Constructing and Evaluating Your Design Solution - Data Visualization: A Successful Design Process - page 171

I have already stressed the importance of maintaining a written record of how you
have tackled your design projects. It is worth repeating because it will really help
you identify areas for improvement both in terms of effectiveness and efficiency.
It will also be a useful reference guide should you ever need to take on a similar
problem or comparable dataset.
Also, keep all your trash! Whether it is sketches on paper or little developments on
the computer that you deemed redundant, where possible, keep them because you
never know when they might come in useful.
Earlier in this chapter, we profiled the importance of technology and the potential
limitations of your own capabilities. It is up to you to decide how far and the
direction you may wish to take your technical skills. You may not always have the
time or opportunity but if you are really serious about advancing your visualization
design skills, you should try to push yourself beyond your comfort zone. Rather
than relying on the same old tools, pushing them to do things that they're not really
designed to do; try out new software, applications, and programming environments.
Accept that there will be relatively steep learning curves involved but that the
rewards could be great.
Evaluating the work of others
One of the most effective ways of sharpening your visualization design "eye" is
by evaluating other designers' work. Not necessarily through providing formal
feedback, but just testing your reaction and analysis of the designs you see.
Try to take on the dual mindset of a user and of a designer, in order to undertake
a forensic assessment of what has been produced and how well it works using the
following prompts:
• What one word describes what is your immediate, instinctive reaction? Is it
positive or negative sentiment?
• If it is not necessarily an "instant" piece, does it have the qualities of a "slow-
burner", seemingly becoming more appealing after a certain duration?
• What purpose do you think the designer had in mind? Does the style and
function of the end product match the likely intention?
• We rarely create these pieces in perfect project conditions, so consider what
type of inherent factors might have surrounded and influenced this project?
Does a sense of sympathy with the possible influencing factors of the design
process effect your impression?
• Work through the five design layers and ask yourself how well each has been
executed and what improvements could have been made?