wk:two
review & refine
This week i’m setting out to review what is out there in the world relating to my realm of interest. The purpose of this is to narrow down my proposal: concentrate it into something novel, workable and relevant. Keywords: ADHD, effect of typography, effect of editorial layout design, visual communication, human centered, neurodiverse, engagement, focus.
Review: Bionic Reading
www.bionic-reading.com
The founders of Bionic Reading have designed software enabling readers to read & process information at greater speeds. Put simply, BR uses an algorithm to highlight the most concise parts of a word, which the founders call “fixations” This allows the brain to quickly recall the word and move on.
I have been trialling this with the journal articles i’m reading this week. It works- whether this is a novelty/placebo effect, I am not sure, but it certainly makes swathes of text seem less overwhelming.
Anecdotal evidence coming from BR uses suggest the same. But the founders and critics concur- more research needs to be done to qualify and quantify this.
IDEA:
Conduct research on the effects of BR in children with ADHD- does it give them a longer window of focus? Can printed text utilising the BR method assist children in their math and reading?
review: The CID Group
https://www.thecidgroup.com/
This is exciting, although on a superficial level i was a bit disheartened by the aesthetics of the webpage. However- these people are scientists! And what they have/are researching has epic implications for graphic design.
CID = Cognitive-based Information design.
It refers to the process of creating visual representations or graphical displays that are optimized to align with human cognitive processes and abilities. It involves leveraging knowledge from cognitive science and psychology to design information and data visualizations in a way that maximizes their effectiveness and usability.
The main goal of cognitive-based information design is to enhance the comprehension, retention, and decision-making capabilities of individuals when they interact with visual information. By understanding how humans perceive, process, and interpret information, designers can create visuals that are more intuitive, memorable, and easier to understand.
How the brain deconstructs a word into lines, dependent on the font utilized.
serif verses serif in decoding words
The combination of cognitive science and graphic design is extremely relevant and endlessly interesting. The research has been headed by Lou Tetlan, PhD, and I have sourced her journal publications in order to conduct a more thorough review. I’m considering taking the CID starter course, to further learn the key 17 findings of Tetlan and how they can be applied to graphic design.
IDEA:
How can CID, applied through graphic design, assist ADHD children in their engagement and interpretation of a text? How can we use it to design math textbooks in a way which encourages focus and understanding?
review: neurodiversity design system (nds)
https://www.neurodiversity.design/
Developer Will Soward (of New Zealand, i have since discovered!) is constructing a coherent set of guidelines for neurodiverse users in a Learning Management system. His work is more focused on adults, and based in UX online format. However, the research and references on his beta page are brilliant. From initial perusal I think alot of it could be applied to analysing the effect of such principles- particularly those of fonts and typography - into how neurodiverse/ADHD students engage with a text.
Furthermore, Will’s website is beautifully presented. It really illustrates a chasm between scientists presenting information for designers… and designers presenting scientific information.
idea:
NDS beta provides a plethora of princples and research which may be relevant to neurodiverse children and their engagement with printed text/school material. Especially the analysis of font in relation to accessibility. I need to delve deeper into the readings here, and if I think it is worth persuing- contact Will Stoward. I like to think the fact he is a fellow kiwi will assist connection.
Review: relevant web
I have about 50 open chrome tabs. Some of the more useful which I will download are:
FullFabric: https://www.fullfabric.com/articles/how-to-design-visual-learning-resources-for-neurodiverse-students
Some great ideas here- nothing scientifically backed but could be a good start on what I want to analyse?
UXP Magazine https://uxpamagazine.org/designing_children_adhd/
Again focused on software and UX but the guidelines offered are potentially valuable to study in regards to printed matter
ATD: https://www.td.org/magazines/td-magazine/design-for-neurodiverse-learners
More boradly relating to classroom design, but important information in analysing what part the textual material plays in the learning environment.
Designing for the mind: https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2011/12/designing-for-the-mind/
Author Francisco Inchausto summarizes some of the most important neurological research and how it relates to design. Perhaps I could chose just one principle and see how it could be applied in the design of printed learning materials for ADHD/ND learners?
review: scholarly articles
Here’s what I am reading my way through this week.
MCKNIGHT, L. 2010. Designing for ADHD: in search of guidelines.http://homepage.divms.uiowa.edu/~hourcade/idc2010-myw/mcknight.pdf
TETLAN, L. 2013. Applying Design to Learning: Cognitive Science Supports Visual Language Principles in the Design of Effective Reading Materials. DRS // Cumulus: Design Learning for Tomorrow. Oslo, Norway.
WALKER, S. 2017. Research in Graphic Design. The Design Journal, 20, 549-559.
+
BESTLEY, R. & MCNEIL, P. 2022. Visual Research An Introduction to Research Methods in Graphic Design, Bloomsbury Publishing.
