Thesis Proposal

Based upon my discussion with Tony Datillo, I have a much clear vision to what I will be doing for my senior project. I am extremely passionate and interested in Japanese culture. Besides, as a graphic designer, I want to make a good use of my ability to the fullest. I am aware of the situation about sustainability; I want to create products that helps promoting the idea of “reuse and recycle”.

Japanese design is delicate, elegant, clever and close to nature. It always inspires me. Furoshiki, the Japanese wrapping cloth, is a common tool that Japanese people uses daily, to wrap food or other items with. It is just a simple square cloth, but with people’s intelligence, they create different ways to wrap things according to the objects’ shapes and sizes. On one hand, it is a smart way to uses a simple item, a cloth; on the other, it is doing a big flavor to being substantial.

As a result, for my senior project, I will be creating a kit that contains the Furoshiki that comes in different shapes and sizes, along side with a website and application that educated the users about the correct steps of wrapping and folding. It could be a gift kit set, or simply a daily tool that people can use. I may be creating three-dimensional instruction manual, or infographics that are easy to follow.

For the website and application, besides the education and instruction portion, there will also be a social networking feature. Customers can upload pictures there, connect with other users, comments and interact with each other. Then it will allow culture and information exchange, and each users can expand their network and learn about other cultures’ traditions.

As a result, in my thesis, it is to figure out which way is the best way to construct an instructional manual. People often find that the existing instructional manuals or instructions kits hard to follow, especially for visual learners. Therefore, in my thesis, I will be researching ways to build a manual that is easy to understand, follow, also looking visually appealing. I will be looking at ways to give instructions; basically of ways to educate people of how to do things: “how to present packaging of how to do it.” My research critical will be technical writings like exploded view drawing, instruction manual and infographic as the visual explanation of the writings.

The goal is to find out the optimal way of creating a user manual for the most people. Not only having texts that support the visual well, the most important thing is that I have to create vectors or drawings that is complicated enough to convey the message yet someone can understand it at a glance. I will have to look at some past examples to examine what worked and what did not, and start off from there.

When I have enough data and instructions on hand, I will conduct research on Japanese cultural and wrapping skills. 

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Potential book list

1 - Information Design Workbook: Graphic approaches, solutions, and inspiration + 30 case studies 

2 – Creating Technical Manuals: A Step-By-Step Approach to Writing User-Friendly Instructions

 

3 - The Wall Street Journal Guide to Information Graphics: The Dos and Don'ts of Presenting Data, Facts, and Figures

 

4 - Information Graphics ,by Sandra Rendgen

5 - Infographics: The Power of Visual Storytelling

 

6 - 1000 Ideas by 100 Graphic Designers

7 - Furoshiki: The Art of Wrapping with Fabric

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Bibiliography

"Information Design Workbook: Graphic Approaches, Solutions, and Inspiration 30 Case Studies [Paperback]." Information Design Workbook: Graphic Approaches, Solutions, and Inspiration 30 Case Studies: Kim Baer: 9781592536276: Amazon.com: Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.amazon.com/Information-Design-Workbook-approaches-inspiration/dp/1592536271/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8>.

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"Creating Technical Manuals: A Step-By-Step Approach to Writing User-Friendly Instructions [Paperback]." Creating Technical Manuals: A Step-By-Step Approach to Writing User-Friendly Instructions: Gerald Cohen, Donald H. Cunningham: 9780070115842: Amazon.com: Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.amazon.com/Creating-Technical-Manuals-Step-By-Step-User-Friendly/dp/0070115842/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8>.

"The Wall Street Journal Guide to Information Graphics: The Dos and Don'ts of Presenting Data, Facts, and Figures [Hardcover]." Amazon.com: The Wall Street Journal Guide to Information Graphics: The Dos and Don'ts of Presenting Data, Facts, and Figures (9780393072952): Dona M. Wong: Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.amazon.com/Street-Journal-Guide-Information-Graphics/dp/0393072959/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8>.

"Information Graphics [Hardcover]." Information Graphics: Sandra Rendgen: 9783836528795: Amazon.com: Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.amazon.com/Information-Graphics-Sandra-Rendgen/dp/3836528797/ref=sr_1_2?s=books>.

"Infographics: The Power of Visual Storytelling [Paperback]." Infographics: The Power of Visual Storytelling: Jason Lankow, Josh Ritchie, Ross Crooks: 9781118314043: Amazon.com: Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.amazon.com/Infographics-Visual-Storytelling-Jason-Lankow/dp/1118314042/ref=sr_1_7?s=books>.

"SitePoint." SitePoint RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Nov. 2012. <http://www.sitepoint.com/7-tips-for-writing-an-effective-instruction-manual/>.

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"Furoshiki.com." Furoshiki, the Eco-friendly Wrapping Cloth. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://furoshiki.com/>.

"How to Use Furoshiki." In Focus: How to Use "Furoshiki" [MOE]. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.env.go.jp/en/focus/attach/060403-5.html>.

"Furoshiki: The Art of Wrapping with Fabric [Paperback]." Furoshiki: The Art of Wrapping with Fabric: Kumiko Nakayama-Geraerts: 9781847738165: Amazon.com: Books. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.amazon.com/Furoshiki-Wrapping-Fabric-Kumiko-Nakayama-Geraerts/dp/1847738168>.

"How to Use a Japanese Wrapping Cloth - Furoshiki MIYAI Co.,Ltd." How to Use a Japanese Wrapping Cloth - Furoshiki MIYAI Co.,Ltd. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Nov. 2012. <http://www.studyjapan.go.jp/mm/ffs/007/en/furoshiki/furoshiki/index.html>.

"Freelancefolder." FreelanceFolder. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://freelancefolder.com/ten-great-technical-writing-tips/>.

"5 Tips to Creating an Infographic People Actually Want to Read." Social Media Today RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://socialmediatoday.com/kratzpr/822601/5-tips-creating-infographic-people-actually-want-read>.

"Web Design, Wordpress Themes, Graphic Design Photoshop,3d Max and Design Resources." Naldz Graphics RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://naldzgraphics.net/tips/infographics-designing-tips/>.

Gregory, Alyssa. "7 Tips for Writing an Effective Instruction Manual." SitePoint. N.p., 16 Mar. 2012. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.sitepoint.com/7-tips-for-writing-an-effective-instruction-manual/>.

"Drawing in 3-point Perspective." 3 Point Perspective Tutorial. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.automotiveillustrations.com/tutorials/drawing-3-point-perspective.html>.

"Perspective Drawing Basics." : 1-point, 2-point and 3-point Perspective. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.automotiveillustrations.com/tutorials/perspective-drawing-basics.html>.

"Alibre Options: Creating Exploded Views for Use in 2D Drawings." Cadalyst. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.cadalyst.com/manufacturing/alibre-options-creating-exploded-views-use-2d-drawings-10454>.

"Exploded Views in Drawings." 2013 SolidWorks Help -. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://help.solidworks.com/2013/English/SolidWorks/sldworks/t_Exploded_Views_in_Drawings.htm>.

"Shop Exploded View Drawings by Bike." BDM RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.bdmperformanceproducts.com/selectors/shop-exploded-view-drawings-by-bike-2/>.

"Hexahexaflexagon." Hexahexaflexagon. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://home.gci.net/~rob/flexagons/>.

"Origami Flower Instructions." Origami Flower Instructions. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2012. <http://www.origami-fun.com/origami-flower.html>.