B11. Visual Communication

The ability to represent ideas visually is key to the design team's ability to communicate with clients, and the siccess of a project.

Some of the forms of visual presentation:

• thumbnails and rough sketches of initial ideas
• finished representational drawings
• computer-generated renderings of a product or concept

Anyone bedding to communicate abstractly would do well to gain confidence in visualising, sketching and paper prototyping.

The ability to draw is critical to designers as it allows them to:

• capture and communicate their ideas in the process of designing
• create final presentation drawings that visualise their end-result
• to communicate within a team conversation or client meeting

Mind mapping
To generate ideas quickly.
They are non-linear representations of abstract words, colours and images, which allow the free flow of ideas by organisation and association.
They are excellent means for generating a wealth of possibilities that, through brainstorming and review, can illustrate and suggest unanticipated relationshiops and potential opportunities.

Whole brain thinking
The right side is holistic, left side analytical.
Managers are frquently stereotyped as being right brain, designers as left brain.
Successful design managers have the ability to see things from both the design and the management perspectives.

Excercise brain thinking:

1. mirror writing
2. double doodle
3. figure of eight

Drawing

• for representing an idea or a series of ideas
• form of visual thinking
• a way to make decisions in the process of creation
  

The best way is to draw quickly, to get an idea down on paper and record it while it is still fresh in the head.

Excercise ways of seeing:

1. core shapes
2. upside-down drawing
3. opposite-hand drawing

Collage
Is a technique of visualising an idea using given or found images.
A useful client excercise:

• put stack of magazines on a table
• ask them to cut pictures and form image boards that represent their perception of situation or customer need
• the visuals then act as a prop around which insight and understanding can be gained

Can reveal latent (skryty) needs that are not explicitly in an initial brief.

Presentations

1. identify your audience: what they are expecting from the presentation, think from their point of view, be empathetic about their expectations, think, what they need to know
2. assemble a presentation material: talk and present with visuals, it makes easier to plan and stage the presentation and describe or explain the thinking behind each step; using prompt cards is better than reading off a page
3. if presenting in a group: outline what the team is going to talk about, introduce each member by name, briefly say what each person will talk about
4. be systematic about the order in which you present your work
5. sum up at the end of the presentation

Articulating the nature of design work
Client presentations are a good opportunity to provide insight not only into a proposed design solution, but also into the nature of the design process itself.
The project presentation should have a ratinale, which explains:

• the design team's approach to the brief
• the nature of the process followed
• how the solution was arrived at

Client presentation:

1. review the brief to ensure that its requirements have actually been addressed
2. communicate the presentation a way that demonstates that you have understood the brief
3. quoting directly from the brief shows you are aware and have paid attention to the business needs of the client organisation
4. outline how you approached the brief and the design direction you pursued: the way the design functions and the appeal or qualities that align the design solution with the client's brand or mission
5. tell the story of your creative process in a way that will generate enthusiasm and excitement about the design solution
6. then go into the detail about particular aspects of the solution (layout, format, materials used...)
7. finish with summary of why you believe the design solution achieves the objectives set in the brief
8. if possible touch on the value design can bring
9. remember to take into account the expectations of your audience, and use language they will understand

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For Major Project

Mind Mapping
We have used them in the process of idea generation together with brainstorming and storytelling. I thought it is good way of preparation for brainstorming but now I think it's also a good tool to visualise the relevant ideas from brainstorming in the areas they belong to.

Whole brain thinking
During our tutorials at uni I have tested myself which part of the brain I use most and it shown that I use them equally. It supports my interest and abilities, both in management and design. According to article I just read I could be a good design manager.

Drawing
I have studied an art schools and was drawing for many years. I always use it for visualising or sketching ideas to don't forget them even nowadays I spend the most of the time in front of computer.
During the project we were drawing our ideas down all the time to explain them to other team members during meetings. Later on computer based visuals were used too.

Collage
We haven't used this technique as it's very time consuming and we needed on the begining of the project to catch up with time.

Presentation
I'm not sure we will be having a typical presentation we had at the end of projects before. Need to check that.
As I mentioned previously, we have been practising presenting the whole year of MA studies.

Client presentation
This would become relevant in case we would get a chance to present our idea to TFL.