THE WEEK IN DESIGN 29

The return of the Design Excellence Awards

After a months break due to overwhelming workload (for everyone), the design awards have returned.This is an opportunity for us to value check our work and reward that which is outstanding.

For the first time, we have decided to open the voting to the whole Newsroom; after all, we are not just measuring the quality of design; this is about success.  

How well does a piece communicate?  Does it demonstrate excellent collaboration? Did it fit well with the package (and does it sit well with the Sky News Brand).

Combine these factors together with design and beauty and we have success.

The award is given to both the designer and producer who worked on the piece.

You can view the 5 clips shortlisted on the following link

DEA 4 SHORTLIST

and then vote for your preference on the link below (which is also embedded in the viewing site above).

VOTE HERE

Please enter your name so that we can avoid duplicate votes, but your vote will be invisible to other users, so that anonymity can be maintained.

The poll will close next Friday 22nd November and the winner announced.

Good luck

CDE

C.

THE WEEK IN DESIGN 28

Flow.

One of the greatest challenges in any piece of communication is flow; the ability to continue the story, benefitting the experience.  The best way to achieve this is by working together.

The recent Energy Price Rise story provided just such an opportunity.  By communication with design (and the undeniable skill of cameras and creative ideas of the producer), 

a beautiful sequence of shots was provided, allowing the application of information whilst maintaining the package flow.  

So far so good.

Below is the generated design.

To say this is disappointing is an understatement.  When you are given a gift of such bold, dynamic shots, the very least anyone would expect is that you don't destroy them.  

We should work with footage, whether provided or requested and make sure that there is no conflict, but here elements are fighting for attention; logo, subject, icon, genre, figure and 

image, all conflict, creating an unsuccessful whole.  Utilising assets which do nothing to strengthen our ownership of the design (yellow text, invented arrow), relegates this even further.

All of this adds up to a sequence which breaks the flow of the package and therefore story.

It is most disappointing, since with such beauty at our disposal, the solutions can be very simple.  The examples below are generated exceptionally quickly.  None of these are glorious, 

but glory is not the requirement here; we get that from the shots provided and the way that placement maintains the flow of the piece.  Embed the text, 

or make the application so simple that it doesn't kill the shot and communication will always be more successful.

Flow will always be maintained by information applied in situ, but relevance is key to success in this regard.  

SUGARY DRINKS CLIP

The design for Sugary Drinks is successful in this regard.  Again, the provision of a great shot maintains the flow of the package far more so than if the information had been displayed on 

An irrelevant wall or other blank space.  The way the design is laid out is beautiful and communicative.  If I have one criticism, it's that we could have perhaps worked harder to maintain 

a direct correlation with the drinks subject, but this solution was relevant to the environment in which the subject was shot. 

Finally, an example of where a 'barrier piece' is just what is required.

ENERGY SWITCHING CLIP

Enlivening a piece where it's possible the same old generic footage will be trotted out time and again presents its own challenge; how to reengage the audience.  

In the case of Time to Switch, taking a motif such as the dial has direct relevance to title, subject and action.  It doesn't hurt that it stands out in the package, because it becomes 

the 'science bit' where information so often appears.  It's beautifully realised and directly informative.

So be mindful of flow within a story or package.  We are all in the business of communication and ownership of individual sections is never as successful as owning part of the whole.

Inspiration this week from the final shortlist for the Information is Beautiful Awards.  Sadly, we didn't make the final cut after making the longlist, but the pieces below 

(though overly long for our requirement) give an indication of what can be achieved.

INFORMATION IS BEAUTIFUL SHORTLIST

CDE

C.

THE WEEK IN DESIGN 27

What makes the wall?

There has been much debate this week as to where we are successfully using the wall and why.  The crucial first step in understanding this, is realising that the wall is not a magic box of tricks, which will somehow make up for failings elsewhere.

We'll shortly be setting up some working groups with stakeholders from all areas to discuss how and where we can improve, but for now let's look at what I consider the most successful to date – GDP from Monday.

GDP WALL CLIP

Though there are still lessons to be learned (particularly with scale vs tightness of shot), GDP was an outstanding piece of work.

So what made it so successful?  Actually, in breaking it down, there is little need for detail.

Well written

From peg to concept to script.  All individual aspects were considered, then seamlessly knitted together

Well briefed

Communication with Design, Gallery and Presentation was well connected.  

Well designed

The treatment is appropriate and relevant; the bluprint premise coming from construction and indicating growth. Though it is deceptively simple, the focus is very much on the information, on the story.  Also, crucially, design knew how the wall would be shot.

Well choreographed

The sequence flows; the animations and sections have relevance.  In other presentations on the day, we moved seamlessly to locations and 2-ways.

Well presented

Colin is both engaged and engaging.  He uses the space on the stage, the depth in camera and the canvas of the screen

Well directed

When we needed to be tight, we were tight.  When we needed to beside, we were wide.  We utilised the depth of the studio to emphasise scale and detail.

All of these aspects played to the strengths of the wall (scale, resolution, mobility) and the strengths of individuals producing the content for it.

Overall, there was good communication and connection; it was well produced.  Broadly speaking, everyone did their job.

Success can be defined by understanding what each area will be doing and here, everyone understood their responsibility, communicated it and took ownership of it.  

This is why it was strong; we worked together.

CDE

C.