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In the context of Design Thinking, the use of personas is an essential technique that ensures that solutions are built based on the real needs of users. The concept of personas emerged in 1983 by Alan Cooper, a famous American programmer and founder of one of the most renowned design training companies in the world, Cooper Professional Education.

Personas are fictional, but data-based, representations that encapsulate behavior patterns and needs of groups of users. This method helps designers focus on specific target audiences, ensuring a more efficient and user-centered design. (Page 75 - 09_About Face 3 - The Essentials of Interaction Design (2007)).

Personas are created from interviews, observations and analysis of behavior patterns. In the chapter "Modeling Users: Personas and Goals" it is emphasized that these representations are not real people, but models derived from ethnographic data that reflect the needs of real users. (Page 76 - 09_About Face 3 - The Essentials of Interaction Design (2007)). The main benefit of personas is that they help avoid the ‘elastic user’, where the definition of a user adapts to the designers’ assumptions rather than being based on concrete data. (Page 80 - 09_About Face 3 - The Essentials of Interaction Design (2007)). In addition, they allow for a deeper understanding of users’ goals, categorized into three main types: experience goals (how the user wants to feel when using the product), task completion goals (what the user wants to accomplish with the product) and life goals (how the user sees themselves in relation to the product). (Page 88 - 09_About Face 3 - The Essentials of Interaction Design (2007)). The second document, “10 Steps to Personas”, builds on this vision by stating that personas help identify users’ motivations and frustrations, which is critical to creating products that meet their needs.

The use of personas also plays a key role in our CBL challenge. It is essential that solutions are built on a deep understanding of the users involved. Personas help teams focus on the needs of specific groups of people, ensuring that the solutions proposed in the CBL are relevant and appropriate. Without this understanding, solutions can become generic and poorly applicable to real-world challenges. This happens when designers oversimplify the diversity of users into a single profile, ignoring critical nuances. The “10 Steps to Personas” document emphasizes that, to be effective, personas must be based on solid research and observations, not superficial assumptions.

To conclude, in Design Thinking, personas offer a structured, user-centered approach to creating effective solutions. Within CBL, this technique becomes even more crucial, as it ensures that solutions are personalized and respond directly to the needs of the challenge’s target audience. Although there are challenges in its implementation, the technique provides a deeper understanding of users’ motivations, which is essential for the success of any product. The ability to develop and apply it can have a significant impact on my future practice, leading to a more conscious design that is adapted to the real needs of users.

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About Face_Cap5_Modeling Users_Personas and Goals

Design_Personas

https://www.clint.digital/artigos/persona

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Persona: entenda o processo de construção de uma vez por todas

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Todo negócio precisa ter o cliente como o centro das suas tomadas de decisão, para isso, conhecer a sua persona é fundamental.

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The scenario of use is a narrative that provides context for: Who (persona details); What their goals are; When the persona can perform tasks (including dealing with obstacles); Where they can perform the tasks (including dealing with obstacles); Why they want to perform these tasks (goals, needs, pain points). It usually starts from a speculative point of view in which the user already knows/uses the solution. In other words, they are narratives that describe a sequence of events involving the use of a product or system, allowing designers to design interactions based on real user needs and behaviors (Scenarios). These scenarios not only help to visualize the ideal experience, but also allow solutions to be tested and validated throughout the design process (Scenarios).

According to the article "Scenarios", the use of narratives in design allows for a creative exploration of how users interact with products, taking into account their motivations and goals. They also help transform abstract data about users into tangible solutions that can be discussed and refined. The main benefit of creating scenarios is the ability to visualize experiences from the user’s point of view and test the validity of a solution in advance, before any advanced prototyping (Scenarios). The concept of scenarios is based on personas. In addition, they facilitate interaction between design teams, allowing everyone to have a common understanding of user behavior.

In the article “Design Fiction”, scenarios go beyond just modeling current interactions and can be used to create speculative worlds or possible futures, where designers and researchers explore the implications of their creations.

However, using scenarios can present challenges, especially when it comes to creating detailed scenarios that adequately reflect the context and motivations of users. As pointed out in the article “Scenarios”, there is a risk that scenarios can become too task-focused and do not sufficiently capture the broader goals of users (Scenarios). This can limit the creative potential of the solutions developed, especially in projects that require disruptive innovation. Furthermore, the article "Design Fiction" highlights the risk of creating scenarios that are excessively utopian or dystopian, losing connection with reality (Design Fiction).

In summary, the use of scenarios in Design Thinking offers a practical and reflective approach to developing solutions that are centered on the real needs of users. In the context of CBL, scenarios allow for creative exploration of innovative solutions, while helping to ensure that these solutions are feasible and applicable in the real world. Although there are challenges in using scenarios, mainly in precisely defining the goals and behaviors of users, the positive impact of this approach on the design process is undeniable, especially when combined with practices such as Design Fiction, which encourages speculation about possible futures and their implications (Scenarios) (Design Fiction).

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DCW Aula T_02

Scenarios

Design Fiction_markussen2013

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ChatGPT Prompt:

"I'm gonna give you a piece of text. You will try to play devil's advocate over that text - I want you to be Destructive, dark, rebellious, pessimistic, apocalyptic, sarcastic and try to completely destroy that text, all while mentioning where you got the information from, citing relevant articles.

Here it is. go to town on it: [ ... Angelised text ... ] "

Let’s dismantle this rosy ode to scenarios with a scalpel dipped in cynicism and a sledgehammer of evidence. Buckle up for an apocalyptic takedown:

"The scenario of use is a narrative..."

Ah yes, the classic Who, What, When, Where, and Why approach—a relic of oversimplified workflows. According to Don Norman, “personas are often misused, caricatured, and become little more than stereotypical representations” ("The Next Step: Advanced Personas," 2019). So much for the "persona details" serving as a foundation; they’re as sturdy as a sandcastle in a tsunami.

Who exactly believes this reductive narrative crap is foolproof? Users don’t care about your carefully constructed narrative—they care about not throwing their phone across the room when your app freezes during checkout. Personas and "context" are just pretexts for ignoring real-life chaos.

"Visualizing the ideal experience"

Ideal? Define “ideal.” Oh wait, you can’t, because real-life users don’t operate in a vacuum. They’re juggling kids, deadlines, and faulty Wi-Fi. Studies, like McKinsey’s research on digital transformation failures (2020), highlight that over 70% of projects fail to meet user expectations. Why? Because designers are busy visualizing "ideal" scenarios instead of tackling the messy, frustrating, real ones.

"Transform abstract data into tangible solutions"

This assumes the abstract data is even accurate, which is wildly optimistic. Take Google's failure with Google Glass (2012–2015) as an example—misguided narratives about user needs led to a product that nobody wanted to wear outside their bathroom. Turning trash data into tangible trash doesn’t make it less garbage; it just makes it garbage you can touch.

"Facilitate interaction between design teams"

Oh, absolutely. Nothing brings a team together like arguing over which poorly defined scenario represents the “real” user. Just ask anyone who’s sat through hours of pointless meetings debating fictional personas. This so-called alignment often devolves into groupthink, where everyone agrees to the same flawed assumptions.

Cited in the Harvard Business Review, “design-by-committee rarely produces innovative solutions” (HBR, 2020).

"Speculative worlds and possible futures"

Speculative futures? You mean fictional worlds that sound cool in a TED Talk but are irrelevant to actual design problems? We’re building an app for grocery delivery, not mapping interstellar trade routes in 2080. Case in point: Microsoft’s Courier Tablet—a beautifully speculative design idea that got canned because it had no real-world application (WIRED, 2010).

"Challenges in creating detailed scenarios"

Here’s an understatement for the ages. The article coyly mentions the risk of being “too task-focused” or drifting into utopian/dystopian fantasy. What it fails to mention is that most scenarios end up being absurdly off-base. According to Nielsen Norman Group, “Scenarios often reflect what designers want users to do, not what users will actually do” (NNG, 2021). In other words, your scenario is just a polished daydream.

"The positive impact is undeniable"

Oh, it’s deniable. It’s very deniable. For every shining example of scenarios working, there’s a Juicero—the $700 juicer nobody needed or wanted, built on the back of “real user needs.” Scenarios didn’t save the product from being mocked into oblivion. When the rubber meets the road, scenarios are often nothing more than self-congratulatory design theater, offering no real protection against failure.

Conclusion

Scenarios are nothing but designer fanfiction. They’re often based on shaky assumptions, poorly reflect reality, and encourage a false sense of security in design teams. They fail to prepare teams for real-world chaos, ignore unexpected user behaviors, and risk producing solutions that no one cares about. Unless you want your product to join the graveyard of failed speculative futures (hello, Segway!), it’s time to admit that scenarios are a tool for delusion, not innovation.

Sources:

Norman, Don. “The Next Step: Advanced Personas.” 2019.

McKinsey. "Why Digital Transformations Fail." 2020.

Harvard Business Review. “Why Design-by-Committee Fails.” 2020.

Nielsen Norman Group. “Common UX Design Pitfalls.” 2021.

WIRED. "The Death of the Microsoft Courier." 2010.

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In Design Thinking, Insights are essential elements that transform raw data into deep and meaningful perceptions about users. They help designers understand not only what users do but also why they do it and how they feel during the process. Insights are generated through research and empathy, synthesizing discoveries into actionable ideas that guide design decisions. These insights reveal hidden needs, unspoken challenges, and truths about how users think. According to the Norman Nielsen Group, empathy plays a key role in this process, as it allows designers to see beyond the surface of user behavior and into their motivations, fears, and desires.

According to the pdf DCW Aula T_03, the Define phase in Design Thinking is where discoveries from the empathy phase are synthesized into user needs and insights. Insights are described as moments when designers look beyond the obvious, identifying users' motivations, fears, and hopes, allowing them to propose more relevant and personalized solutions.

Insights are generated from carefully analyzing data collected through research methods such as interviews, observations, and user journey mapping. Properly defining insights ensures that the design process is driven by a deep understanding of the user's context and motivations, increasing the likelihood of success for the solutions developed. The Norman Nielsen Group also emphasizes that empathy enables designers to uncover hidden truths, which are crucial for turning user data into actionable insights that align with user needs .

In the context of Challenge-Based Learning (CBL), Insights play a crucial role. When addressing real-world complex challenges, insights provide a solid foundation for creating solutions that not only tackle surface problems but also address the deeper causes of users' difficulties. Well-developed insights help teams look beyond the immediate symptoms of a problem and explore solutions that truly meet users' unmet needs.

However, one of the main challenges in generating insights is avoiding cognitive biases that may distort the interpretation of data. As noted in the document, insights must be genuine and free of bias  from the research team. Furthermore, generating deep insights requires empathetic and careful understanding of user experiences, which, as the Norman Nielsen Group points out, can be difficult to achieve when teams are not fully immersed in the users' world .

In summary, Insights are a key component of the Design Thinking process and are crucial for creating innovative, user-centered solutions. In the context of CBL, insights help teams identify hidden needs and underlying problems, allowing for more effective solutions to be proposed. Although there are challenges in generating unbiased insights, the ability to look beyond the obvious and capture deep user motivations is what makes insights a powerful tool for success in design projects.

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DCW Aula T_03

Norman Nielsen Group: The Power of Empathy in Design Thinking

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According to de Chernatony (2001), a brand’s vision is built on three fundamental pillars: the future, the brand’s purpose, and its values. These components form the foundation of how a brand positions itself today and projects its development for the futures.

A key element in a brand’s vision is its perspective on the future. In the 1990s, many brands began rethinking their products, services, and market relationships. HP and Canon, for instance, revised the value equation for their customers through innovation. In an era of digital disruption, brands that fail to focus on the future risk becoming irrelevant. Apple Watch Nike+ is an example of a brand adapting to technological and consumer trends by merging fitness tech with a sports identity, reflecting the growing demand for personalization and connectivity​ .

Projecting the future requires brands to anticipate market and consumer shifts. This includes rethinking how products function and how they can be integrated into consumers’ lives, as seen in the example of credit cards that double as hotel keys​. Brands that focus on innovation can ensure their long-term success by continuously adapting.

A brand’s purpose defines its reason for being in the world. It answers the question: How can this brand make the world a better place? Successful brands go beyond selling products; they inspire and guide their audiences. Tesla, for example, is known for reshaping sustainability and innovation with its electric cars, embodying its purpose to revolutionize transportation​ .

A brand’s purpose is a compass for its actions, guiding product development and public communication. Authenticity is crucial for a brand’s purpose to resonate with its audience. To remain inspirational, the brand must align its vision with the values and aspirations of its target consumers, creating a meaningful emotional connection.

A brand’s values direct both internal behaviors and external perceptions. Values help employees understand how to act and contribute to building a strong corporate culture. They also communicate the essence of the brand’s promise to consumers. Key values like sustainability, innovation, and trust define how a brand interacts with society​.

For brands, staying true to their values is essential in attracting talent and fostering consumer loyalty. Brands that maintain authenticity in their values create an ecosystem of trust and loyalty, both with employees and customers. These values not only shape market perception but also reinforce the brand’s internal culture.

A brand’s vision is more than just a statement, it is a framework for action. It encompasses a future perspective, a clear purpose, and values that guide the brand’s operations and relationships with its audience. Brands that integrate these three pillars effectively can thrive in a competitive market, inspiring consumer trust and loyalty through consistency and authenticity.

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DCW Aula T_04

Smart Brands and Identities-CAMERAREADY.pdf

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The pitch, particularly the elevator pitch, is an essential tool in business and communication contexts, designed to convey a clear and impactful message in a few minutes or even seconds. The practice of making an effective pitch involves three main steps: planning, rehearsal and performance, each of which is essential to maximizing the impact of the presentation. The first step in an effective pitch is careful planning, which requires defining the specific objective of the presentation. This objective must be clear to the presenter and translated into an intention-driven message, such as the need to attract investors, partners or customers. This message should be structured in a “hamburger” narrative, with an initial hook, a core and a strong and objective closing. The hook is where the presenter must capture the audience’s attention with an intriguing statement or question that is relevant and impactful. The core, on the other hand, should focus on the essential ideas and the value that the project, product or research offers, highlighting data and credentials that support the proposal. The closing should involve a request or invitation to action, making the next step clear and building expectations in the audience. This method of structuring helps ensure that the presentation is clear, relevant and memorable, making the most of the limited time.

The document highlights that rehearsal is crucial, as the pitch “will not be delivered in your head” – it requires audible and repeated practice. This practice helps the presenter master the order of presentation and align the tone of voice, pace and gestures, essential elements for a confident and convincing delivery. In group presentations, rehearsing together allows participants to allocate time and manage transitions, optimizing time and avoiding overlaps that could weaken the impact.

Another practical suggestion is for the presenter to use a mirror to observe posture, gestures and facial expressions. This practice can help to minimize nervousness and adjust aspects of body language that could otherwise distract the audience.

During the delivery, pitch etiquette is essential. The presenter should thank the audience and avoid excesses, such as exaggerated movements, that can distract attention from the message. Maintaining eye contact and avoiding language mistakes, such as reading directly from notes, are important practices for establishing a connection with the audience.

The moderate use of humor is also discussed as a memory tool, helping the audience remember key points without, however, exaggerating, which could harm credibility. The “KISS” rule (Keep It Simple, Stupid) summarizes well the need to keep a presentation direct and uncomplicated, avoiding the excessive use of effects and transitions that could confuse the audience.

The success of a pitch depends on the clarity of the purpose, rigorous preparation and the ability to engage the audience. With a strong narrative structure and adequate practice, the pitch can go beyond just communicating an idea, inspiring confidence and increasing the chances of success in achieving the objectives.

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DCW Aula_T05

The Art of the Pitch_ Persuasion and Presentation Skills that Win Business

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Prototyping is a central step in the design process, serving not only to test functionalities, but also to explore, validate and inspire ideas. According to the document "DCW_Aula T_06.pdf", it is essential to improve the user experience by reducing ambiguities in the design and enabling the collection of feedback before final implementation.

Prototyping allows the design team to go beyond theory, transforming ideas into concrete objects, an essential process to understand how the user interacts with a solution under development.

The document "Experiment Mixtape" describes that prototypes facilitate a type of empathetic conversation with the user, allowing the feedback received to be not only a validation, but also a tool to deepen the understanding of the design and the user's needs.

This empathy process occurs at different levels of fidelity (low, medium and high), adapting the prototype to the stage of the project. In the early stages, low-fidelity prototypes – such as simple sketches or wireframes – allow for rapid iteration and experimentation with multiple ideas, while medium-fidelity prototypes test navigability and functionality without compromising development time and resources. Another key aspect of prototyping is saving time and resources. Prototyping quickly and easily allows the team to “fail fast and cheap,” adjusting solutions based on feedback, without incurring the high costs of final development. The Wizard of Oz technique, mentioned in the "Experiment Mixtape," is an approach in which features are simulated without a full backend. This method allows the impact of certain features to be assessed before investing in full development. User validation is one of the great advantages of prototyping, as it allows the team to understand how the public interacts with the product in real-world situations. During testing, it is possible to observe user behaviors and reactions, a process that helps identify unexpected problems and opportunities for improvement. Nielsen suggests that five users are enough to detect 80% of problems, showing that even small tests can be extremely effective in improving a design. Prototyping also helps with communication between teams, making it easier to align everyone around a concrete vision for the product and allowing feedback to be collected in a systematic way, as suggested by the use of the “feedback capture grid”, which organizes user impressions in a practical way for future iteration. Prototyping is a vital tool in the development of design solutions, allowing for an iterative approach that increases user empathy and reduces risk. By transforming ideas into tangible representations and testing them before full implementation, prototyping not only saves resources but also improves the quality and usability of the final solution.

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DCW Aula T_06

Experiment-Mixtape-v8

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In design, we have three levels of experience– usability, sensorial  and meaning – establish a basis for creating interfaces and products that meet the functional, emotional and cognitive needs of users. These layers, described by authors such as Donald Norman and explored in the documents provided, show how designers can create meaningful experiences, going beyond mere functionality.

I will proceed to talk about each level:

Usability:

The usability level is the foundation of any design. According to Norman, principles such as visibility, feedback and consistency ensure that users can interact with products intuitively. For example, the visibility of a function, such as menus in mobile interfaces, reduces learning time and increases efficiency. Feedback, whether visual, tactile or auditory, confirms actions performed, creating a clear communication cycle between the user and the system.

This level is crucial for the design to be functional and satisfactory. However, as Norman points out in his book Emotional Design, usability alone is not enough to create a deep emotional impact. A functional design that ignores the other levels can be efficient, but not charming.

So, he identified six essential principles for usable design that help users understand and interact with products effectively:

Visibility: What should I see?

Feedback: Is something happening?

Consistency: Have I seen this before?

Mapping: Where will I be led?

Constraints: What can I do?

Affordances: How will I use this?

Applying these principles ensures that the design is intuitive, eliminating barriers that could frustrate users. As Norman points out, "good design is one that combines ease of understanding with ease of use."

Sensorial:

Explores how stimuli – visual, auditory or tactile – influence the user's perception. This level is divided into three forms of processing: visceral, behavioral and reflexive. At the visceral level, reactions are automatic and based on instincts, such as the attraction to vibrant colors or soft shapes. The behavioral level focuses on performance and practical interaction, while the reflexive level involves critical evaluation and attribution of meaning to products and actions.

Norman highlights that objects that arouse positive emotions make users more creative and tolerant of small errors. For example, an aesthetically pleasing design, such as the MINI Cooper, can overcome functional flaws due to the pleasure it provides in use.

While the class focused on the first two levels, the meaning level addresses semiotics, where cultural symbols and messages give a deeper purpose to the design. This level is critical to creating brands and products that are not only useful and enjoyable, but that also resonate with the beliefs and identities of users.

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DCW Aula_T07

Emotional Design - Don Norman

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Visual interface design is crucial to creating an efficient and enjoyable user experience. It must be not only functional, but also aesthetically pleasing and intuitive. The integration of style and function is one of the fundamental principles that designers must master, as discussed in the materials provided.

Visual hierarchy is one of the essential pillars for guiding the user in navigating an interface. Using visual properties such as contrast, size and alignment of elements helps to create a structure that facilitates the understanding of the content and navigation. The hierarchy must be clear, allowing the user to quickly identify the most important parts of the interface. For example, larger titles and different colors can indicate priority sections or information, while smaller and more discreet elements can indicate complementary or secondary information.

In addition to hierarchy, the organization and visual flow of an interface are fundamental. The design must provide a frictionless experience, with a flow of information that follows a logical and intuitive sequence. By applying this principle, navigation becomes more natural and the user does not get lost in a confusing interface. Using consistent alignments and appropriate spacing helps create this flow, allowing the user to understand the purpose of each area of ​​the screen without additional effort.

Visual consistency is essential for an interface to be understandable and reliable. This involves using graphic elements and patterns that remain consistent throughout the application or website. Consistency is not limited to the use of colors or fonts, but also extends to the way controls are presented. For example, icons that represent actions such as “send” or “delete” should maintain the same design across the platform so that the user does not have to relearn how to interact with each element. This consistency helps create a sense of familiarity, which increases user confidence and satisfaction.

An interface design should integrate style and function effectively. Good visual design is not only beautiful, but also serves a functional purpose. Decorative or stylistic elements should be used to complement the functionality of the interface, and not overwhelm the user with distractions. In other words, the style should not detract from the user experience, but rather enhance clarity and ease of navigation. An example of this would be choosing colors that not only serve the aesthetics, but also improve readability or indicate interactivity, such as buttons that change color when the user hovers over them.

Simplicity is one of the keys to good interface design. Interfaces overloaded with graphic elements, excessive information or unnecessary animations can cause distraction and increase the user's cognitive load. "Visual clutter" can make navigation difficult, making it difficult for the user to find what they need. Designers should be careful when choosing which elements to include and which to eliminate, ensuring that each part of the interface has a reason to be. This principle is in line with the philosophy of flat design, which favors a minimalist and straightforward style, eliminating unnecessary visual elements and providing a clearer and cleaner experience.

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DCW Aula T_08

Interaction_design_best_practices_1

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Information Design is a discipline that seeks to transform complex data into clear, concise and accessible representations, optimizing communication and understanding for different audiences. From the documents provided, it is possible to understand how this area evolves in response to the growing demands of a data-driven world.

Information Design combines graphic elements and communication systems to create visual representations that meet pragmatic and aesthetic objectives. According to the class pdf, this area is based on principles of semiotics (meanings), syntax (visual organization) and pragmatics (usability), balancing form and function to convey clear messages.

Harry Beck, one of the pioneers in the field, revolutionized information design with the London Underground map in 1931, by simplifying complex geographic data into a schematic and readable system. This approach not only improves accessibility, but also sets a standard for efficient information design.

The article "Development of infographic design criteria" presents infographics as powerful communication tools, allowing the integration of linguistic and non-linguistic systems to facilitate the understanding of complex ideas. Quality infographics are built based on three main dimensions: content generation, visual design and digital design. These dimensions ensure that information is well organized, visually appealing and functional.

In addition, the use of infographics in education has proven to be an effective strategy for promoting visual and digital literacy. Studies indicate that creating infographics helps students develop skills such as information organization, critical analysis and creativity, while improving content retention.

With the exponential increase in data production, information visualization has become essential to communicate patterns and insights. Effective visualizations are used for rapid analysis, decision-making support and dissemination of information in an accessible way. These resources are especially relevant in business and academic contexts, where complex decisions need to be made quickly.

The concept of progressive disclosure, highlighted in the document, reinforces the need to present information gradually, as users demand it, avoiding cognitive overload. This reflects a central tenet of information design: balancing the volume of data presented with the audience’s ability to comprehend it.

To ensure effective design, a number of principles are highlighted:

• Clarity and Simplicity: Design should be straightforward, eliminating unnecessary elements that can cause visual noise.

• Visual Consistency: Establishing consistent graphic and typographic patterns promotes familiarity and trust.

• Visual Hierarchy: Using contrast, size, and spacing helps highlight the most important information.

Information Design plays a crucial role in a data-driven world, connecting complex messages to diverse audiences in an efficient and impactful way. By combining principles of organization, aesthetics, and functionality, this discipline not only improves communication, but also promotes informed and accessible decision-making. As a tool for educational and social impact, information design continues to evolve, responding to the growing needs of an information-driven society.

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DCW Aula_T09

Development of infographic design criteria.pdf

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Development of infographic design criteria

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ChatGPT Prompt:

"I'm gonna give you a piece of text. You will try to play devil's advocate over that text - I want you to be Destructive, dark, rebellious, pessimistic, apocalyptic, sarcastic and try to completely destroy that text, all while mentioning where you got the information from, citing relevant articles.

Here it is. go to town on it: [ ... Angelised text ... ] "

"Transforms complex data into clear, concise, and accessible representations"

Oh, how noble. Except in reality, most “clear and concise” designs are oversimplified garbage that sacrifices nuance for flashy visuals. According to Stephen Few in The Chartjunk Debate Revisited (2012), designers often prioritize aesthetic appeal over functional clarity, leading to misleading or downright useless graphics. Sure, it looks pretty, but does it actually inform anyone? Probably not.

"Harry Beck revolutionized the field with the London Underground map"

Yes, Harry Beck’s map is a legend—let’s milk that achievement for eternity, shall we? But fun fact: while Beck’s design simplified navigation, it distorted geographic accuracy. Many users unfamiliar with London geography found themselves miles away from their intended destination because the schematic map didn’t reflect reality. Effective design? Only if you enjoy being lost in Zone 4 while thinking you’re in Zone 2. (Guardian, “Why Tube Maps Lie,” 2016)

"Infographics as powerful communication tools"

Infographics? More like info-gimmicks. Research by Edward Tufte, the godfather of data visualization, shows that most infographics are riddled with "chartjunk"—visual elements that distract rather than inform (Visual Explanations, 1997). And let’s not forget how infographics are weaponized in marketing and politics to manipulate audiences with cherry-picked data wrapped in shiny visuals. Communication tool? Sure, if your goal is propaganda.

"Infographics in education improve retention and skills"

Ah, the promise of education. But where’s the proof? Studies like Hattie’s 2009 meta-analysis (Visible Learning) highlight that while visuals can support learning, they’re no replacement for depth or critical thinking. Infographics often oversimplify, promoting surface-level understanding at best. Let’s be honest: does anyone really retain anything from that infographic they skimmed on Instagram?

"Essential for rapid analysis and decision-making"

Here’s the rub: speed often comes at the expense of accuracy. In their 2020 study on decision-making, Meyer et al. found that users relying on visual dashboards often misinterpret data due to cognitive biases and poorly designed visual hierarchies. Quick analysis? More like quick mistakes. Decisions made on poorly visualized data are about as reliable as flipping a coin.

"Progressive disclosure avoids cognitive overload"

Progressive disclosure sounds great in theory, but in practice? It’s often just a convenient excuse for hiding crucial details. As Nielsen Norman Group points out, progressive disclosure frequently frustrates users by forcing them to dig for the information they actually need (NNG Usability Report, 2021). Balancing data presentation? More like an exercise in testing your users' patience.

"Clarity and Simplicity"

Simplicity? More like dumbing things down. Let’s not pretend that stripping down complex information into minimalist forms always clarifies—it often erases meaning. As Tufte warns, reducing complexity too much can result in “impoverished visualizations that fail to communicate depth or subtlety” (The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 1983). Simple isn’t always better; sometimes it’s just lazy.

"Visual Hierarchy: Contrast, size, and spacing..."

Oh, the holy trinity of design clichés. Here’s the problem: visual hierarchy often reflects designer bias. What you think is important might not match what the user actually cares about. And let’s not forget how inconsistent hierarchies across platforms drive users insane—just try navigating any corporate dashboard without screaming into the void.

"A tool for educational and social impact"

Educational? Sure, if by “educational” you mean spoon-feeding the masses with overly polished, context-starved snippets of data. Social impact? Only if we’re talking about spreading misinformation at lightning speed. The 2020 Reuters Institute Digital News Report revealed how poorly designed visualizations were a key driver of COVID-19 misinformation. So much for informed decision-making.

Conclusion: Information Design, Savior or Snake Oil?

Information Design is less about enlightenment and more about illusion. It sells the fantasy of clarity while sweeping complexity under the rug. It promises efficiency but often delivers frustration. And its so-called principles—clarity, simplicity, hierarchy—are more buzzwords than guarantees. Behind every beautifully designed infographic lies the risk of manipulation, misinterpretation, and mediocrity.

Information Design might claim to be a beacon of understanding, but more often than not, it’s just a shiny distraction in a data-overloaded world.

Sources:

Tufte, Edward. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information (1983).

Few, Stephen. The Chartjunk Debate Revisited (2012).

Nielsen Norman Group. “Progressive Disclosure in UX Design” (2021).

Meyer, E. et al. “Decision-Making Bias in Visual Dashboards” (2020).

The Guardian. “Why Tube Maps Lie” (2016).

Reuters Institute. Digital News Report (2020).

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DEVIL: Principles of Visual Interface Design

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DEVIL: Principles of Visual Interface Design

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ChatGPT Prompt:

"I'm gonna give you a piece of text. You will try to play devil's advocate over that text - I want you to be Destructive, dark, rebellious, pessimistic, apocalyptic, sarcastic and try to completely destroy that text, all while mentioning where you got the information from, citing relevant articles.

Here it is. go to town on it: [ ... Angelised text ... ] "

The Self-Destructive Fable of Visual Interface Design

1. "Visual interface design is crucial":

How revolutionary. Isn't this just a rehash of common sense? The importance of design has been bludgeoned into every corner of the digital world since the first GUI. The suggestion that designers should balance functionality and aesthetics is about as groundbreaking as suggesting water is wet. We might as well tell surgeons to balance precision with sterility while we’re at it. As for being “intuitive,” who defines intuition? What’s intuitive to a seasoned programmer might be absolute gibberish to a grandmother trying to open her email.

2. "Visual hierarchy guides the user":

Sure, except when it doesn’t. Hierarchies are subjective and depend entirely on assumptions about user behavior. Those "larger titles" or "different colors" that are supposed to scream priority? They often turn into screaming matches between overzealous designers and baffled users who have their own visual preferences. Users don’t read interfaces; they skim them. They’ll miss your lovingly crafted hierarchy because they’re too busy closing pop-ups or scrolling aimlessly looking for the content you buried beneath all that "clear structure."

3. "Organization and visual flow are fundamental":

A "frictionless experience"? How utopian. In practice, even the best-laid flows are derailed by real-world users who ignore your logic and navigate interfaces like drunk cats chasing a laser pointer. And what about accessibility? For all this talk about "logical sequences," designs often leave out users with disabilities. Where’s the “flow” for someone relying on screen readers or high-contrast modes? The real-world chaos of device fragmentation, laggy connections, and user impatience will destroy your neatly aligned ambitions in an instant.

4. "Consistency builds trust":

If consistency is so “essential,” explain why wildly inconsistent but massively popular platforms like TikTok or Snapchat thrive. People adapt. Consistency is nice to have, sure, but the real world is messy. Familiarity can breed trust, but it can also breed complacency and stagnation. Rigid adherence to consistency stifles innovation. By the time you’ve achieved your perfect consistency, the trends have shifted, and your sleek, uniform interface looks like a relic of the past.

5. "Style should complement function":

And here’s where designers’ dreams of grandeur implode. The supposed harmony between style and function often devolves into a battle of aesthetics versus usability. Designers add unnecessary flair under the guise of “enhancing the experience,” while usability experts hack away at creativity to enforce sterile functionality. The result? Interfaces that are either visually overwhelming or soul-crushingly boring. Take your pick.

6. "Simplicity is key":

Minimalism is the new maximalism. Flat design, once a revolutionary approach, has become a monotonous dogma, stripping interfaces of personality and context. Overzealous simplification sacrifices depth, nuance, and discoverability. And guess what? Some users like a little clutter—it gives them more points of interaction, more ways to explore. By the time you’ve stripped everything down to its bare bones, users are left wondering if your app is minimalist or just unfinished.

A Final Note on Apocalyptic Inevitability

Visual interface design is a noble goal, but let’s not pretend it’s a panacea for user experience woes. The real-world constraints of deadlines, budgets, conflicting user needs, and stakeholder demands mean that perfect designs exist only in textbooks and conference presentations. Meanwhile, users adapt to whatever broken monstrosities we throw at them—proof that we’re designing more for ourselves than for them.

Sources? Take your pick of any usability study that highlights the gap between theoretical best practices and real-world outcomes. As for the articles praising these principles, they’re written by the same echo chamber of design evangelists who’ve never had to ship a feature by Friday.