After posting about the sociograms used in my wife’s primary school, I became interested in the different ways in which they are laid out. And, on Google, I found a fascinating piece of research on the different effects of various sociogram layouts.

While sociograms may be associated with classroom dynamics, there is an increasing use of this visual tool for analyzing wider social interactions. Especially networks created on the web.

Because of this greater social application of sociograms, the researchers looked into two aspects: readability and communication (understanding). Yes, as strange as it seems, the two are not taken to be the same thing.

And one of the features that determines the effectiveness of these two outcomes is the way, and degree, that the linking lines cross each other (the technical term is edge crossings).

The research was based on subjects examining and being tested for comprehension on five different types of layout: radial, hierarchical, circular, group and free style. Additionally, each type was represented either with a minimum number of crossed links or with many such crossed lines.

There were several findings but I leave you with the following summary:

“subjects had a strong preference of placing nodes on the top or in the center to

highlight importance, and clustering nodes in the same group and separating

groups to highlight groups. They had tendency to believe that nodes in the

center or on the top are more important, and nodes in close proximity belong to

the same group.”

But overall, the most significant factor determining accurate reading and understanding of the sociograms was the time spent studying them. No surprise there then.

What I did find interesting, and of particular significance to teachers who still believe in the discredited VAK/learning styles cult, is that…

“It should be noted that visualization techniques, which are highly preferred by users, do not necessarily always produce best task performance, as demonstrated in this study.”

Below are the different ways that sociograms layouts that were studied. I have redrawn it for clarity and aesthetic reasons.

Reference:

Layout Effects on Sociogram Perception

Weidong Huang, Seok-Hee Hong and Peter Eades

IMAGEN Program, National ICT Australia Ltd.

I found this diagram on the sofa this morning. It was my wife’s. She works as a deputy head at a primary school and this was a sociogram created from a questionnaire given to Year 2 pupils.

What is a sociogram? In the words of Robin Banerjee…
“A sociogram is a visual representation of interpersonal relationships within a group.”

And why is that particularly important? Again, Roger Banerjee…
“It can be especially useful in an educational context, in order to help teachers and other staff understand more about pupils’ peer relationships. It is often a useful starting point for identifying and addressing the social and emotional needs of pupils.”

In her role as deputy head, my wife uses the sociograms when compiling new class lists for the following year. They become particularly useful in responding to parents with strong views about where their child should or shouldn’t be placed. A quick scan of the sociogram often assuages their concerns about their child being placed in a class with no friends.

Below is the sociogram for Year 2 from my wife’s school. It is based simply on nominated friends (pupils nominated two each).

But how are sociograms made? Once more Roger Banerjee explains…
“Sociograms are made on the basis of pupils’ nominations of classmates in response to questions. The exact wording of the questions can vary depending on the interests, but a common scenario involves asking pupils to nominate three classmates with whom they most like to play/spend time and three classmates with whom they least like to play/spend free time.”

Below is an example of a more complex sociogram based on these two questions. It is taken from Roger Banerjee’s very useful website http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Users/robinb/socio.html  where he gives away sociogram digital tools for PC and Mac. The sociogram is taken from his site, but I have added my own graphic imprint (I have redrawn it).

If you are at all interested in the development or creating of visual storytelling, then this compendium is a must. Oversized, with over 250 pages, it shows the work of the best visual communicators around the world.

There are ingenious ways of representing numerical information and complex ideas that grab your attention and give you a clear and rapid.

The example below is not representative of the book. Where most are pictorial in nature, this is a straight algorithm. But rather tastefully designed.

Reference:

Visual Storytelling (2011), R. Klanten, S. Ehmann & F. Schulze (eds), Gestalten (publishers, Berlin)

ISBN 978-3-89955-375-8

Set in pre-revolutionary Havana, this tale of romance continues to New York, Paris, Hollywood and back to revolutionary Cuba. The artwork is of the Ligne Claire school which is characterised by uniform black lines, block colours and realistic backgrounds.

The book is based on a multi-award winning animated film of the same name that includes both Cuban and bepop music of the era. It’s a film I missed at the time and am delighted to get my hands on these adorable drawings.

Reference:
Chico & Rita (2011), J. Mariscal & F. Trueba, SelfMade Hero (publishers)
ISBN 978-1-906838-29-4

You can download your copies from: http://samuelguerrero.wordpress.com/2011/04/04/visual-instructions-inspire-me-to-draw-more/

We see them every day and take them for granted: our road signs.

They are perfect examples of well-designed, visual instructions. And to be read and understood at a glance.

I found this article again at my dentist and tore out the page from a Readers Digest. It describes the work of typographer Jock Kinneir and art student Margaret Calvert, from initial motorway signage in 1957 to eventual completion of all road signs in 1964.

Next time you’re out and about, have a little closer look at the road signs and marvel at their simplicity and clarity.

Most are well–known, some of which have been given a visual representation for the first time. Others were new to me. Together they are a highly practical reference point for any manager.
And even for teachers. Many of these tools could be used as part of a problem–solving activity.

The book has an accompanying website where more frivolous and humourous examples are given, one of which is shown below.

References:
The Decision Book: fifty models for strategic thinking, by Profile Books, ISBN 978-1846683954
http://50topmodels.wordpress.com 

Back in 1947, champion French downhill skier Emile Allais and photographer Pierre Boucher teamed up to produce this highly innovative instructional book on skiing techniques (“How to ski by the French method: Emile Allais technic” )

Just a few years ago José de Souza used this example in his PhD on visual instructional techniques. Visit his website to see more examples (http://publish.wordpress.com/2008/11/02/how-to-ski/#comment-1179).

Apparently this is quite a classic and copies can go for as much as £700 in antique bookshops.
Notice how the background has been cut out, predating the Dorling Kindersley method,  in order to reduce visual noise and accent the signal. Also note how the images and annotations work well together.

Yes, another Christmas present story. The Photographer is an astounding book. It’s 250 pages of photojournalism and comic book drawings of a Médecins Sans Frontiers/Doctors Without Borders project in Afghanistan starting from 1986.

I’d never seen such a combination of photographs and drawings. The drawings themselves are a form of Ligne Claire style, formulated by Hergé the originator of the Tintin stories.

It’s a magnificent book and I recommend it highly.

Reference:

The Photographer (2003), E. Guibert, D. Lefevre & F. Lermercier, First Second,

ISBN 978-1-59643-375-5

That toy, as you can see, is a Meccano set. And in this instance it is of a seaplane from the Tintin story Shooting Star. As you can imagine, it’s all part of the big sell-on arising from the recent Tintin film.

But back to the point. Just look at the fabulous visual instructions. So very clear and simple to follow. The isometric projections allow you to see exactly the positions and relationships of all the parts.

Of perhaps some interest to some of you, Meccano was invented by Frank Hornby (of train set fame) in 1901. And that the term Meccano stemmed from Make and Know.