Information design is recognized as the practice of making complex data & information understandable for a particular audience, but whats often overlooked is the importance of understanding the audience themselves during the process. Rather than rely on intuition or assumptions, information designers need evidence gathered from real people about how they think, feel, & behave in order to inform the design of effective solutions. To do this, they need field research.

In this presentation, Sheila Pontis, PhD will share practical tips for incorporating field research methods (e.g., observations, contextual interviews, etc) in information design projects such as information graphics, wayfinding systems, & interactive visualizations, among others. The principles & techniques covered are also relevant to a range of design fields, including user experience & service design.

The goal of this event is to help you understand & take full advantage of field research, so please come prepared with questions!

Agenda

6:00-6:30 pm: Check-in
6:30-7:30 pm: Presentation with Q&A
7:30-8:00 pm: Mingle

About our Speaker

Sheila Pontis is an information designer bridging theory & practice. Her work & research focus on understanding how people interact with information, particularly the process & methods people use.

She is a partner at Sense Information Design, a New York-area design consultancy promoting understanding in all aspects of collaboration & communication. She has extensive experience teaching in higher education & delivering workshops combining design research & design thinking with information design. She has produced work for diverse industries & organizations in the United States, South America & Europe including Transport for London, Elsevier, Unilever & NHS. She currently teaches courses about information design & design thinking at Princeton University. Sheila is also the author of "Making Sense of Field Research: A Practical Guide for Information Designers," published by Routledge.

Sheila studied Graphic Design at University of Buenos Aires, & went on to specialize in Information Design, receiving her PGDip & MPhil at University of Barcelona. After finishing her PhD in information design at University of the Arts London, she worked as a research associate at University College London.