Visualizing a Process

Project Background

Darren Wilson provided a critique to help develop a new process for information design. This project focused on visualizing a process, breaking it into clear, digestible steps using visual storytelling techniques. The goal was to make complex or unfamiliar processes easy to understand through diagrams, sequences, or other visual methods.

Key Objectives:

• Analyze a process and deconstruct it into key steps

• Conduct subject, primary, user, and technical research

• Design an effective visualization using typography, color, composition, and imagery

• Communicate information clearly to the target audience

The Challenge

The challenge was to select a complex or unfamiliar process and make it into a visual system that anyone could understand quickly at a glance. The primary user need was a clear, visual explanation that could be understood without prior scientific knowledge. For example, users might struggle with understanding how something works, how it is made or how it changes over time. The process that I selected was “How does a Caterpillar change into a Butterfly?” I felt that many people do not actually know how metamorphosis happens, despite learning about it in elementary school. My visualization involves: 

• Breaking the process into logical steps

• Highlighting key changes in the cycle of metamorphosis

• Ensuring clarity for the intended audience

• Selecting a narrative-over-time visual strategy to effectively communicate the process

Research & Direction

In my research, I discovered that many people do not actually know about the process of metamorphosis and the changes in the life cycle. I decided to do secondary research and primary research to gain a deeper understanding. This allowed me to understand the process better in different stages. 

Design & Rationale 

For this project, I chose to explore the process, “How does a Caterpillar change into a Butterfly?” My goal was to illustrate the complete metamorphosis life cycle, specifically showing how a caterpillar transforms into a monarch butterfly through its four distinct stages. To visualize this process, I used a timeline approach with visuals. I aimed to keep the design clear and straightforward to avoid any confusion when looking at the different stages. For each stage, I made sure that the duration was represented proportionally, reflecting how long each stage takes in days. I chose a horizontal poster format because it felt like the most effective option, given that I visualized the process as a timeline. The typeface chosen for this project was Avenir, as it is easy to read and offers a variety of font families, which help differentiate the categories of each stage.

Outcomes & Learnings

One of the biggest challenges was narrowing the scope of the project. My initial concept explored a more complex and sensitive process, which became visually overwhelming. I initially wanted to do a process based on the topic “What happens to our bodies after we die?” Switching to metamorphosis allowed me to focus on clarity and visual hierarchy.

Through this project, I strengthened my ability to:

• Translate research into visual systems

• Design for specific audiences

• Use timelines to communicate change over time

• Iterate based on critique

Instructor Feedback

Feedback from my design professor, Darren Wilson, said that I did an excellent job of taking a simple process and visualizing it in an understandable way. While reducing explanatory text was suggested, I made a decision to add additional information for less familiar audiences. Overall, this project reinforced the importance of restraint and clarity in information design.