Data Visualization + Infographics
Design Research + Print Design
Graphic Design Studio — Spring 2023
Project DetailsFor both of these informational posters, my objective was to transform data and research into visually engaging representations of their respective subjects. The data visualization poster, which focuses on our family's record collection, holds personal significance as it serves a documentary purpose. In contrast, my infographic tackles a socially significant and pressing issue—the psychological effects of mass shootings. Here, my aim was twofold: to educate and inspire action. Despite the contrasting goals of these projects, they presented similar challenges. I struggled with the task of manipulating information to create aesthetic yet legible visualizations for both, to achieve a coherent outcome.
Programs & Sources: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Figma
Design Research + Print Design
Graphic Design Studio — Spring 2023
Project DetailsFor both of these informational posters, my objective was to transform data and research into visually engaging representations of their respective subjects. The data visualization poster, which focuses on our family's record collection, holds personal significance as it serves a documentary purpose. In contrast, my infographic tackles a socially significant and pressing issue—the psychological effects of mass shootings. Here, my aim was twofold: to educate and inspire action. Despite the contrasting goals of these projects, they presented similar challenges. I struggled with the task of manipulating information to create aesthetic yet legible visualizations for both, to achieve a coherent outcome.
Programs & Sources: Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Figma
Data Visualization
A visual representation of the LoGalbo family’s generational record collection
Process Work
Research + Data Collection
I began with an examination and cataloging of my family’s collection of records which began around 1950 with my grandparents,
and has been passed down since. To record my data, I created a table with columns for each categorization.
Ideas for categorization included:
-
Album title
- Artist
- Music Genre
- Year Recorded
- Length of Record
- Sides (1-4)
- Primary Colors on Album Cover
- Speed: 35 or 45
- Extras? Lyric Booklet or Pictures
Other considerations included:
- Likely impossible to fit all albums in the collection
- What timeframe to stick to
- Include my own from 2020 and later?
- Will there be multiple axes? How many categories is too many?
After taking a closer look at the sheer amount of data,
I narrowed my categories down to:
Album, Artist, Genre, Year Recorded,
Record Length (minutes), and Number of Songs
Hand Sketching I knew I wanted to incorporate the shape and texture of a physical vinyl disc in some form, so I began sketching preliminary ideas of how to combine the circular shape with a timeline and data points. I tried a literal replication and a more abstract version, settling on using the exact dimensions of a vinyl I had, but then abstracting it and shaping it to suit my data and multiple axes.
Digital Sketches
With my first couple digital sketches, I began to play around with the scale of the timeline, and how the individual bars, or data points, would appear in thickness and color.
Once I had decided on scale, I iterated on the ways in which the names of the albums could be displayed, and how they might possibly be linked to their specific genre.
Next I played around with contrast in the foreground and background, specifically how the white or dark text would appear while maintaining legibility.
Finally, I tried different techniques for a color coded key and other minor tweaks before deciding on my final design.
Final Version
Infographic
An infographic meant to educate and persuade.
Invisible wounds: an in depth look at the psychological effect of mass shootings is based on the article “Mass Shootings Leave Lasting Psychological Wounds” by Claudia Wallis. With the most recent shooting taking place at MSU, gun violence and mass shootings are a real fear for students everywhere. My hope is to bring awareness to the lasting impact of these tragedies, in an effort to encourage schools to take action in providing mental health resources post-trauma.Purpose Strategy
To Educate
people on the invisible wounds that mass traumas leave on their victims. This includes depression, PTSD, anxiety disorders, panic attacks, substance use disorders, and phobias.To Persuade
Americans, schools, and government officials that these psychological wounds need to be addressed with more mental health resources, and that mass shootings affect lives beyond the immediate victims and their families.Process Work
View Full Process Book︎︎︎
Data to Include
GENERAL MASS SHOOTING DATA (context)
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- Data pulled from Statistica, referenced below. Summarized and designed to be understood more easily.
RESULTING PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS (problem)
- Major depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, panic attacks, substance use disorders, and phobias were the most common psychiatric conditions.
- There was a 21.4 percent increase in antidepressant prescriptions for people under age 20 in the local area where a school shooting had occurred, compared with areas 10 to 15 miles away. An elevated use of antidepressants persisted two years after the incident.
- Visuals of a brain with PTSD vs no PTSD, pulled from the National Library of Medicine with an explanation for viewers to understand significance.
- The National Center for PTSD estimates that 28 percent of people who have witnessed a mass shooting develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and about a third develop acute stress disorder.
HOW CAN WE HELP? (solution)
-
Galea and Lowe say an approach called “psychological first aid” is recommended after traumatic events. “Psychological first aid starts with education, making people who might be affected aware” of possible mental health symptoms, Galea explains. “Then it moves on to giving them tools, and then it moves on to helping people access care if they need it. It is a way of sequencing interventions.” A school-specific manual is available from the federally funded National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
- Specific quotes pulled from the Psychological First Aid for Schools Field Operations Guide, created by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network National Center for PTSD.
Style Guide
Digital Sketches
Testing different neuron imagery for background texture
Overlaying elements to play with texture, determine what imagery works and what doesn’t
Making final tweaks to imagery and placement
Final Infographic
Infographic In Context
Since the purpose of this infographic is to educate and persuade, it would best be placed in public areas of high traffic, like school campuses or intersections.
