Weekly Sprint 4

After having my project critiqued last week, I feel significantly more confident in my idea, as well as with my data visualization approach using graphic prints and augmented reality. Most of my classmates gave some pretty good insights into how I could possibly go about visualizing both quantitative and qualitative data. With this more solidified direction, I began this week by editing the designs that I had already completed in the previous weeks along with starting two more designs with different datasets. In terms of designing, I have been plowing away in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, constantly looking for new and creative ways to visualize the data while relating the imagery and color scheme back to military personnel and veterans. I did have to make some major tweaks to a few of my designs, but I have developed a “template” so to speak so that the process of designing will go a lot more smoothly in the weeks ahead. I hope to have my designs nearly completed by the time spring break ends, which will bring me to about the middle of the semester; once the designs are completed, I will have enough time dedicated to the augmented reality piece of my project.

In my designs, I am trying my best not to use the same type of chart or graph for the different datasets, but, in some cases, I am finding that some overlap will inevitably occur. However, as long as the designs and information are different, I think that a repetition of chart or graph should not prove to be an issue.

My data visualization mini course is definitely helping me to develop more complex and unique visualizations with the datasets that I have acquired. Fortunately and unfortunately, my data collection continues to grow as I find more interesting and relevant datasets; I want to include all of them, but, given the timeframe, I am unsure if I can manage to design more visualizations than I had originally planned. Combining my data is also an option, which I will think about as I move through the design process. Also, as I design, I am trying to imagine what the augmented reality component of each design will be or look like. Some designs, the augmented reality will add color and dimension, while others will add more information, helpful links, and videos.