: Digital illustration/ infographic.
Content: Translating photos into visual statistics by selecting parameters.
The sample of this experiment is 42 MA students (n=42). The story focuses on the leaders in two MA courses at the University for the Creative Arts: Design, Innovation & Brand Management; and Graphic Design. Based on the question ”Are you a follower or a leader” a total of 15 students categorised themselves as a leader. Here are the following demographic characteristics of the observed group:
- Sample size: 15
- Age: Millenials (the mid-20s and early 30s)
- Gender: 5 (men); 10 (women)
- Ethnicity*: 4 (European); 10 (East Asian); 1 (Central Asian)
- Occupation: MA Graphic Design students at UCA (Epsom); MA Design, Innovation and Brand Management students at UCA (Epsom)
Disclaimer: The following observation fails to reach an equal number of respondents per ethnic groups, plus it does not represent all the world ethnic groups. So, the observation cannot draw a portrait of leaders and comparison between recorded ethnicity groups. Next, the observation looks at only at two MA course offered at UCA (Epsom). Due to the sample size and the above-mentioned restrictions, the gathered data cannot be generalised to the overall UCA (Epsom) population parameter.
To complete this challenge, I looked for patterns through the different categories set during the data collection. Based on the gathered data, I decided to look at the following traits of the 15 students (leaders), which would give us more information about the general profile:
- Introvert vs Extrovert
- Speaker vs Listener
- Organised vs Unorganised
- Giver vs Receiver
- Sketchbook vs Journal
- Pencil vs Pen
- Coloured clothes vs Black & white clothes
All the data are treated, reported and calculated using Microsoft Excel. The following tables give an overview of the selected parameters:
To represent the chosen traits, it is important to create an illustrated representation. To do so, I tried to sketch out symbols, which were drawn in my sketchbook.
Finally, I combined the different symbols with the observed traits of the leaders from the MA Graphic Design and MA Design, Innovation & Brand Management of 2018-2019. The idea was to create one strip, one story, which could be used in the future for a UCA brochure.
FINAL RESULT
CRITICAL REFLECTION
The assignment was slightly frustrating me because I knew that based on my infographic concept idea, the data would never be supportive (irrelevant due to the lack and limited data collection).
To complete the assignment, Microsoft Excel was used to quantify the data and the informative design was created in Adobe Illustrator to improve my software silks. I decided to create a condensed design, which could be used by UCA in their information brochure regarding the courses and opportunities that the university offers. After being presented in front of the class, there was not any clear feedback given to me.
From a personal point of view, I believe that I was not able to create a good story through this infographic. This is probably due to the way of how the information is displayed. The characters should probably be repositioned and the item representing a data may also be separated from the characters. It would have been interesting to get feedback from a design point of view so I could have grown from this graphical experience.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Artisan. (2016, May 25). 10 Qualities of Successful Creative Director [Online]. Available at: http://creative.artisantalent.com/10-qualities-of-successful-creative-directors (Accessed: 01 November 2018)
Dorn, N. (n.d.). 7 Powerful Traits of Successful Art Directors at Ad Agencies [Online]. Available at: https://blog.filestage.io/powerful-traits-of-successful-art-directors-at-ad-agencies/ (Accessed: 01 November 2018)
Lupton, E. (2017). Design is Storytelling. New York, USA: Cooper Hewitt.
Marcus, J. and van Dam, N. (2007). Organisation and Management, An International Approach. Groningen, the Netherlands: Noordhoff Uitgevers.
Mullins, L. J. and Christy, G. (2013). Management & Organisational Behaviour. 10th edn. Harlow, England, UK: Pearson Education Limited.
Robbins, S.P. and Judge, T. A. (2013). Organizational Behaviour. 15th edn. New Jersey, USA: Pearson Education.
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