London Through Rose-Colored Graphics: Visual Rhetoric and Information Graphic Design in Charles Booth's Maps of London Poverty    

In this article, I examine a historical information graphic--Charles Booth's maps of London poverty (1889-1902)--to analyze the cultural basis of ideas of transparency and clarity in information graphics. I argue that Booth's maps derive their rhetorical power from contemporary visual culture as much as from their scientific authority. The visual rhetoric of the maps depended upon an ironic inversion of visual culture to make poverty seem a problem that could be addressed, rather than an insurmountable crisis. This visual rhetoric led directly to significant features of and concepts in western societies, including the poverty line and universal old-age pensions (social security).

Kimball, Miles A. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2006). Articles>Graphic Design>Visual Rhetoric>Cartography

Making the Strange Familiar: A Pedagogical Exploration of Visual Thinking    

Scholarly conversation within the field of professional communication increasingly has focused on the practice, research, and pedagogy of visual rhetoric. Yet, visual thinking has received relatively little attention within the field. If our programs produce students who can think verbally but not visually, they risk producing writers who are visual technicians but are unable to move fluidly between and within modes of communication. This article examines the literature and pedagogical practices of visually oriented disciplines to identify strategies for helping students develop the ambidexterity of thought needed for the communication tasks of today's workplace.

Brumberger, Eva R. Journal of Business and Technical Communication (2007). Articles>Education>Graphic Design>Visual Rhetoric

The Man Behind Clippy

An interview with Kevan J. Atteberry, the graphic artist who first developed Clippy the Overly Eager Office Supply Unit.

Dickson, Andrea with Erin Lowe. STC Puget Sound (2007). Articles>Interviews>Graphic Design>Help

A Matter of Perspective

When working with technical illustrations, you must consider perspective. The following article will provide you with some useful information on working with both parallel and true perspective.

ITEDO Software (2002). Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Isometric

Medical Tables, Graphics and Photographs: How They Work    

An examination of a random sample of four medical journals--The Lancet, The New England Journal of Medicine, The Journal of the American Medical Association, and The Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine--reveals that one-fifth of the space of articles in medical science is devoted to an average of three tables and three flow charts, graphs, or photographs. Given these figures, the absence of discussion of visuals in the literature on medical communication may seem puzzling. But the puzzle is easily solved: our basic education gives us a coherent vocabulary for talking about prose, but no coherent vocabulary for talking about tables and visuals. Once we have this vocabulary in hand, we make another step in the direction of an explanation of the nature of communication in the medical sciences. We may note that understanding the meaning of a medical article is not just a consequence of understanding its texts; it is a consequence of understanding all its meaningful components working together--verbal, tabular, visual.

Gross, Alan G. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2007). Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Biomedical

Mutant Education

Up goes that hand and out pops that dreaded can-opener of a question: 'Why aren't we learning programming in this class?' A litany of responses begins to unfold in my now Prozac-pleading brain: Because it's not graphic design; because it's too specialized; because graphic designers won't be doing it or shouldn't be doing it because they'll end up as hacks if they do it and the profession will go to hell; or because it's another program - maybe even a department-unto itself. I'm feeling queasy. It used to be so simple, so clear: We knew what graphic design was and what it wasn't.

Sandhaus, Louise. AIGA (2004). Articles>Education>Graphic Design

My Brain's Not Like Yours: Individual Differences in Visual Processing Styles  

The principles of graphic design 'work' for viewers for several reasons. One reason is that well-designed graphics perform significant information-processing functions for viewers. This workshop looks at individual differences in several dimensions of information-processing style (including visual/haptic,field independent/dependent, high/low detail analysis, high/low visual distractibility, and leveling/sharpening in visual memory). It then examines the ability of graphic designs to 'supplant' processing skills for viewers by either captializing on viewer strengths or compensating for their weaknesses.

Ausburn, Floyd B. and Lynna J. Ausburn. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Graphic Design>Visual>Cognitive Psychology

Newspaper Design as Cultural Change    

his article describes the (re-)design of newspapers and magazines as a process of cultural change which goes beyond designing a publication's layout, typography and use of colour, and includes designing the processes and structures of its production.

de Vries, James. Visual Communication (2008). Articles>Graphic Design>Publishing>Visual Rhetoric

Picture This: An Effective Relationship Between Writers and Illustrators  

Writers and illustrators often find themselves in an adversarial relationship rather than working toward a single goal. The main reason for this is that writers don’t know enough about how illustrators work. By learning more about the similarities between the process of writing and illustrating, by reviewing the main characteristics of technical writing, and by treating illustrators as professional colleagues, writers can implement a strong collaborative work environment in which to create effective, accurate documentation.

Gadomski, Kenneth E. STC Proceedings (1994). Articles>Collaboration>Graphic Design

Pricing and Types of Technical Illustration

This chart shows a range of illustration style options and an approximation of the cost for each of those options.

Hulsey, Kevin. Kevin Hulsey Illustration. Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration

Proposal Flowchart Excellence: Ten Rules for Scoring on Top  

'Flowcharts-- UGH!' That's a too-typical reader reaction when faced with the average flowchart. It underscores the author's challenge when trying to develop this potentially powerful tool. For conveying process, there is no better means. In proposals, however, where the flowchart must also serve as a sales tool, its optimum form is not always clear. This paper provides some guidelines, such as: Ensuring your flow is a process of merit. Letting goals dictate form. Organizing for readability. Focusing on action. Using simple, standard visuals. Illuminating features. And obviating responsiveness... To reap the winning rewards.

Green, R. Dennis. STC Proceedings (1993). Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration>Charts and Graphs

Reflections on an Icon Development Process: Managing Design  

Software organizations are increasingly willing to hire consultants in technical communication for projects in visual design. This paper examines ten factors critical to successfully managing icon development, based on experience in two different companies, Practical issues -defining the scope of the problem, recruiting the contractor and reviewers, writing the contract, deciding where the contractor should work, validating the images -- require attention to make your partnership with a consultant work.

Gould, Emilie W. STC Proceedings (1996). Articles>Graphic Design>Programming

Representing Content and Data in Wireframes

Visio practically groaned as I opened the wireframes for my current project, which were in something like the twentieth revision. It was the usual story--poorly defined requirements and business rules--and my project folder was fast becoming the poster child for Feature Creep Flu.

Brown, Dan. Boxes and Arrows (2004). Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration

The Role of Graphic Art in Modern Scientific Communication  

The use of graphics in scientific communication increases the level of understanding of the subject matter. Graphic art has helped transform the way we view science and technology. It simplifies complex ideas in a visual way and opens up a new way of seeing the world around us. A graphic representation of a spacecraft in orbit is visually stunning and easier to obtain than a photograph would be. A graphic can also provide us with an understanding of three-dimensional objects. The structure of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), depicted as a double helix, is an example of the power of graphics in a scientific communication.

Peck, Angelika D. STC Proceedings (1995). Articles>Graphic Design>Scientific Communication

Schools of Thought  

How do you educate graphic designers in today's complex world? Teach them sociology, psychology, business - and yes, some composition and color theory.

McCarron, Carolyn. Adobe Magazine (2000). Articles>Education>Graphic Design

Screenshots with the Mouse Pointer

How to produce screenshots which include the mouse-pointer.

Springer, Hans. TC-FORUM (1999). Articles>Graphic Design>Documentation>Screen Captures

Seeing is Believing: Communicating Information Graphically  

Diverse work situations and varied skills, abilities, and motivation affect how users handle documentation to do their jobs. Communicating graphically challenges the communicator to 1) select illustrations that orient users ana' 2) use dynamic arrows to show the motion required. The communicator then 3) shows the order of steps within a task by using numbers with 'numberness.' Users' eyes seek information dynamically: help them find needed i$ormation by 4) keeping tasks within eyespan on a page. Then 5) use a grid to consistently layout an interesting page.

Lisberg, Beth Conney. STC Proceedings (1997). Articles>Graphic Design>Visual Rhetoric>Charts and Graphs

Seeing the World in Symbols: Icons and the Evolving Language of Digital Wayfinding

Of all the objects that occupy our digital spaces, there are none that capture the imagination so much as icons. As symbols, icons can communicate powerfully, be delightful, add to the aesthetic value of software, engage people's curiosity and playfulness, and encourage experimentation. These symbols are key components of a graphic user interface--mediators between our thoughts and actions, our intentions and accomplishments.

Follett, Jonathan. UXmatters (2006). Articles>Usability>User Interface>Graphic Design

Spatial Representation in Two Dimensions: The Why and How of Projection

The perspective representation, which is also referred to as stereogram, is used when an object needs to be reproduced in a particularly descriptive and plastic way. In contrast to the technical drawing, which is defined in DIN 6 (ISO 5456-2) and divides the object into several independent views, the technical illustration combines all three sides of a workpiece in one representation. These advantages become especially evident, when the possibilities of digital photography cannot be applied for technical reasons. This happens, for example, when the object to be depicted is still in development and does not exist, yet.

ITEDO Software (2001). Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration

Standardizing File Formats

The quest for seamless file exchange in the graphic arts continues. Graphic Arts Monthly takes a look at what CGATS is doing to develop file format standards.

Strashun Whitcher, Joann. Graphic Arts Monthly (2003). Articles>Graphic Design>Standards

SVG as a Page Description Language

SVG has matured into a rich, fully featured graphics language resulting in its suitability for all traditional graphics applications. The SVG working group is continuing development of various profiles for use in specific application areas, such as mobile devices. One of the most important uses of computer graphics languages is in the area of printing. Many languages used for printing are proprietary and display various feature sets. SVG in contrast is vendor neutral, contains much of the functionality of existing languages for printing and is a wonderful candidate for future hard copy devices. A new SVG profile for printing is being developed as part of the SVG standardisation effort.

Danilo, Alex and Jun Fujisawa. SVG Open (2002). Articles>Graphic Design>XML>SVG

Talking with Virginia Postrel

Postrel's new book, The Substance of Style, explores the economic, cultural, social, personal, and political implications of the growing importance of aesthetics in business and society.

MacLaughlin, Steve. Boxes and Arrows (2003). Articles>Graphic Design>Cultural Theory>Visual Rhetoric

Teaching Information Architecture to the Design Student

What the design student needs is a design course that stresses usability, human factors, and clarity, instead of the typical branding and interpretation problems they usually encounter in their other design classes. James Spahr recounts a year of teaching at Pratt Institute that attempts to cross those boundaries.

Spahr, James. Boxes and Arrows (2002). Articles>Education>Human Computer Interaction>Graphic Design

Technical Illustration Custom Fills

Custom made fills can be of significant value to technical illustrators. This article shows many custom fills and how they can be applied. There is also a free download of over 50 custom fills.

Broz and Dian (2006). Articles>Graphic Design>Technical Illustration

Ten Tips for Talking to Artists  

Explains some of the terminology used to describe graphics and explains the roles graphic designers play in the production of technical art.

Lyons, Chopeta C. Intercom (2004). Articles>Collaboration>Technical Illustration>Graphic Design