Effort where Effort is Due
Whenever resource is squeezed, we should be mindful of where we allocate resource. Prioritisation is key, but we must accept we work in a Breaking News organisation
and as a result we can be charged with working on solutions for numerous stories even when we are restricted.
It is therefore imperative that we put the effort into the highest priority output, or, crucially, where we can make the best visual impact.
Equally therefore, where resource is limited, we must ensure we keep any graphic solutions, simple and clear, with the emphasis on communication.
I can't honestly say whether this was a high editorial priority, but it was certainly an opportunity for visual impact. The Supporting the Blind design was
an exceptionally successful translation of traditional idea: contain the information within the eye test chart. On first impression, it may appear a little disingenuous,
but of course many individuals who are registered as blind do have some residual vision which can be tested.
The pull-focus treatment, along with an elegant camera move makes for a very beautiful design; well worth the effort.
As a simple solution, I'm pleased the design for the Mumsnet poll chose to ignore the route of designing in their online brand (this approach had been discussed),
as the story had nothing to do with them as a brand. We should be mindful of this in the future, when designing Twitter, Facebook and YouTube graphics – are they the story?
Instead, it concentrated on communicating the poll data and breaks this down very successfully and simply:
- Who are we talking about
- What are the headline figures
- What are people saying
For Syria Chemical Weapons, again there was a very simple premise: utilise the points of the star within the flag as indicators for the points to be illustrated.
This allowed for communication of the idea that there were many points to be followed without compromising legibility. It's nice to se a relevant graphic approach
where we could easily have been drawn to a more convoluted or image based solution.
As always, not everything was so successful this week…
Quite often recently, when time has been tight of resources stretched, we are drawn into unsuccessful solutions.
For School Uniforms, this should really have ben nothing more than a very simple template graphic. There is a slight ambition to directly relate the information with
the imagery, but broadly this fails. Had there been time and ambition, this would have made a very stylish infographic in illustrated style –
a Jackie Magazine style 'cut-out and dress 'em up' would have worked well, though I'm assured workload and ambition did not warrant it.
The result is unsuccessful. Text over faces, no text in free space, information hard to read, messy and convoluted.
We need to be careful that work such as this, generated quickly does not come to define our output. If we're generating one of these for every three of the successful
solutions above, that's still too much. We must communicate better, prioritise more vigorously and accept a more limited solution, so that effort can be best utilised.
Thanks
Chyaz
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