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One of the reasons I fell in love with the field of instructional design is that it requires an analytical mindset yet provides ample opportunities for creative expression. One morning you may be deep into an instructional analysis and in the afternoon you might be ideating a creative treatment.

Creativity is Under Discussed in our Industry

Creativity is often thought of as a mysterious phenomenon, arising out of those 'struck by lightning' moments. Although it is an important aspect of the instructional design process, it seems to be missing from the standard systems-based instructional design models. In addition, creative thinking is rarely discussed in industry conversations.

With all the complaints about unimaginative instruction, the time is ripe to investigate, examine and analyze creative thinking. In fact, the more we decompose and try to understand creativity, the greater are the chances for nurturing it. For example, one study found that the explicit instructions to "be creative" facilitated this type of thinking in several domains, such as, artistic and mathematical, across cultural and ethnic groups (Chen et al. 2005).

Creativity Defined

It's important to understand what theorists and researchers mean by creativity. A commonly agreed upon definition goes like this: 'Creativity is the generation of novel and useful ideas.' This implies several things:

1. A solution or idea can rest on the shoulders of other ideas. It can be a unique mash-up of existing approaches and doesn't need to be entirely original.

2. Creativity is dependent on the culture one inhabits. Not only do new ideas emerge from the cultural stream, but they must be useful to that culture.

Are Instructional Design Models Creative?

There is an ongoing debate as to whether instructional design models leave room for creativity. Some think conventional models suppress and stifle creative solutions. I too recall that as a graduate student studying the Dick and Carey model, my initial impression was that the approach was devoid of creativity. It seemed too systematic and overly prescribed. But it didn't take long to discover that in practice, I could layer creative solutions onto any project or assignment that used this model.

Whatever your perspective on this, I think it makes sense to address creativity in any model that we use or teach to new practitioners.

Conceptualizing Creativity in the Instructional Design Process

To this effect, I found an inspiring approach in a journal article titled Design/Creativity Loops (DCL) model byClinton and Hokanson (2011). The authorspresent a convincing argument for integrating creative thinking into conceptual models of instructional design.

They predict that this will enhance the practitioner's "anticipation of creative possibilities" and in turn, foster innovative thinking. It is also essential for preparing new instructional designers to become competent and creative practitioners. Furthermore, Clinton and Hokanson note that creativity becomes devalued by not including it in the models. When creative thinking is not valued or developed, results are usually generic and unimaginative, they say.

The authors present a descriptive model for thinking about creativity in instructional design. It is based on an accepted theory that creative thinking occurs in stages of a cycle. In their model, these stages are revisited in an ongoing and iterative process they refer to as loops. Innovative ideas may emerge during any phase of the cycle.

In practice, the boundaries of each phase of the process may not be clearly delineated. The purpose of the model is not prescriptive, but more an effort to influence the instructional design paradigm. See the figure below.
The brackets indicate that the cycle does not lead to illumination in every case.
A Creative-friendly Instructional Design Model

In their paper, Clinton and Hokanson overlap a creativity envelope over the ADDIE model, stressing that the specific model does not matter. Below I have used their suggestions and expanded this approach, integrating creative tasks within every step of an updated model.

What is most important is approaching every phase of any model with an openness to novel idea generation. The point is that every task can be regarded as an opportunity for creative expression.

Research and Analysis

During research and analysis we gather data, organize information, and look for patterns in order to define the problem. During this process, we become aware of the scope and constraints of a project. Overlaying a creative model, we can:

Know that constraints and limitations have been found to inspire creative thinking. In a universe of unlimited options, there is nothing to push against.

Make the effort to frame the problem space in a new way. By looking at it from another perspective, you may generate new ideas.

Think of analysis as research. Find new ways to connect with them and discover the world from their perspective.

Use techniques from User Experience Design, such as lengthy interviews, focus groups, card sorting and user storytelling. For more techniques, see Crash Course in UX Design Research.

Design and Prototyping

During design and prototyping, we generate ideas for creative solutions and approaches. We select the best ideas and implement them in prototypes in a cycle of feedback and validation. With creative thinking integrated into this phase we can:

Look at a problem and consider potential solutions that do not involve training.

Generate ideas for unique and long-term solutions that are context driven.

Explore diverse strategies that will continue to fulfill each stage of the learning process over time.

Learn to incorporate Design Thinking techniques to produce novel products.

Apply interface design patterns used in mobile and web design.

Design the evaluation strategy early on.

Reiterate prototypes as needed.

Development

In this model, development involves presenting the design of instructional materials and performance support in the most appropriate way possible. It could include: storyboards, scripts, screen design, key interaction sketches, wireframes, flowcharts, etc. Using a creative thinking overlay we can:

Generate ideas through rough sketches (even if you can't draw).

Bring eLearning content to life through scenarios, games, and meaningful interactions.

Incorporate an original storyline (see How to Write Compelling Stories).

Pursue an imaginative approach to visuals.

See where social interaction can support instruction.

Continue with Design Thinking protocols to involve the audience. Reiterate as needed.

Production

During production we select and produce all the multimedia assets, create running lessons, implement a web portal, produce a job aid or mobile app, etc. We must solve problems that arise from bumping into production constraints. There are still opportunities for creative expression during this phase. We can:

Remain open to better ideas as opportunities present themselves during production.

Experiment with new tools that might better serve your purpose.

Find innovative solutions to problems that arise from real world constraints.

Continue to think in terms of a long-term vision.

Continue with Design Thinking protocols to involve and test with the audience. Reiterate as needed.

Evaluation

Evaluation involves collecting feedback data on our product(s) and planning how to better meet the needs of the audience. Overlaying a creative model, we can:

Creatively assess the impact of the solution in terms of retention and performance improvement.

Consider course evaluations as an opportunity to creatively pivot.

Find new ways to do evaluations that provide accurate data (see How to Do Course Evaluations the Right Way).

Evaluate in a continuous cycle to see the long-term effectiveness of our products.

References:

1. Chen, C., Kasof, J., Himsel, A., Dmitrieva, J., Dong, Q., & Xue, G. Effects of explicit instruction to ''be creative'' across domains and cultures. Journal of Creative Behavior, 39(2), 89-110, 2005.

2. Clinton, G. & Hokanson, B. Creativity in the training and practice of instructional designers: the Design/Creativity Loops model. Educational Technology Research and Development, 60:111-130, 2011.

What creative strategies do you use to ensure your solutions are innovative?

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One of the reasons I fell in love with the field of instructional design is that it requires an analytical mindset yet provides ample opportunities for creative expression. One morning you may be deep into an instructional analysis and in the afternoon you might be ideating a creative treatment.

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https://padlet.com/jdunlap/creativedesignsstudio

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Web Color Basics: Introduction | Schoology

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"If we make ourselves available to being storytellers, then God will give us stories to live." (my husband being profound)

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Personal logo: Go for a bike ride!

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JSoister logo pic cropped resized_orig - Copy

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Ruby

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EDUCAUSE Horizon Report 2020:
T & L Edition

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2nd type: paintings that are "all over the place" - Pollock's intentional yet glorious 'splattering' http://www.getty.edu/art/exhibitions/pollock/

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"My motto is always: nulla dies sine linea (no day without a line); and if I let my muse sleep, it is so that she may awaken with renewed strength."

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frt9aIAjEUU

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We Are Your Community.

OLC is a collaborative community of higher education leaders and innovators, dedicated to advancing quality digital teaching and learning experiences designed to reach and engage the modern learner - anyone, anywhere, anytime.

What We're All About

In a Word: Quality

From our institutional offerings to our advisory services, our focus is on driving best practices for Quality Online Learning. Our platform is based on the Five Pillars of Quality Online Education - LEARNING EFFECTIVENESS, FACULTY SATISFACTION, STUDENT SATISFACTION, SCALE, AND ACCESS - Essentially building blocks providing the support for successful online learning.

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About OLC: The Online Learning Consortium (OLC) is a collaborative community of higher education leaders and innovators, dedicated to advancing quality digital teaching and learning experiences designed to reach and engage the modern learner - anyone, anywhere, anytime.

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Your elusive creative genius | Elizabeth Gilbert

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Find an accurate transcript (and subtitles in 46 languages) on ted.com: http://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius/transcript?language=en "Eat, Pray, Love" author Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses -- and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius.

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In his book, The Functional Art, Alberto Cairo writes, "The first and main goal of any graphic and visualization is to be a tool for your eyes and brain to perceive what lies beyond their natural reach."

Effective infographics accomplish this by reducing the barriers to understanding. They make information and data accessible by condensing it into something manageable. They help us overcome our limitations in understanding. No wonder we are fascinated by infographics.

Quantitative versus Qualitative Infographics

Infographics can represent both quantitative and qualitative content. Quantitative infographics refer to numbers and data-anything that can be measured, such as graphs, data visualizations and statistical maps or thematic maps). Qualitative infographics represent content that can't be measured, using charts, diagrams and illustrations to represent objects and ideas. Hybrid infographics include both quantitative and qualitative content.

Designing and Interpreting Infographics

When designing quantitative infographics, you are translating data values into visual features. You encode the values of the data into points, lines, shapes, colors and similar attributes. For example, the value of each data point in a line graph is represented as a circle on a coordinate scale and the color of the line represents the category of data.

When designing qualitative infographics, particularly charts and diagrams, you encode concepts into its spatial features. For example, you may group elements in close proximity to show there is a relationship between them. You would place the president of a company in an organizational chart at the top to indicate importance.

Encoding is just one area to think through during the design process. If you are looking for ways to improve the design of your infographics or ways to get started with infographic design, here are 21 guidelines.

Make a Plan

1. Analyze the need. Analyze the data and information at hand. Will a visualization help your audience understand it? Are you telling a story or persuading with statistics? If you determine you have a need for infographics, go forward. If not, stop before you back yourself into a corner.

2. Identify the objective of the visualization. Determine what you want the audience to do with the infographic. What should they know? What action should they take?

3. Determine the graphic literacy of the audience members. If possible, identify whether your target audience can extract information and meaning from the format you choose. Surprisingly, people of all education levels can have difficulty understanding graphs. Unless you are designing for an audience of scientists, researchers or statisticians, choose commonly used visualization formats that you see in the popular media. For example, research shows that most people find vertical bar charts (column graphs) with scales easier to understand than other types of graphs.

4. Choose the right visualization for your data and content. Infographic formats were designed for specific types of data and content. A flowchart is an effective way to show a process. A line graph is effective for showing trends over time. Bar graphs are effective for representing and comparing quantities. There are many online resources to help you choose the best chart type for your content.

5. Create a focus through contrast. When you know your purpose and how people should use the information, identify the focal point of the infographic early in your design process. Then emphasize the focal point through contrast, such as making it brighter, larger, thicker or using a visual cue. This is how you create a visual hierarchy.

Organize the Layout

6. Align elements with each other. Placing elements on a grid is an effective way to create a professional layout. Graphics and text can be aligned to the left, right, or centered. Use a consistent alignment style and align the elements of the infographic with each other.

7. Use grouping to show relationships. When you place elements in a group, readers will assume there is a relationship between the elements. Some ways to group elements are to put them in close proximity; use objects that are similar in size, shape and color; and draw a boundary around the objects. The reverse is also true. Avoid visual grouping of elements that are not related.

Make It Visually Efficient

8. Only include necessary content. To extract accurate information from your infographic, learners need as few distractions as possible. Avoid adding irrelevant and unnecessary visual information. As the designer, you get to choose what to include and what to exclude. Only include the necessary content.

9. Stick with two-dimensional infographics. When it comes to designing graphs, a third dimension is unnecessary unless the third dimension represents a value. Furthermore, when software applications like Excel add a third dimension, it can distort the elements and lead to inaccurate readings. In the 3D bar chart below, the bar heights appear to be inaccurate due to the 3D interpretation.

10. Select colors that can be easily perceived. Choose colors that are easy to distinguish. Use the color wheel to make sure they are sufficiently separated from each other.

11. Design for universal access. For color-blind users, choose shades and tints of a color to differentiate information, rather than using color alone. Labels also help. For those with other visual impairments, use maximum contrast throughout. In general, place dark text on a light background.

12. Choose a clean, legible font. The titles, labels and explanations in an infographic can be key to understanding it. Therefore, choose fonts where the letters are easy to discriminate from each other and easy to read. Note: paragraphs of text are easier to read when they are left-justified.

13. Increase the signal and reduce the noise. In any communication, there is a signal-to-noise ratio. The signal is your message and the noise is the unnecessary information in your visual. Avoid visual elements that distract from the signal, like a large logo, unnecessary pictures or superfluous text.

14. Keep the background in the background. Make the background solid or less prominent so that it contributes but doesn't overtake the most salient information in the foreground. For graphs, use a light color scale and thin lines so that it is functional, but it appears to be in the background.

Make it Meaningful

15. Use color in a meaningful way. Color is a visual cue that we assume has a meaning. Use a simple palette to avoid the confusion learners experience when trying to understand the meaning of different colors when there is none. Again, don't rely on color alone to contrast elements in your infographic.

16. Place elements in a logical order. Establish a structure and arrangement of elements that will enhance the meaning of the infographic. For example, if a diagram has numbered parts, place the numbers in an order that is natural to how the audience reads (top to bottom and left to right in Western cultures). If you are working with a bar graph, arrange the data from smallest to largest or the reverse, if it makes sense.

17. Make the numbers easy to understand. Most infographics will be better understood when you round the numbers and remove the decimal places. Don't ask the audience to do any math or conversions. Do it for them.

18. Stick with conventions. There are many icons and symbols that are familiar to a visually literate audience. When you use conventional elements, such as common chart types, agreed-upon icons and accurate colors for objects, you speed up processing because the reader doesn't have to stop and translate your design.

19. Make comparisons easy. If you want users to compare data in a graph, use the same color for each category of data. If the comparison is between two categories of data, then use a second color for the second category. Single bar charts with different colors for every bar are confusing.

Embrace Accuracy

20. Use a scale that starts with zero. Readers may misinterpret data that isn't represented accurately. Be precise. When using graphs, place them on a scale that starts at zero.

21. Avoid pie charts if you want to represent accurate data. Many people use pie charts incorrectly. They are meant to show parts of a whole. People aren't good at estimating area and angles, which makes it difficult to compare the size of the slices in a pie chart with each other. Can you order the wedges in the graphic below from smallest to largest?

Conclusion

Visual representations are a proven way to make data and abstractions concrete. They can also mislead and confuse viewers when they are poorly designed. If you take the time to analyze, reflect and plan, your infographic design skills will naturally improve.
References:
Cairo, A. The Functional Art: An Introduction to Information Graphics and Visualization. New Riders, 2012.

Friel, Susan N., et al. "Making Sense of Graphs: Critical Factors Influencing Comprehension and Instructional Implications." Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, vol. 32, no. 2, 2001, pp. 124-158.

J. Izard, A. Hartzler, D.I. Avery, C. Shih, B.L. Dalkin, J.L. Gore, User-centered design of quality of life reports for clinical care of patients with prostate cancer, Surgery 155 (2014) 789-796.

J. Izard, A. Hartzler, D.I. Avery, C. Shih, B.L. Dalkin, J.L. Gore, Relevance of graph literacy in the development of patient-centered communication tools. Patient Education and Counseling, 99(3), March 2016, 448-454.

Kosslyn, S. Elements of Graph Design. W.H. Friedman and Company, 1993.

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Visual representations are a proven way to make data and abstractions concrete. They can also mislead and confuse viewers when they are poorly designed. If you take the time to analyze, reflect and plan, your infographic design skills will naturally improve.

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Your constantly-updated definition of Empathise and collection of topical content and literature

Here's the entire UX literature on Empathise by the Interaction Design Foundation, collated in one place:

All literature

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Your constantly-updated definition of Empathise and collection of topical content and literature Here's the entire UX literature on Empathise by the Interaction Design Foundation, collated in one place:

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1st type: paintings with smooth and soothing shapes, esp. circular:
http://edruscha.com/works/city/

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I am inspired by art of two extremes, both include vibrant color. Follow the arrows for my favorites.