ICONS BRAINSTORM GALORE

I am starting to organise my information in a logical manner to help me see what visualisations are necessary. Ive got a few ideas for each, but still exploring!
If anyone thinks of anything clever let me know!

MOOD: Tongue in Cheek!

Icons alone I need:

::CHAPTERS::
1. Auditors - Girls analysing the gifts/gestures
2. Assets - these are the material gifts
3. No Value - non material gifts and verbal sayings
4. Trade Secret - tells the guys the secret in interpreting women's language

::TACTICAL MOTIVES::
Different dating stages
1. Courtship - the chase, beginning stages, trying to impress
2. Steady Dating - officially a couple, stable, for at least a couple of months
3. Commitment - start to see it long term, potential future
(4. Not Interested - just dont care no more - not certain yet if this would be included!)

::SITUATIONAL MOTIVES::
1. Birthday - have one person value (should be something for the girl)
2. Anniversary - celebrating time together (should have two people value)
3. Reconciliation - after a fight and saying sorry (should not be a material gift)

::DEFINING GIFT VALUE::
1. Low Risk - typical, boring, predictable gifts, basically doesnt have any personal value
2. High Risk - dangerous, could be easily interpreted the wrong way, have to be careful
3. Sentimental - girls can treasure, keep it. For eg drawing, note
4. Spontaneous - best for those random moments, big or small
5. Individual Value - just for one person
6. Couple Value - couples able to share the experience/gift together
7. Activity based - involves physical activity, planning is necessary
8. Over the top/Cheesy - vomit worthy, too much for the girl
9. Practical


THERE ARE SO MANY TO DO FOR! EEK! May need to cut down eliminate. Information can be arranged in many different ways. Whats the most practical and effective way?!

Personal Information Design on Relationships

I was researching possible icon possibilities for the different dating stages - courtship, steady dating, commitment when I came across a personal information design report: Dizzia"This is the documentation of every intimate relationship I have ever had."

Its quite funny in the stories that can be created from simple icons - even more interesting is the red hexagons that are breakups and its up to the viewer to interpret what that means.

Inspiration: A visual style

Emilkozak

My latest thought on trying to resolve my visual style:
It could be as simple as this - simple photography of the product and behind it (similiarly to this) would be illustrations that ARE THE FEMALE VOICE. This allows me to have more fun with my visualisations and enjoy the process - as we all know these gifts communciate so many things to women unbeknown to men! So I can play with typography, handwritten messages, stylised drawings, little icons etc..That way these objects can create a mood that is appropriate to it.

Visuals should be up soon, still working on them :)

Another learning list

We are always forever learning how to become better because the design process is indeed complex. One thing I always do and have been for my project is creating metaphors - it provides an entertaining base and allows us designers to imagine another world as well as role play.

For example in Love Transactions
Gifts & Gestures = are assests that allow you to investment into relationship
Guys = stockbrokers investing, making decisions on what assests to choose to invest (which many are unaware of)
Girls = auditors - analysing what and how men give gifts

From the article....
02 METAPHORS
“Themes and metaphors are great platforms for ideas and I try to develop them both from a holistic perspective (ie, basing a site around a playground metaphor) as well as a design perspective (colour schemes and layout styles, for example). If you can hit a decent theme that allows you to convey and house the content, it’s a good place to be.”
50 ways to become a better designer

Anamorphosis

Just want to thank Kate Andrews (london based print based graphic designer, typographer, researcher and even mentor) for her feedback and time contributing towards my major project. She has become another web of resource, opened me up to a whole new world of design and design dialogue. It is great when strangers respond because of your shared passion in visual communication.

Check out her blog!! Anamorphosis

Guide Book

Rumbero Design

* Guide Book designed for the ISC freshmen

This is maybe the answer - icons ont he side like an address telephone book the quick way for guys to browse through the book.

Major Project Problem

The current issue I am having with my project - is that how to appeal this information to the male audience.
My target audience is 20-25 yr olds who are mostly students who are just figuring out relationships, dont have a big spending budget, have a lot on their mind, and of course are clueless when it comes to understanding what women want.

So the people that would respond to my piece are
1) men who know they are clueless and want help and;
2) females who think that their friend or boyfriend need help in the area.

So the assumptions I am making here are that to appeal to men is that it has to
1. Wont spend a lot of time on trying to get informed on this topic - so it needs to be straight to the point
2. Needs to look cool
3. Relate well to instructive steps, manuals
4. Short attention spand

But arguably, the audience are people who are wanting help in this area, will actually take the time to look through. So it doesnt necessary have to be boring simple sterile images. It can be a little fun and exploratory - still there needs to be an exciting visual style.