How to Balance Media Use
Your task is to create an infographic (1-2 page length) that clarifies the negative effects of overuse or addiction to screens, and helps viewers find alternative, healthier habits resulting in deliberate choices and balanced media use. Try to actually test out your suggestions, don’t just rely on other peoples’ research. Consider Maslow’s Human Needs chart, and how Feelings can reflect when Needs are met or frustrated.
Remember that while these are individual actions, the real changes should also be made in the actual product design.
Review Past Examples by clicking on “Project 2”
- Format: infographic using Canva or Adobe Express, ( free templates ).
- Skill: research, visual design, data visualization & interpretation
- Research: use data from 1) class readings & videos through 9/27, 2) your own research, and/or 3) your own Screen time data–(Turn on Apple’s Screen Time or Google Well Being ). Put links to sources at bottom.
- Why (Portfolio & Career): Demonstrates skill in data visualization and metaphor-driven design, showing you can transform personal or behavioral data about user wellness into creative, meaningful, and accessible media — a skill in demand for design, wellness tech, and communications careers.
Prep Due Sun 9/27
- Research: Review class materials and your own research. List all links to your research materials in your post.
- Design: Develop main ideas and list & explain them. Try out a few of your suggestions & report on the effects–do they actually work? Aim for richness rather than polish.
- Create a rough draft of your infographic in Canva or Adobe Express, ( free templates ).
- Publish your project in WordPress: Publish -publicly, then share & get embed code and add this to your post in the “Code” tab. Add a description of your project: what did you do? How? Why is this important to you?
- Post all of this data in Project 2-Prep
Project Due Sun 10/4
- Revise: Review feedback & refine ideas, add data, refine design.
- Source: Post your 3+ sources to back up your data–you can use required or optional readings or videos from class, but one must be your own resource. List resources with links at the end of your post.
- Post your revised infographic describing what changes you made and why. Include any additional research or testing.