ASSIST

Research visualisation and visual desgin

ASSIST visual data portal website homepage mockup

About the project

Project timeframe: JAN – MAR 2023
Role: Visual designer
Project deliverables: Charts, diagrams, printed materials (posters and brochures), and a responsive website for sharing visuals
Skills: Content planning, visual design, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Figma, Miro, and WordPress

The ASSIST (Attitudes to Shale gaS In Space and Time) is a collaborative research project led by academics from the Universities of Exeter, Bath, Edinburgh, Heriot-Watt, Stirling, and Reading. The project investigates how public attitudes and community responses to shale gas evolve over time and differ across regions in the UK. As a freelance designer, I contributed to the project by creating infographics that effectively visualized key research findings.

Design process

This project required extensive content planning before starting the visual design phase. I dedicated approximately two weeks to reviewing academic papers and research materials to identify and outline the key content for the printed materials. Once the essential content was defined, I created initial drafts of charts and diagrams using subdued or grayscale colors to maintain focus on structure and clarity.

To refine these low-fidelity designs, I used Miro to collect feedback from the research team. Additionally, I conducted several short studies via UsabilityHub.com to gather further input (details provided below).

After finalising the visual designs for the prints, I moved on to designing a responsive website. This platform enabled the research team to download and share the visual materials, including posters, charts, and diagrams, ensuring efficient distribution of the project’s insights.

Design Test

During the design process, I conducted multiple tests to assess the effectiveness of the proposed designs. Each test involved 10-14 adult participants from the UK, with a 50% male and 50% female split. The results from these tests helped determine which designs should be further developed.