MIS: Chapter 1 - Information Systems Overview

GVCM Chapter 7: Selecting a Graphic Designer

Name: Ariel Starling #11
           Cody Gullatt #3

Job Description: As a Graphic designer you will create visual concepts, by hand or using computer software, to communicate ideas that inspire, inform, or captivate consumers. You will develop the overall layout and production design for advertisements, brochures, magazines, and corporate reports as well as combine art and technology to communicate ideas through images and the layout of websites and printed pages. You may use a variety of design elements to achieve artistic or decorative effects.


Graphic Designer Employment Application: Printable PDF

Designer Employment Application: Online Form

Panel Interview Questions:

Graphic Designer Position: Panel Interview Questions

1. Why did you decide for a career of graphic designer?
2. What has caught your eye on our job description?
3. What are your strengths and weaknesses?
4.  What do you want to accomplish on this position?
5. Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
6. What kind of design projects are you interested in?
7. Name all software products you can work with.
8. Tell me something about your latest design projects.
9.  Would you call yourself a team player
10.  Do you have any questions for us?

ISM 4011: Bitcoin Presentation

GVCM Chapter 6: Using Power Point

GVCM Chapter 4 & 5: Photos, Illustrations, and Text Integration

Name: Ariel Starling	Student Number: 11
ISM 4011: Introduction to Information Systems
Graphics and Visual Communication for Managers (GVCM)
Chapter 4: Using Photos & Illustrations and Chapter 5: Integrating Graphics & Text
DIRECTIONS:  Read the chapter first, then: 1. Answer the questions as indicated below in the space under the question.  Answers may be found in the appropriate chapter of your GVCM textbook. 2. Change your answers to blue so they can be easily distinguished from the questions. 3. Create a new blog post and copy this information into the post. 4. Once it is pasted into your blog, select all the text (CTRL A) and change the font to TREBUCHET. 5. Change the TITLE of the post to GVCM Chapter 4 & 5: Photos, Illustrations, and Text Integration
Chapter 4: Using Photos and Illustrations
1. How can photos and illustrations enhance a document or presentation? Does a graphic always add value to the document? Why is it important to choose the images carefully?
Both photographs and illustrations tend to speak to the audience more quickly than the written word and offer immediate emotional value to the viewer. Graphics do not always add value to the document. It is important to choose images carefully in order to ensure that it is adding value to the document and is appropriate for the subject matter.
2. What should you consider when deciding to use a color image or a black and white image?
One thing you should consider when deciding to use color or black and white images are whether or not color in the graphic is too much and will draw attention away from the documents material.
3.  Describe the following photographic terms:
1. Scale: how big or small does the photo need to be to convey its message appropriately and accurately? 2. Cropping: how is the subject matter of the photograph included within the frame of the image? 3. Focus: is the subject matter clear enough for the viewer to access the information? 4. Tonal range: do the values of the image allow for appropriate visual legibility?
4.  What are stock photos? How can you find them? Are you permitted to use any photos you find on the Internet free?  Are free photos available to you (try searching the Internet for FREE STOCK PHOTOS)?
Stock photos are photography or illustrations that are highly accessible over the internet. Free stock photos are available on the internet, and you are permitted to use them.
5. iStockPhoto: IStockPhoto is one of thousands of providers of stock photography. To answer these questions, go to the company website at: http://www.istockphoto.com/
1. Besides photos, what other stock materials can you find at iStockPhoto? You can also find audio and videos on the website. 2. Describe the methods of payment for images (scroll down to the bottom of the page): The methods of payment include purchasing credits, subscribing to the site and saving money, or creating a corporate account. 3. Can you get free photos from iStock? If so, how? iStock does not offer free photographs. 4. Think of an exotic animal to search for in the iStockPhoto gallery and then:    a. In the iStockPhoto SEARCH box, search for an image of the animal.    b. When you find a dramatic image of the animal, click on it to get to the photo’s pricing page.    c. Now click on the PAY-AS-YOU go link to see the pricing for the image.    d. Take a SCREENSHOT of the pricing page of the image, paste into PAINT, and save in your GRAPHICS folder.    e. When this document has been copied into a new blog post, insert the image in the space below. (See CHAPTER 3 for how to save screenshots.)
My exotic animal image:
6.  Describe when an illustration may be more effective than using a photograph in a document:
An illustration would be more effective to use in a document than a photograph when you are representing a concept such as in directions.
7. What are some of the disadvantages of using photos in a document?
Photographs may increase your printing costs if creating multiple reports and if readers are accessing your documents digitally it may slow down downloading time.
8. Describe the following issues regarding image preparation:
1. Color format: Files being printed by offset printers require colors to be specified in CMYK format. 2. Resolution: If you plan to print a document the resolution of the picture files you supply must be significantly higher than the 72 dots per inch required to view it on a screen. 3. Cropping: Cropping an image in a word processor or presentation program and crop it there, it is likely that the file will continue to include the entire image even though you are showing only part of it. This bloats the size of the document file.
9. Describe five best practices for using images in documents and presentations:
1. Decide whether or not an image will improve your message 2. Judiciously select the appropriate places in your presentation or document to incorporate your image 3. Decide what tone the image(s) should project 4. Spend that appropriate time researching and selecting the images 5. Decide whether a photograph or illustration is better suited for the communication
Chapter 5: Integrating Graphics and Text
1. Briefly explain these three roles that visuals play in text:
1. Visuals that evoke feelings: when visuals need no textual explanation because their purpose is to make readers feel certain emotions or come to conclusions on their own based on the visual. 2. Visuals that supplement text: visuals that are intended to support a point the text is making; most often used in data graphics. 3. Visuals that complement the text: the text and image include different content, both working together to communicate the main idea.
2. Describe five best practices for integrating text and graphics:
1. Refer the reader to the graphic within the text 2. Place the graphic as close as possible after the first reference 3. For supplementary visuals, tell the reader what to notice in the graphic 4. Be sure that you have designed the graphic to support the message in the text 5. Although the text and graphics are interdependent design the graphic to be self-explanatory

GVCM Supplement: Effective Signage Design

GVCM Chapter 3: Using Color

Name: Ariel Starling	Student Number: 11
ISM 4011: Introduction to Information Systems
Graphics and Visual Communication for Managers (GVCM)
Chapter 3: Using Color
DIRECTIONS:  Read the chapter first, then: 1. Answer the questions as indicated below in the space under the question.  Answers may be found in the appropriate chapter of your GVCM textbook. 2. Change your answers to blue so they can be easily distinguished from the questions. 3. Create a new blog post and copy this information into the post. 4. Once it is pasted into your blog, select all the text (CTRL A) and change the font to TREBUCHET. 5. Change the TITLE of the post to: GVCM Chapter 3: Using Color
1. Define the following properties of color:
1. Hue: Hue is the word we use to name the colors that we see. Different hues have different wavelengths in the color spectrum and are wrapped around a color wheel in specific relation to each other. 2. Value: Value describes how light or bright the color is. The higher the color’s value is and the more light it admits the brighter the color. 3. Saturation: Saturation describes the intensity of a color: how pale or strong it is.
2. Describe the traits (both positive and negative) often associated with three of the colors described in this chapter:
RED Positive Traits: active, ambitious, bold, charismatic, commanding, dramatic, dynamic, energetic, fun, lively, passionate, revolutionary, romantic, sensual, strong, successful, triumphant, vital, warm Negative Traits: aggressive, impatient, offensive, rebellious, violent YELLOW Positive Traits: bright, communicative, creative, expressive, extroverted, friendly, happy, imaginative, innovative, inspiring, intuitive, lively, optomistic, playful, spontaneous, stimulating, youthful Negative Traits: cautious, cowardly, defeated, hazardous, ill ORANGE Positive Traits: active, changing, cheerful, communicative, creative, earthly, energetic, enthusiastic, exotic, exuberant, friendly, fun, gregarious, humorous, independent, inspiring, stimulating, vibrant, warm Negative Traits: emotional, explosive, outrageous, tiring, wild
3.  What is the significance of cultural context with regard to color?
In addition to their psychological meanings, colors also carry cultural meanings - in different countries and even in different religions within one country. For example, the color black in the United States is a color the signifies seriousness and safistication, but in Japan it is viewed as a color of death.
4.  What is the significance of physical context with regard to color?
Taking into consideration the other colors that will be placed a next to a color, as well has the medium on which the colors will be displayed has to do with a color's physical context.
5. What are some design concepts to keep in mind when choosing grayscale or choosing color?
Since many presentations are still printed in black and white colors need to still be distinguishable in the print version. It is also to keep contrast in mind when choosing colors for presentations. Dark backgrounds should have light colored wording and light colored backgrounds should have dark wording.
6. List five methods to use color strategically:
1. Differentiate data elements 2. Differentiate data items 3. Identify similar data items 4. Differentiate data elements from reference elements 5. Emphasize different aspects of the data
7. Briefly describe the following types of color systems:
1. RGB: specifies the percentage of red, green, and blue light that creates a specific hue. 2. HSL: hue, saturation, lightness; color model used for digital projection 3. CMYK: color model is the standard model used in printing for full colored documents 4. Pantone: the definitive international reference for selecting, specifying, matching, and controlling ink colors 5. Hexadecimal: 216 RGB six character color codes for websites commonly recognized as "web safe"
8. Why is it recommended that you be consistent and conservative when choosing a color palette for a business or a project?
Using regular recurrence of colors for repetitive elements will help you lead your viewer through your document or presentation in a clear and even expected manner.Too many colors more often than not will only serve to add visual clutter to your project.
9. List and briefly describe five things to consider when choosing a color palette:
1. Psychological and cultural meaning of colors - know what different colors mean to different people and know your audience. 2. Surrounding colors - individual colors are affected by the colors around them. 3. Emphasis - If using color for emphasis. be sure to create a palette that combines less saturated colors with highly saturated colors that can be used for emphasis.  4. Corporate branding - look to your company's logo for color cues and follow an identify standards manual if available. 5. The need to print in black and white - if your document will be printed in black and white choose variations of your colors with different value and saturation so that their gray scale equivalents will look different.
10. On page 43, the textbook authors assert that with regard to visual communication, color has power. After reading this chapter, in what ways can you utilize this power in your business communications?
I will utilize the power of color in my business communications by being more aware of the colors I choose in my marketing strategies. The concept of different colors having "emotions" will help me select the right combinations to express my message in visual communication.
11. What could you do if you must choose a color palette for a business or project but have no experience or talent for picking appropriate colors?
One suggestion would be to consult with a graphic designer. This would be someone who is very familiar with colors, color combinations, and visual communication.
12. Traumwind Color Match: Conduct a Google search for the term TRAUMWIND COLOR MATCH. Go to the TRAUMWIND site. What is the purpose of this site? Note: On page 54, the book lists other sites which can help you select a color palette.
This website helps you select a 6-color palette to use for your website. You choose a single color that you like and 6 coordinating colors will be displayed for you.
13. Try out TRAUMWIND: a. Enter this value in the Traumwind color number box:  # B3F2FF  (do you see the 6-color palette that is created?) b. Now enter a different 6-digit number into the box (Traumwind may change the number to a “web safe” color number that is close to the number you select). Experiment entering numbers until you find a color palette that you find attractive. c. Screenshot: 1. Once you create a Traumwind color palette that you like, press the PRINT SCREEN button on your keyboard to copy the Traumwind screen onto the Clipboard. 3. Open MS PAINT and paste the screenshot image into PAINT (CTRL-V). 4. Save the image with an appropriate name into your GRAPHICS folder.  5. Once you copy this document into your blog, insert the image of your screenshot into the space below.
My Traumwind Color Palette:
14. Design Seeds: Go to the following web site:  http://design-seeds.com/ Design Seeds is another web site for you, the graphic designer to help you find color schemes for your work (web sites, documents, images, logos, etc.). Click on the PALETTE SEARCH and then click on a THEME from the list of themes. Scroll through the palettes until you find one that you like (if you don’t like any of them, try a different theme). Take a screenshot of the palette and paste it here:
Theme (what theme does your palette come from?): My Design Seeds Color Palette: Theme: The Sea Palette: Sea Hues
Roll your cursor over the color chips on the right side of the color scheme (under the SEE SIMILAR COLORS). What does the “tool tip” that pops up indicate? Why is this useful to designers? Try clicking on a color chip. What does it do for you?
The tool tip provides you with the exact color code. This is helpful to designers because it allows them to create that exact color. By clicking on the color chip it directs you to the part of the site where you can adjust the RGB color system.

GVCM: Chapter 2: Creating Tables and Graphs

Name: Ariel Starling	Student Number: 11
ISM 4011: Introduction to Information Systems
Graphics and Visual Communication for Managers (GVCM)
Chapter 2: Creating Tables and Graphs
DIRECTIONS: Read the chapter first, then: 1. Answer the questions as indicated below in the space under the question.  Answers may be found in the appropriate chapter of your GVCM textbook. 2. Change your answers to blue so they can be easily distinguished from the questions. 3. Create a new blog post and copy this information into the post. 4. Once it is pasted into your blog, select all the text (CTRL A) and change the font to TREBUCHET. 5. Change the TITLE of the post to: GVCM: Chapter 2: Creating Tables and Graphs
1. How can tables and graphs be useful to readers? Note: Excel uses the term chart for graph.
Graphs and tables create a “picture” for reasoning about analyzing information and they allow readers to process information faster and more efficiently than if expressed in words alone.
2. List four criteria for successful graphics:
1. Is the graph useful? 2. Can a reader understand the graph quickly? 3. Is the graphic designed efficiently? 4. Is the graphic true?
3.  Briefly explain this principle of graphic design: Design for a purpose
Designing for a purpose keeps the designer focused on displaying what they are trying to show and how they are trying to show it. Doing this eliminates extraneous information in the message and orders the data to support the message.
4.  Briefly explain this principle of graphic design: Be explicit
Failing to show important data values or failing to highlight and annotate important parts of data leads to presentations with graphics that are incomplete. This greatly increases the reading difficulty because it increases the graphic’s potential for ambiguity. To avoid this designers should make sure and include all necessary data for graphics to ensure they are valuable to the reader.
5. Briefly explain this principle of graphic design: Maximize data ink; minimize non-data ink
By stripping away all nonessential elements such as rules, grids, lines, and shading, a graphic designer can highlight the shape and significance of the data. By minimizing non-data ink you can immediately streamline your graphic and make the actual data easier to see.
6. Briefly explain this principle of graphic design: Ensure integrity
The principle of ‘Ensure Integrity’ means to ensure that the graph is created with integrity. This means not only ensuring that the information the graph is true, but also that is created in a way that avoids distorting the truth.
7. Define the following table terms:
1. body – the rectangular area containing data values; it is the core of the table. 2. cell – the intersection of a vertical column and horizontal row. 3. footer -  a row that summarizes all the rows in a data table. 4. rules – horizontal or vertical lines that are sometimes used to separate header rows from the body of a table or separate data values within a table. 5. grids – a system of intersecting horizontal and vertical rules.
8. Describe the purpose of each of these types of tables:
1. reference table – meant for reference; they gather up large amounts of data about a particular subject or set of statistics. 2. decision table – designed to help you make a decision or chose an item or a set of items. 3. message table – created to convey a specific message or provide a particular insight into the data; they often extract a subset of data from reference tables to make a particular point.
9. List at least five best practices in designing tables:
1. Title each table 2. Number tables when you have multiple tables 3. Eliminate heavy grid lines 4. Minimize shading 5. Use sentence case
10. Define the following graph types:
1. pie chart: shows the relative size of parts of one item 2. 100% column: compares identical parts of multiple items 3. bar chart: compares multiple items according to a single characteristic 4. column chart: displays changes in one or more items over time with few observations 5. line chart: displays changes in one or more items over time with many observations 6. histogram: displays how groupings fall into a series of progressive ranges 7. scatter plot: displays correlation between two variables with a large data set
11. List at least five best practices in designing graphs:
1. Title your graphs 2. Avoid 3D effects 3. Avoid legends whenever possible 4. Avoid contrasting borders around objects 5. Use annotations