DECO2200/7220 Information Visualisation
Infographic
Weighting x 1
Due Dates & Times
• Interim critique (mandatory) with printed draft poster (A2 size) - Week 11 contact sessions
• Draft file submission via Blackboard before end of your Week 11 contact session
• Final critique (mandatory) with printed final poster (A1 size) - Week 13 contact sessions
• Both critiques are mandatory and are identity-verified. Failure to participate in either
critique without prior approval from the course coordinator will result in your grade being
capped at a 3.
• Final electronic submission via Blackboard due Week 13 Tuesday 23 May 1:00pm
Project Aims & Objectives
• Explore the possibilities & benefits of displaying complex data in a visual format
• Create visual solutions for the communication of complex information that promotes
understanding.
• Practice & master technical skills taught within the course.
• Demonstrate understanding of graphic design principles.
Project Description 
Generally used in news media, information graphics are employed to explain aspects/information
that are difficult to communicate fully in traditional voice, video & still image forms. These forms of
graphic communication explain complexities, reveal relationships in statistics, visualise complex
processes, provide instruction in ways that promote & enhance understanding for the reader.
Information graphics has spread beyond news media, into instructional design, scientific
visualisation, product design, education, information technology, business and more, in settings
where the graphic representation of data or processes provides a more meaningful outcome for
the reader.
Designing information graphics is much more than translating what can be read into a visual
format. It requires filtering of information, revealing of relationships between information sets,
discovery of patterns and the representation of this in a visual manner that is meaningful to the
reader. It often requires the inclusion of supplementary information to help reveal or explain the
data at the core of the poster.
In this project, you will create an A1 poster representing & explaining a dataset of your choosing in
a visual format. You will need to consider how to visually represent your chosen dataset - a set of
statistics, numerical data, a complex process - that allows the reader to interpret & understand the
information presented in a meaningful way. Note: the data selected should be extensive & provide
a good basis for producing an in-depth infographic. You should aim to have at least one example
of the visual translation of complex data with multiple relationships, as well as a series of more
simple datasets with multiple relationships.
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DECO2200/7220 Information Visualisation
Process
Look at some examples
• Research existing information graphics (statistical, map-based, instructional etc) to gain an
insight into the different techniques used to convey complex information. Look to USA
Today, National & Australian Geographic magazines, the work of Nigel Cross, Paul Kahn &
Richard Saul Wurman, IKEA assembly instructions etc. See links below in the resources
section.
Choose a topic of interest
• Select a subject matter - something you are interested in or have difficulty understanding.
Note that you will need to ensure that your selected dataset has sufficient depth &
complexity to be portrayed in an information graphic. You can discuss this with teaching
staff.
• Research subject & gather data and supporting information - having a basic understanding
of your content will help you to display it in an effective manner. Look for pre-existing
datasets where possible, as collating data can be time-intensive.
• Keep a record of your data sources as you will need to provide references on your poster!
Explore representation
• Sketch ideas on how you might convey this subject matter in an informational poster.
• Consider which combination of infographic devices would be most suitable to what you are
trying to communicate - diagrams, maps (geographical, data), timelines, graphs, tables,
icons, logos, flowcharts, concept maps, etc.
• Experiment with different approaches and combinations of data to see what works to
effectively communicate the information. Test out these ideas on others to see how well
they work.
• Think about the story you want to tell through the data. While you should be objective in
your representation, you should consider what the narrative will be and what you want
people to understand after they engage with it.
• Once you have a design worked out, create your poster in Illustrator (keeping in mind the
specifications listed below).
Get Feedback
• As you develop your poster, show your work to your peers & teaching staff to ensure that
you are communicating the information effectively in the way you intend.
Tips for working on your Poster
• Set up your text styles early - body, caption, subheading, heading. Body text should be
sized between 12pt & 16pt depending on the typeface you use. 
• This poster is meant to be seen up close. You will be surprised at how much you can fit on
an A1 poster - make sure you have the content you need. Check out the examples to see
just how much data can be included.
• When working in Illustrator, work at 100 - 150% zoom as much as possible. Zoom out to see
the whole poster only when you need an overview of the work. It is easy to size your poster
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DECO2200/7220 Information Visualisation
elements according to a zoomed out view. It can be difficult to reconcile the size you see on
screen with what you end up printing.
• Make regular test prints at A3 (quarter size) or just a section onto A4 or A3. This will help
you to see how the text/image/data appears in the printed form and how it scales off
screen.
• Save the colours you use in your poster as swatches - this helps you to keep a consistent
colour scheme across the design.
• Use layers to help organise your poster!
Specifications
Printed poster:
• A1 in size in landscape (594mm x 840mm) or portrait (840mm x 594mm) format - whichever
suits your composition best
• CMYK, 300dpi, and 5mm bleed.
• Text and vector graphics only - no photographs (and no photographs converted to vector
using LiveTrace)
Submission Requirements
Interim submission
Physical
• You will be required to print a copy of your in-progress poster - A2 size will be sufficient. If
required, you can print onto A3 sheets (each sheet containing a quadrant of your poster)
and combine to create an A2 sized version.
• Note, as this is an interim, print quality will not be considered - please do not spend money
on high quality printing for this as we will most likely write directly onto your posters during
the presentations.
• If you have variations of your poster, feel free to print these also and bring them along. 
Electronic
• 1 x working Illustrator file to Blackboard before end of contact in Week 11.
Final Submission
Physical:
• 1 x full colour, high quality A1 sized print of your poster to be brought to your Week 13
contact session.
• Your full name should be incorporated into the poster design.
• Your student number should be on the back of the poster.
• Print quality will be considered in your final grade for the project. If you are unsure of where/
how to source good quality printing, talk to teaching staff.
• Do not laminate your work.
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DECO2200/7220 Information Visualisation
Electronic:
In a .zip file, named as [P2_FirstName_Lastname.zip], submit the following:
• 1 x high quality PDFs (.pdf) of your poster.
• Export PDFs using File > Save As - format PDF. Do not use the Print dialog to print
the file to PDF.
• 1 x authoring Illustrator file (.ai)
• 1 x PDF (.pdf) file containing references for data sources and any external assets used.
• A folder containing any external assets - fonts, brushes, images, vector art etc. References
for these are to be included in your Reference document.
• You must reference: 1) responses you critiqued 2) typefaces used 3) vector art /
patterns / brushes used not of your own creation 4) ANYTHING you did not create
yourself. Failure to do so will result in misconduct proceedings.
If you have any problems in submitting your file to Blackboard, email the Course Coordinator.
Marking Criteria
During the interim critique you will receive feedback to inform and improve your work for final
submission. At the completion of the project you will receive a final grade for the project.
Your final submission will be graded according to the following criteria:
Attention to Detail
• Demonstrates high level of attention to detail in all aspects of the composition & execution
of work (including spelling and grammar)
• All printed and electronic submission requirements are met - working files, assets and
reference document.
Infographic Design
• Effective visual communication of a complex set of information; supplementary data has
been cleverly incorporated to aid communication.
• Considered & creative application of information graphics and visual approaches to support
interpretation and understanding of the data.
• Demonstrates understanding of design principles through considered use of design
elements for visual communication
• Overall creativity and aesthetics: demonstrates a creative approach visual communication of
complex data, with consideration of cohesive aesthetic to support it.
Identity-verified Requirement
To meet the identity-verified requirement of this assessment, you must:
• present valid UQ identification at BOTH interim critique and final critique.
• submit working files at BOTH interim critique and final critique.
Failure to meet these requirements will result in your grade for this assessment being capped at a
Fail (3).
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A Message about Academic Integrity
• In design practice, it is common to reuse and adapt small components of other work to
create an overall original composition. It is important when doing this to ensure that third
party works are being according to their usage license; and that those works are clearly
acknowledged.
• It is very important that when grading your work, we know what is and isn’t your
original contribution.
• It is important that the majority of the design and composition is your own original work.
Downloadable templates are NOT permitted (such as those supplied in apps like Canva).
Using pre-defined templates does not allow you to develop the skills or design ability
expected of this course.
• If you need to incorporate third party assets, you should use works that are in the public
domain, are royalty-free, or are released under an appropriate Creative Commons license. If
you wish to use paid assets, you must be able to provide evidence of having purchased that
asset for use.
• In this course, you are expected to acknowledge ALL third party assets that you might
use in the composition of your works, even if they are licensed for your use. This includes
but is not limited to, the use of:
• Non-system fonts - these are fonts that are not pre-packaged in the software you use.
• Vector-art used in part, or in entirety - such as icons, shapes or small illustrations.
• Outcomes of tutorial exercises that show you how to create specific artefacts
• Inspirations that have heavily influenced your design style.
• Illustrator brushes or patterns.
• Datasets
• Text-based content - supporting articles, quotes, etc.
• A referencing guide can be found in Blackboard.
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