response small multiples

The gesture chart in page 66 shows that the variation of the same symbol could convey different information, we use gesture to convey information very often in some special situation. The variation of finger could indicate alphabets or letters and numbers, and it is the silence way to convey the information. This silence way sometimes even stronger than the letters on the paper. We usually use gesture to indicate for numbers but rarely use it to express more complicated information. Nevertheless, gesture language a the most important language for deaf people, and also I seen a lots of military personnel use gesture to communicate each other. Beside letters and voice, gesture language could be the third language form for us to apply in our daily life. It is concise and convenient, for sometime we do not have pen and paper, or we cannot be hear.

Compare to the chart in page 66, the picture which in the page 67 is also shows the variation of one single object convey different information. The indicator lights on the train use the color change and the position change show us the different mode of the train. Once the communicational equipment breakdown, the train still have a trust tool to contact the others.

The image in the page 77 is a chart collect and combine the most longer river and higher mount on the earth, this chart is differ than the geographic chart we usually seen. Instead of use date bar or others to shows the information, this one convert the curve line of each river into a straight line, so we can clearly see the length of each and also juxtapose the branch steam of each rivers, In a short, this design tells us 2 information in one space.

responds to reading 51-65

The first graphic in this chapter is a map which describe the structure  of machine. I am not strange with this map, because I have seen this in a lot of areas in my life.

When I was young, I play with I a lot of model which need to be modified. And every model is so complex, each parts of it need to be cut of from the main plastic kit, then be put together by glue. Because this model has several hundreds of parts, so how to assemble them is really difficult task, and we can not success without a instrction map. To design this kind of map need consider at last 3 issues, first the shapes or traits of each part; second the position of each part; third  the name of each part. Usually this kind of map is 3 demensional without perspective effect, but all parts be arrange in their 45 degree axis. In this way the reader could see a 3 facet of object.

Sometimes, the data is concrete such as the receipt information. In that situation most designer just make several column, and classify this column by filling different kind of information. Sometimes when we encounter the information more abstract, like some medical statistics, we can transfer this date or alternate the data to another form. For example, the ECG data is abstract information, if we alternate the date into curve and then attach a gird line as guide ruler, the information become concrete, we can read and understand easily and directly. 

sketch

RESPONS TO READING 35-51

From the section of page 35-page51, There are some panorama pictures in the beginning, this pictures are looks like maps, but they were 3 dimensions. I compare the map which has 3d building and the photograph, the main differences is the photograph has perspective point, all object in the photograph are diminish to 3 points. While I  see in the map, all object is anti perspective. So I thought the photograph which has perspective, often make the objects in the behind  are smaller than the objects in the front.  

In that situation the size difference will confuse reader, and you be  mislead that the larger one is more important than the small one. The map which in the page 37 describe each building equally and in the same time tells the position among them.

In page 41 the Tokyo population density chart use the color variation which from the low temperature color to the high temperature. This color palette like the thermal image. The advantage of this chart is simple to indicate the data variations by locations in one dimension. But the disadvantage is the color palette looks like a meteorology statistics, and the reader need to decode the meaning that each color indicate.

sketch for P2

READING 12-35

I read the book from the section 12-35, the chart which in the page 16 is unique impression, this chart has no color, and it is simply like a piece of paper, but it can be fold to 3 dimensional triangle and show the information more directly and obviously than a 2 dimensional square view. Although I do not really understand the content of the chart, I can get what the designer think about it.

The 3 dimensional fold chart stimulate and enlight me. If we could apply different material such as transparency papers, or color tinted paper into chart design, probably we can make the chart more interactively.

From the page 19-23, I found the chart in science area usually never has decoration element, I think the reader must be someone who work or study in that area. So the main function of the chart in science area is to display the information accuracy.

I found another chart in page24, that is a train schedule. This schedule is really confused me, because too many lines crossover and different icon shows in this cramp area.  In the left and the bottom side of the chart, there are some explanations for each icon. Overall, this schedule provides a lot of information but the reader need pay more attention to read and decipher the each icon.

I had seen a lot of chart describes about weather, they almost all have plan view of a map, but this book provide a section view of a map. To compare with the plan view and the section view, they both have advantage. The plan view of the map is easy to tell the weather by location, and the section view is more focus on the weather differences among each locations.

In page 24, the picture that we use for an example as a chart junk do confuse us ,but I personal think this “chart junk” could be consider as illustration ,rather than a chart. It is good if it exist as an illustration for newspaper. But it is too weak as a chart.