This Winter, at Cal State L.A., I'm teaching a class on Information Design. I've had an interest in this material since I was an undergraduat, and took a class with Krystof Lenk. Krystof was a proponent of sound information design principles. He went on to later found the firm Dynamic Diagrams (website). I remember having to design an directory for our new design center, that showed where different departments and activities where, in the new center. This was particularly challenging, in that the center was made up of four buildings of differing heights, and levels of floors, with a single elevator core. I remember loving this project, even though I wasn't entirely satisfied with my final design solution.
That was around 1987. In 1990, while in graduate school, I had the opportunity to take an Information Design course with Edward Tufte, for a semester. During that course, he was printing his latest book, Envisioning Information. Every week, he'd bring us each an entire signature, fresh off the press! It was a fascinating, and at times trying course.
Fast forward to 2009. I'm now in my sixth year teaching design. This is the first opportunity that I've had to present an entire ten-week course on the topic of Information Design. I'm enjoying gathering, and discussing data graphics with my students. I hope that they are as well. As with all the courses that I've had the opportunity to teach, I learn how to present the material, by doing. Each time I teach a course that I've taught before, I find that I make adjustments. Not only to keep it fresh and interesting, but to improve on the learning outcomes achieved by students. I'm sure that this course will be the same. Hopefully, we'll all learn something during this ten-week journey, that will enrich and inform our practices, as we move forward.
There's a fresh set of "sketch-blogs" to the right of this page. These blogs come from the students in this course. Enjoy.
- JimmyMoss
- Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jimmy Moss, is a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design and Yale School of Art. Currently he is a professor in Department of Art at Cal State L.A., teaching Graphic Design/Visual Communication. Jimmy was recently elected as President of AIGA Los Angeles, the professional association for design. He has also been named as one of only 18 Behance Ambassadors, worldwide. He has been a visiting critic, curator or lecturer at Stanford University, San Francisco Art Institute, Academy of Art College, Woodbury University, Otis College of Art, Loyola Marymount University, Cal State Northridge, and Cal Poly Pomona. Previously, Jimmy was the Creative Director of Corbis Images, and a Senior Art Director for Foote, Cone & Belding Advertising in both San Francisco and Orange County. Jimmy’s clients have included Wells Fargo, Taco Bell, Levi Strauss, Disney as well as a variety of non-profit, technology and community organizations. Considered to be a design instigator, he maintains a strong interest in questions the role of design in public spaces and in service to movements of social change. Recently, Jimmy's been fascinated by the usage of English language typography in China.
2 comments:
sometimes I yawn.
Jimmy,
Sounds like a really great class. I'll keep an eye on all the blogs, but it would be great if you could do a recap once the class is complete.
Best,
Derrick Schultz
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