Information Design /
Informationsgestaltung
Program: BA Communication Design
Credits: 4 ECTS
Time: Thursdays 1–4pm
Course Description
Topic
Europe At A Crossroads
Europe and its population face a variety of challenges, including the climate crisis and natural disasters, war and migration, restructuring of agriculture, sustainable energy production, efficient mobility, and digitalisation. In a democratic society, education on these issues is particularly important.
Course Content
During this course, students will explore and visualize a specific aspect of the semester's topic: the current challenges facing Europe. They research backgrounds, data, facts, numbers, chronological orders, and historical and recent developments, as well as future trends. This information is then translated into a story using detailed information graphics, such as maps, timelines, diagrams, charts, interactive visualisations, and animations, to present the content in an accessible and informative manner.
Students should also brainstorm and sketch possible solutions to the challenges presented, and include sketches of future scenarios in their visualisations.
The result is a published infographic website on a self-chosen subtopic.
Learning Objectives
- Engaging with current issues in Europe
- Communicating complex connections and ideas in a clear, accessible and understandable form
- Applying and evaluating various visualisation techniques
- Developing future scenarios
- Understanding that the future is open and designable
- Iteratively developing ideas and concepts
- Creating content using Figma, AfterEffects, and Rive
- Developing a visual identity for information graphics, including a color palette, icons, pictograms, typography, layout, and animated and interactive behaviour
- Using animation and interaction to explain complex processes
- Creating an information architecture and navigation for a website
- Designing, implementing, and publishing a website with Webflow or Framer
- Documenting the design process
Learning methods
Lectures, exercises, group discussions, and feedback on the projects. Students work collaboratively in groups of two or three. The course is designed to be interactive and hands-on, with a focus on practical skills development.
Assessment criteria
Attendance, active participation in discussions, midterm and final presentations, project results, and documentation.