7 min. read
Methods
HCD
Literature review
Environmental design
Visual communication
Data visualization
At-a-Glance
I completed research analysis and visualization for the book Experiential Design Schemas.
I led the creation of over 50 visuals, each a distillation of research surrounding human-centered design in the built space.
Through these visuals, I simplified and articulated complex concepts and opened the book to a broad audience.
My roles
Data visualization,
Research analysis
Timeline
2021-2022
Team
Gail Brager, Co-author
Mark DeKay, Co-author
Emily Miller, Coordinator
Megan McConnel, Illustrator
Zach Dulin, Illustrator
Tools
Adobe Suite, Excel, Mural
406 pages
Experiential Schemas is a research-driven book on designing spaces for enriched human experience
Target audience
Architects
Engineers
Designers
Hobbiests
I visualized never-before-seen concepts, and gave readers tools to better design spaces
This book put humans back at the center of architectural design.
Drawing on substantial research, it articulated ways to use the senses to create spaces that don’t just feel good, but illicit delight.
My role was sourcing research, and translating it into digestible visuals.
What people said about the graphics
“The graphics, including the photographs, diagrams, and plots, are visually captivating and effectively present the key ideas in an easily digestible manner.”
- H. Jang, reader and reviewer
My process was as follows:
1
Idea formation
Start with new concept, research request, or typological focus
2
Sleuthing
Secondary research and analysis, including any visuals that do exist
3
Iteration
Iterate and review. Frequent meetings with team
4
Approval
Two-step process of final approval
Contrasting preferences
The two-step approval process required finesse, as the two authors had contrasting preferences in terms of visual communication.
One preferred a minimalist, grayscale aesthetic, and wanted information to be simplified into the most reduced form.
The other favored more color and visual variety to pack in more nuanced details and increase informational retention.
Facilitating alignment
Considering this, it was important to locate areas of compromise and agree on a cohesive direction so both stakeholders were happy. Effective listening was key.
As I iterated on the diagrams and visual elements, I found balance between these perspectives, and helped formalize a cohesive design system that satisfied both authors (and me as well).
I developed three main types of visuals
Conceptual
Visual representation of theories and concepts surrounding sensory emotional states
Research
Directly visualizing research data through graphs and charts
Typology
Classifying methods of realizing a single concept to affect sensory states
Here's a closer look at one of each type
Conceptual
What does it mean to perceive?
Oxford dictionary would tell you it’s: “to become aware or conscious of (something); come to realize or understand.”
For this book, I needed to explain this concept through a multifaceted lens, and incorportate the relationship between the build env, physicaology, concieousness, and emotion.
I broke down how sensory stimuli compiles to create the world as we know it
Development process
Formation
Sleuthing
Interpretation
Iteration
Iterations that weren’t chosen and why
Initial vectorization. Needed more detail in environmental conditions and in brain. Design system was then updated to:
use lighter line weights
prioritize straight lines over curved
remove uppercase text
include colors
With the large quantity of white space, there was nothing to guide the eye.
In future versions, I shaded the earth on the right, so the eye would be drawn to the environmental conditions section first.
Research
Visualizing how color affects humans
Click to the box to change the color styling of this screen.
While you flip through, are you having any particular reaction to the colors? Do any feel too sleepy, or too intense?
By understanding the nuance of a color’s sensory-emotional effects, readers can design spaces with more clarity.
I paired the diagrams below after completing a meta-review of color theory and human response research
Color x Emotion
Colors have common associations with specific emotions. Stronger color = higher accociation
Color x Intensity = Higher Alertness
Adjusting brightness and saturation create significant changes in alertness
Typology
Typologizing warming and cooling moments
You know the feeling of taking a hot shower on a cold day, or stepping into the shade when its blistering? There’s a name for that.
Alliesthesia (e.g. thermal delight) is the pleasure created by strong contrast between body temperature and the environment.
This diagram captures methods of creating alliesthesia moments in transitory spaces.
Cooling pathways
Allow airflow but block sunlight, providing a cooling contrast in hot environments
Warming pathways
Block wind and use heat-absorbing materials to create warming moments in cool environments
Development process
Formation
Sleuthing
Iteration
Sketching and isometrics
Pruned walks
Shaded trellises
Warming walks
Warming loggias
I used isometric (parallel line) perspective which became a staple of the typology visuals.
Commonly used by two key user-groups of the book, iso perspective simplifies visual info while increasing consistency between diagrams.
By transforming dense research and abstract concepts into clear, engaging visuals, I opened the book to a wider audience and reinforced its goal of designing built spaces that genuinely serve human experience
Final notes
Many of the items I researched and visualized are applicable beyond the built space, and have stayed with me as I expanded my work into the digital realm.
This project both challenged and cemented my use of visual communication in my career. In UX Research, your data is only as good as you can communicate it to the people who matter.
I continue to use to the sensory-emotional context within my UX work, and will never stop experimenting with how to best visualize a concept.
If you would like more info, reach out to me here.
Want to buy the book? >>> Experiential Design Schemas
