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Exploiting the visual potential of time

I used connected nodes to represent significant periods and events that happened in sequence in the history of yoga. This display teaches the viewer about the 5 main periods of yoga's development, and shows the events happened during each era.

I used the same simple white solid icon with minimal design for the yoga symbols. I also used thin solid lines with a filled circular node in the end from the model for each time frame.

I chose the dark green for the name of each era and the timeline from the color model. For the color of the icons, I used the same orange from the model. 

I used the same Arial font for the time labels and descriptions from the text model for my time display.

The time display will occupy either the top or bottom of the right side of the layout model.

Critique

JT

The title says the display is about the timeline of yoga, and shows that there are 5 periods in the history.

I prefer the first display better. In the first one, I see a very clean timeline and a title saying a timeline of yoga history. The icons from the timeline really stands out. And I like the fact that it has a better visual hierarchy since the timeline is a straight line.

The second highlights of the time better, but the first one I'm more drawn to the title and the icons and images.

I like the first one better, because the symbol of yoga really attracts my attention and made the display more dynamic.

Your minimal design for the icons are good match for the flat visual language model. You also used the same orange and green from your color model. Same with your text model, the style you used for the time display followed the pattern very well. And your display occupies the top left corner of the layout display well.

One thing I notice is that for the first display, it can be confusing whether the icon of each period is associate with the bottom text or the text right next to it. I personally associate the top to the bottom, but you may want to revise the display to avoid possible confusion.

Response to first critique

The critic gave positive feedback on the design, so I stick to the same color, text and design concept for my revision. In response to the feedback that the placement of the symbol and the text blocks can be confusing, I rearranged the placement of the symbols and the corresponding text so it's easier to associate the icon with the correct label for each era.

Micheal Lew

I see it's about yoga history. The period are alternating between each other, it shows different eras of the yoga. The display is very easy to read. The symbols are on the other side of the text, and they really stands out and did a good job communicating what this timeline is about.

The second display are consists of nodes, I can easily tell it's about yoga history as well. Although it's harder to tell different sections apart, and the dates are more visible. 

I prefer the first one -- it's easier to distinguish the sections since it's basically consists of columns and grids. You have columns and the dates are not too emphasized The first one Looks more cleaner and more flat.

My only suggestion for the first display is that the convention is to read from left to right, so the symbols are a bit hard to associate with the right section. 

For the color model, you matched the same orange and dark green for the shapes, and the background color is the same 

Your icons has no outlines and uses very minimal details, which fit your visual language model very well. Your bolded subheading and small text for the descriptions are good match for the text model. Your display fit the top right section of your layout very well.

Response to second critique

The critic also pointed out that the format of the icon and the text can be confusing to read. To make the association clear, I extended the line for the icon and made the title and the time closer to group the section together.

Emily Qiao

I see a timeline of yoga and 5 different periods of its history. This timelines shows me how yoga evolves over time, and the symbols of yoga also shows me this is about yoga.

I prefer the first display better, the use of symbols makes the display more dynamic, and the color feels in more harmony. The second display is mainly orange and it feels a bit boring. The times in the second one are disconnected.

Your display matches the visual language model very well -  you use the same minimal icons as your model, and your display feels very flat and uses solid color fills. 

You used the same orange and green color from your color model, and the background color is good match as well.

Your text uses the same font style as your text model - the bolded text for the subheading and the descriptive text are very similar.

I can see your display fit the top right section of your layout very well.

Response to third critique

The critic gave all positive feed back for the first display, so I chose the first version to revise, and followed the similar general structure and concept for the display. I made changes to the internal formatting to address the issue that my first and second critic mentioned.

This display represents time as a continuous string of events that happen in sequence. Each icon stands for a significant period in the history of yoga. The message that the display is communicating is that there are 5 main periods in the history of yoga, which leads to the yoga we know of today.

I used minimal yoga symbols to match the minimal details in my visual language model. I also stick to solid color and circular shapes to match the flat feel and pattern in the model.

I used the same orange and dark green from my color model in my display. And I used the same light yellow color for the background as the model.

I used the same bolded capitalized Arial font for the subheading and the label of the periods, and used the light lower-case font style for the descriptive text. I also made all text to be left aligned to match the text model.

My display will occupy the top right corner of the display model.

Critique

Julie Zhu

I see orange filled circles with white outline icons in them. I see orange lines pointing from the circles to the timeline. I also see the eras are in bigger font size and in dark blue color and in bold. The smaller orange texts are the years. The descriptive texts are even smaller and in black. I can tell the order goes from left to right as from the earliest to the latest. I see the big, general title is in black and bold.

I preferred the revised one because I like the layout of it. One thing I’m a bit concerned is that I read from left to right for the timeline, so I also read from left to right for the texts, and then I realize that I should have read from top to bottom. Maybe finding a way to add a bit instruction or direction for the readers to learn how to read and in what order.

Response to first critique

It seems like the thick lines and the circles are from the visual language model. The yellow color background, orange circles, and the dark blue lines are from the color model, and the location of this section seems reasonable on the layout model as well.

In response to Julie's comment that my display may be confusing for viewers to figure out which direction to read the timeline, I added a solid line along the text blocks. This is used to guide people on how to read the timeline and the in what order.

Chelsea Wang

I see a timeline with different icons, with different title and times, and text beside it to explain what events happened in each period. 

I prefer the first version, since it seems clearer to me which section the icons are associated with. The current version made me feel that things are scattered everywhere, since the title and text are separated apart. However, with the first version, it's also confusing to tell if the icon is grouped with the text in the bottom or the text on the left.

Your display matches visual language model, your icons have the same level of detail as your model. You used the same green and orange color for your display from your color model. The text used also seem to be the same bolded text for the subheadings, and the same thin small text for the descriptive text. 

I can tell that your display fit into the top right corner of your display model pretty well.

Response to second critique

Chelsea pointed out that the current version is still confusing to find out which section the icons are associated with. So I revised my display and added a guiding line to group the text block with the icon. This also helped people to naturally follow the lines as they read the timeline in alternating order.

Emily Qiao

I see icons of the yoga symbol on orange circles. There are 5 periods showed in the history of yoga. The title of each era is green, and the year are displayed in orange. 

I prefer the current version than the previous ones, since this one helped me to see that the top icons are associated with the text under the time bar. The revised version have all the text left aligned, which helped me to better group the correct sections together when reading the display.

Your display and you models are all good match. Your icon are very minimalistic, which fit the flat design of your visual language model. Your choice of green and orange are the same as the ones used in your color model. Your bolded subheading and the titles for each period follows your text model very well. I can see that your display will fill the space of the top right section very well.

Response to third critique

The critic gave all positive feedback on my display, so I stick to the main structure and focus on improving on clarity of communicating the association and correct grouping between sections.

This display represents time as a continuous string of events that happen in sequence, from the earliest to the latest. Each icon stands for a significant period in the history of yoga. The message that the display is communicating is that there are 5 main periods in the history of yoga, which leads to the yoga we are familiar with today.

I used solid color blocks to emulate the flat design of my visual language model. I used minimal icons for the yoga symbols and stick to solid lines to match my model.

I used orange and dark green color for my icons and timeline, and stick with the same yellow background as my color model. The use of thin orange lines also matches my color model.

I used the bolded capitalized text for my subheadings and the main label for the name of each era to match the font style from my text model. I also used the small thin text for the annotation text.

My time display will occupy the top right corner of the layout model.

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