title: The Role of Images in Support of Graphic Design Ideation

authors: Laing, Simon John

subjects: Graphic Design

abstract: Graphic design is a discipline whose purpose is the creation of visual messages delivered to an audience, typically on behalf of a client. Practitioners of design are encouraged to demonstrate creativity in the execution of their work, and to develop and maintain awareness of visual culture to enable them to create works that are likely to be effective in their intended purpose. As a discipline involving communication between humans, the task is further complicated through the presence of many unknowns, poorly defined or emergent problems and constraints. Within this context, this thesis examines whether it is possible to support graphic designers during ideation through the provision of relevant images, with consideration of the influence on both creative output and process.

In this work, a selection of literature is examined informing a background for understanding graphic design, creativity, visual language and predicted image effects, then further literature regarding identifying image needs is evaluated, together with methods applied by other researchers for evaluating design ideation. In addition, the prior work is identified suggesting theory, methods and results for determination of image needs, as well as the measurement of effects upon process.

Developing from the reviewed literature, the thesis then presents full descriptions of methods applied and results obtained from three studies of design; the first study identifies specific roles that images are determined to play within the practice of professional graphic designers operating within New Zealand; the two following studies then examine the effects of supplying those images upon design output and process through laboratory experiments involving graphic design students working on typical graphic design tasks.
Finally, the results of all three studies are discussed in relation to the research plan and literature; the thesis conclusion being that based upon the evidence, images representing the aesthetic tastes of the client and market do not consistently influence ideation output, however, they are shown to have a measurable influence upon the ideation process of the designer and that it is, therefore, possible to support design ideation through provision of images.

text: The Role of Images in Support of Graphic Design Ideation Graphic design is a discipline whose purpose is the creation of visual messages delivered to an audience, typically on behalf of a client. Practitioners of design are encouraged to demonstrate creativity in the execution of their work, and to develop and maintain awareness of visual culture to enable them to create works that are likely to be effective in their intended purpose. As a discipline involving communication between humans, the task is further complicated through the presence of many unknowns, poorly defined or emergent problems and constraints. Within this context, this thesis examines whether it is possible to support graphic designers during ideation through the provision of relevant images, with consideration of the influence on both creative output and process.

In this work, a selection of literature is examined informing a background for understanding graphic design, creativity, visual language and predicted image effects, then further literature regarding identifying image needs is evaluated, together with methods applied by other researchers for evaluating design ideation. In addition, the prior work is identified suggesting theory, methods and results for determination of image needs, as well as the measurement of effects upon process.

Developing from the reviewed literature, the thesis then presents full descriptions of methods applied and results obtained from three studies of design; the first study identifies specific roles that images are determined to play within the practice of professional graphic designers operating within New Zealand; the two following studies then examine the effects of supplying those images upon design output and process through laboratory experiments involving graphic design students working on typical graphic design tasks.
Finally, the results of all three studies are discussed in relation to the research plan and literature; the thesis conclusion being that based upon the evidence, images representing the aesthetic tastes of the client and market do not consistently influence ideation output, however, they are shown to have a measurable influence upon the ideation process of the designer and that it is, therefore, possible to support design ideation through provision of images.

year: 2018

title: Model versus nature: Hydrodynamics in mangrove pneumatophores

authors: Horstman, Erik M.

subjects: Vegetated flows

abstract: Water flows through submerged and emergent vegetation control the transport and deposition of sediment in coastal wetlands. Many past studies into the hydrodynamics of vegetation fields have used idealized vegetation mimics, mostly rigid dowels of uniform height. In this study, a canopy of real mangrove pneumatophores was reconstructed in a flume to quantify flow and turbulence within and above this canopy. At a constant flow forcing, an increase in pneumatophore density, from 71 m⁻² to 268 m⁻², was found to cause a reduction of the within-canopy flow velocities, whereas the over-canopy flows increased. Within-canopy velocities reduced to 46% and 27% of the free-stream velocities for the lowest and highest pneumatophore densities, respectively, resulting in stronger vertical shear and hence greater turbulence production around the top of the denser pneumatophore canopies. The maximum Reynolds stress was observed at 1.5 times the average pneumatophore height, in contrast to uniform-height canopies, in which the maximum occurs at approximately the height of the vegetation. The ratios of the within-canopy velocity to the free-stream velocity for the pneumatophores were found to be similar to previous observations with uniform-height vegetation mimics for the same vegetation densities. However, maxima of the scaled friction velocity were two times smaller over the real pneumatophore canopies than for idealized dowel canopies, due to the reduced velocity gradients over the variable-height pneumatophores compared to uniform-height dowels. These findings imply that results from previous studies with idealized and uniform vegetation mimics may have limited application when considering sediment transport and deposition in real vegetation, as the observed turbulence characteristics in nonuniform canopies deviate significantly from those in dowel canopies.

text: Model versus nature: Hydrodynamics in mangrove pneumatophores Water flows through submerged and emergent vegetation control the transport and deposition of sediment in coastal wetlands. Many past studies into the hydrodynamics of vegetation fields have used idealized vegetation mimics, mostly rigid dowels of uniform height. In this study, a canopy of real mangrove pneumatophores was reconstructed in a flume to quantify flow and turbulence within and above this canopy. At a constant flow forcing, an increase in pneumatophore density, from 71 m⁻² to 268 m⁻², was found to cause a reduction of the within-canopy flow velocities, whereas the over-canopy flows increased. Within-canopy velocities reduced to 46% and 27% of the free-stream velocities for the lowest and highest pneumatophore densities, respectively, resulting in stronger vertical shear and hence greater turbulence production around the top of the denser pneumatophore canopies. The maximum Reynolds stress was observed at 1.5 times the average pneumatophore height, in contrast to uniform-height canopies, in which the maximum occurs at approximately the height of the vegetation. The ratios of the within-canopy velocity to the free-stream velocity for the pneumatophores were found to be similar to previous observations with uniform-height vegetation mimics for the same vegetation densities. However, maxima of the scaled friction velocity were two times smaller over the real pneumatophore canopies than for idealized dowel canopies, due to the reduced velocity gradients over the variable-height pneumatophores compared to uniform-height dowels. These findings imply that results from previous studies with idealized and uniform vegetation mimics may have limited application when considering sediment transport and deposition in real vegetation, as the observed turbulence characteristics in nonuniform canopies deviate significantly from those in dowel canopies.

year: 2016

title: Māori and Pacific traditional caregiving practices: Voices from the community

authors: Glasgow, Ali

abstract: Increasing numbers of Māori and Pacific infants are enrolled in early childhood services in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This phenomenon is part of a larger societal trend in which mother return to the workforce within months of their infant’s birth. This development has significant impacts on early childhood service provision, particularly in relation to addressing the cultural needs of infants. A major concern is that Māori and Pacific infants are at risk of cultural deprivation within these services. According to the research reported in this chapter, there is a call within Māori and Pacific communities for Māori and Pacific infants to be raised in culturally responsive ways in early childhood services children’s home language, culture and identity are promoted and maintained. In Aotearoa/ New Zelanad, infant caregiving theory is largely based on Western European theory and principles that promote individualism and independence, and this will be elaborated upon in the chapter. This chapter outlines findings from a nationwide Aotearoa/ New Zealand online survey conducted with Māori and Polynesian Pacific “language nest” teachers on traditional cultural practices for Māori and Polynesian infants. The language nest philosophies and programmes promote culture, language and traditional practices. Respondents expressed the desire for autonomy in providing culturally authentic caregiving practices, and frustration with educational theory and government policies that did not align, or ran contrary to, modern cultural practice. Research findings revealed Māori and Polynesian Pacific traditional cultural values, beliefs and practices, and from this common base is an emerging Polynesian theoretical model of infant caregiving practices. It is anticipated that a Polynesian theory of infant caregiving will guide Aotearoa/ New Zealand’s early childhood education services and government policy, ensuring culturally responsive practices for Māori and Polynesian Pacific infants and their families.

text: Māori and Pacific traditional caregiving practices: Voices from the community Increasing numbers of Māori and Pacific infants are enrolled in early childhood services in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This phenomenon is part of a larger societal trend in which mother return to the workforce within months of their infant’s birth. This development has significant impacts on early childhood service provision, particularly in relation to addressing the cultural needs of infants. A major concern is that Māori and Pacific infants are at risk of cultural deprivation within these services. According to the research reported in this chapter, there is a call within Māori and Pacific communities for Māori and Pacific infants to be raised in culturally responsive ways in early childhood services children’s home language, culture and identity are promoted and maintained. In Aotearoa/ New Zelanad, infant caregiving theory is largely based on Western European theory and principles that promote individualism and independence, and this will be elaborated upon in the chapter. This chapter outlines findings from a nationwide Aotearoa/ New Zealand online survey conducted with Māori and Polynesian Pacific “language nest” teachers on traditional cultural practices for Māori and Polynesian infants. The language nest philosophies and programmes promote culture, language and traditional practices. Respondents expressed the desire for autonomy in providing culturally authentic caregiving practices, and frustration with educational theory and government policies that did not align, or ran contrary to, modern cultural practice. Research findings revealed Māori and Polynesian Pacific traditional cultural values, beliefs and practices, and from this common base is an emerging Polynesian theoretical model of infant caregiving practices. It is anticipated that a Polynesian theory of infant caregiving will guide Aotearoa/ New Zealand’s early childhood education services and government policy, ensuring culturally responsive practices for Māori and Polynesian Pacific infants and their families.

year: 2016