Writing in the Digital Environment

For our fourth blog post, we are to think a little more concretely about the differences between writing in the digital environment as opposed to print.  Obviously, there are many things to consider when writing in these two very different situations.  For example, when writing in print, one can probably get away with putting forth a little more information, making the piece that is being written a little longer.  Let me clarify.  Say you are writing for a newspaper or magazine, you may have more opportunity to really take your time to explain, provide examples, etc.  When people read newspapers or magazines they are generally sitting down, maybe relaxing or having coffee.  But when writing for the digital audience, the author may have to be more succinct because people are generally  on the go when they are reading digital media.  We read our smartphones or tablets while grabbing a quick bite to eat or walking down the sidewalk.  We don't have time to sit down, prop up our feet and open the newspaper anymore.  Life is changing.


Recently the class had an assignment where we were to create an infographic.  Now, this sounds easier than it actually is.  The purpose of an infographic is to convey a message by using words, pictures, etc.  The point is to try to get your message across quickly and accurately without a lot of unnecessary. . .junk.  I found that this was difficult for me because I tend to want to explain things fully as opposed to using one or two words, or even a sentence, to sum up an idea.  I admire people who can do something like an infographic, or a Prezi, to communicate information.  It actually takes a lot more creativity than I originally expected. 


I also think the choice of design (color, font, images) when writing for print and digital media is extremely important.  One has to consider the audience, purpose and the context among many other things.  I think that when creating a piece that will be read in the digital environment, we must present the reader with something that they can read quickly and grasp fully.  Like I stated earlier, people just don't have time anymore, and information needs to be given to us at lightning speed or we lose interest.  If you are writing for print, I think it's less important to communicate the message quickly.  This brings me back to the infographics.  They are designed to be digested at a fast pace.


I suppose I'd never really considered the differences in writing in these two environments prior to this class.  Since I had never even created a blog post before this semester, I am now better able to appreciate what goes into writing in the digital world.  I prefer to pick up a pencil and write a rough draft but that is kind of hard to do with a keyboard, although I guess one could still hammer out a website on paper first. . .


I think ultimately I prefer digital media as opposed to print. I am just so busy with school, work, home that it's just easier and makes more sense for me to get information from a digital source. But I do still love to prop up my feet and read a good (paper!) book.

Beer: A Comparison of Infographics

For my third blog post I am going to compare three different infographics that focus on beer.  Here goes!

My first example is a fairly simple one.  This infographic is clearly made for the beer novice as it begins by giving the definition of beer along with the pronunciation.  The infographic goes on to give examples of various types of beer including Golden Ale and Dark Lager.  The graphic is easy to read and the picture of the beer glass in the middle with the corresponding colors make for a simplistic approach to learning about different beers.  I think the purpose of this infographic is to give the amateur beer drinker a better idea about various beer types in a clear, straightforward way.


Next up:

So this infographic is definitely busier than the first.  Instead of giving us the basics of beer, this graphic takes it a step further and goes into detail about the world of craft brewing.  Clearly the audience for this graphic is one who already has a firm grasp of beer and is ready to learn the ins and outs of actually making that beer.  The infographic gives specific details such as the estimated number of jobs in the craft brewing industry and the total number of U.S. breweries.


And last but not least:

Another beer glass!  This one is a bit different from the first.  Instead of giving us the basics of beer or information about brewing it, this infographic shows the audience what style of beer pairs well with certain foods.  For example, pale lager goes well with chicken.  Who knew?   I think the audience for this graphic would be someone who has a solid handle on beer but needs a little help in determining the best dishes to pair it with.  This infographic is for people who fall somewhere in between novice and expert.


I think the audience for each graphic is different, as is the purpose.  The first infographic is meant for a beer beginner while the last graphic is directed at the intermediate beer drinker.  Each infographic gives a clear picture of the information it is trying to convey.  In each one, the author has a different intention but I think each of the graphics does a decent job overall.  The dark color scheme for all of the graphics is similar.  I am assuming this was done because beer is mostly dark and while I wouldn't normally like the colors, these particular colors work very well in these infographics.  My favorite is the middle infographic simply because it provides a lot of interesting data.  Which one is your favorite?