MM1121 - INFORMATION DESIGN
Spring 2006
Instructor: Laura Cesari - lacesari@onebox.com


DUE WEEK 5:

MUSIC RESEARCH POSTER, FINISHED (10pts)
Create a poster charting out the relationships between 100 different musicians or bands. For example, start with 3 favorites, and research each to find who has influenced them. Then research the influences to find their influences, and so forth. You may include any other relationships that you find between musicians, such as collaborations, label affiliations, style, etc. Each relationship should be visually noted in your chart using a key of your own design.

For the FINISHED POSTER:
a) Show at least 100 bands or musicians in your chart.
b) Include a key denoting at least 3 different relationships:
- influences / followers
- same genre or style
- same era or musical movement
- label affiliations
- any other relationships between the musicians (eg. collaborations, friendships, musicians who have gigged together, musicians who have covered each other's songs, etc.).

Recommended Links for Music Research:
allmusic
Artist Direct
Rolling Stone
Live Plasma
MusicMap


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WEEKLY OUTLINE:
All homework (HW) is due @ beginning of class the following week.

Week 1:
Introductions
HW: Warning Signs
Reading: Introduction and Chapter 1: Gurus and Rules
Definition: Signs and Symbols
Reference: mycrazyhobby.com - Street Sign Collection
Article: Immigrant Family Freeway Sign
Just for Fun: Custom Sign Generator

Week 2:
InfoGraphics 1: Visualizing Data
HW: Food Pyramid
Reading: Chapter 2: First Principles
Reference: Edward Tufte, Mark Lombardi

Week 3:
InfoGraphics 2: Thematic Charts and Graphs
HW: "Music Poster" rough draft
Reading: Chapters 3 & 4: Balancing Business, Technology and Users
General Reference: Understanding USA, GeoHive
Music: Live Plasma, MusicMap

Week 4:
InfoGraphics 3: Complex Visual Systems
HW: "Music Poster" final version
Reference: Visual Complexity

Week 5:
Navigation & Organization
Reading/HW: Chapters 5 & 6: Organization Systems & METAdata

Week 6:
META tags & Searchability
Reading/HW: Chapter 7: Personas & Scenarios

Week 7:
Personas & Scenarios
Reading/HW: Chapter 8: Interface Design

Week 8:
Site Mapping
HW: Site Blueprint & Wireframes
Reading: Chapter 9: Documentation

Week 9:
Paper Prototyping
HW: Site Comps
Reading: Chapters 10, 11, 12: Summary

Week 10:
Project Lab
HW: Finish Site Design