A very short overview of the critical steps and components of a successful system diagram.

1. System
Diagramming
Basics
IXDSN-­‐210:
Systems
Tim
Sheiner
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Sheiner
2013
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2. Agenda
The
point
Benefits
and
limitaCons
of
diagrams
The
reference
book
Process
ConvenCons
AnnotaCon
DecoraCon
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3. What
is
the
point
of
system
diagrams?
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4. CommunicaCon.
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5. System
Diagrams
as
a
tool
Benefits
•O#en
actually
worth
one
thousand
words
•Help
you—the
designer—definitely
•Ac:vate
visual
and
spa:al
cogni:ve
machinery
LimitaCons
•Not
dynamic
•Help
others—not
the
designer—maybe
•Can
become
an
end,
rather
than
a
means
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6. A
Reference
Book:
Communica:ng
Design
The
good
things
•Dan’s
POV:
read
chapter
2!
•The
informa:on
architecture
of
the
book
•The
examples
•The
detail
(well
explained
trees)
The
less
good
things
•systems-­‐specific
ar:facts
not
covered
•The
physical
format
of
the
book
•The
detail
(obscures
the
forest)
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Sheiner
2013
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7. Process
suggested
order
of
operaCons
for
construcCng
diagrams
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8. Diagramming
Process 1
1. [Make
a
list
of
the
pieces] 7. [Collaborate]
2. Sketch 1. Share
2. Revisit
Inputs
3. Move
to
final
medium
8. Iterate
4. Color
sparingly
1. Explore
a
different
approach
5. Use
conven:ons
2. Move
stuff
around
6. Label,
label,
label
1adapted
from
CommunicaCng
Design,
pp
18-­‐19
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9. Process:
Sketch
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10. Process:
Place
the
Objects
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11. Process:
Make
Connec:ons
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12. Process:
Refine
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13. The
diagram
AND
the
learning
are
the
valuable
outcomes
~3
hours
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Sheiner
2013
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14. Diagramming
Conven:on
1. Follow
conven:on
2. If
there
is
no
relevant
standard
to
follow,
apply
a
standard
of
consistency
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Sheiner
2013
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15. //
diagramming
conven:on
If
!(relevantStandard)
{
internalConsistency;
}
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16. An
example
of
following
an
ad
hoc
internal
standard...
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17. Diagramming
Conven:ons
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18. Diagramming
Conven:ons
rectangle
=
plug-­‐in
logic
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19. Diagramming
Conven:ons
rounded
rectangle
=
controller
logic
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2013
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20. Diagramming
Conven:ons
round
=
API
type
object
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21. Diagramming
Conven:ons
brackets
=
sub
system
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22. Diagramming
Conven:ons
brackets
=
sub
system
layer:
use
of
different
bracket
styles
conveys
an
actual
difference
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Sheiner
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23. Annota:on
Text
associated
with
the
illustraCon
and
intended
to
clarify
its
meaning.
A
common
kind
of
layer
applied
to
info
graphics.
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24. Notes
notes
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25. Key
key
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2013
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26. Call
out
and
this
is
a
leader
line
this
is
a
call
out
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2013
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27. Decora:on
Imagery,
embellishment,
shading
or
any
kind
of
non-­‐
textual
marks
applied
to
an
illustraCon
to
improve
its
communicaCon
value.
Oben
subject
to
abuse.
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2013
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28. Examples
of
Decora:on
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29. Advice
Master
your
tools.
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30. Advice
Maximize
data-­‐ink
raCo 2.
pixels
devoted
to
non-­‐redundant
informa:on
total
pixels
of
graphic
2Tube,
The
Visual
Display
of
QuanCtaCve
InformaCon,
p.
93
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Sheiner
2013
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31. Advice
Keep
it
simple,
stupid.
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2013
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32. Fin
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2013
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