Project Context
Personal Project
Fall 2023
My Roles
User Research, Wire framing, Prototyping, Analysis, UI Design
Tools
Figma
Illustrator
What Is It About?
Severity of Capital Area Concentration in South Korea
Political, economic, social, and cultural resources have been significantly concentrated in Seoul for a long time, and this issue remains unresolved.
Why Is This a Problem?
Rising Tensions Between Citizens
This situation is a primary cause of conflict between residents of Seoul and those from other regions. Many in Seoul are aware of this concentration phenomenon but lack detailed knowledge and show little interest in researching it further. Additionally, the national discussion does not prioritize this issue.
The Challenge
Quick, Clear Information
This situation is a primary cause of conflict between residents of Seoul and those from other regions. Many in Seoul are aware of this concentration phenomenon but lack detailed knowledge and have little interest in delving deeper, despite ongoing news coverage. Furthermore, this issue is not a priority in national discussions.
How can I create a digital experience that effectively shows the severity of this situation?
My Role
In 2024, I worked solo on a school project for three months, handling everything from data collection and analysis to designing phases like prototyping, ultimately creating a website.
The Process
Define Idea
Research
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Conceptualization
Design
Iterations
Usability Tests
Prototyping
Next Steps
Getting Started
What Should Be Shown for Effective Impact?
I researched data within the realms of population, culture, and economy to effectively illustrate this severity. Below are the data details I collected:
Inside Population
Urban Area Size & Population
The situation's severity is clear because Seoul has a disproportionately large population for its size, while larger areas have fewer people.
Inside Culture 01
Exhibitions & Events
Culturally, most major exhibitions and events are held in Seoul, causing residents from other regions to frequently undergo complex processes like booking hotels.
Starting the Journey
Collecting Data
When collecting data, my primary focus was on the credibility of the information and its ability to illustrate the severity of the situation. Below is a list of the databases from which the data was collected:
KOSIS
The Korean Statistical Service is Korea's official database. It is **trustworthy** and organizes a wide range of information clearly, making it easy to extract data.
Forbes
I obtained data on corporate rankings and headquarters information in selected countries from Forbes' "The Global 200."
Starbucks
Koreans truly love coffee, which relates to the concentration of amenities in the capital region. Half of the Starbucks Reserve locations, which offer a more exclusive service, are situated in Seoul, while many other regions lack these establishments entirely.
Analyzing Data
The collected data was quantified into metric scale units for visualization purposes.
Conceptualizaiton
The Bee Hive Metaphore
I thought the behavior of bees abandoning their hives to move to areas rich in flowers resembled human patterns, which led me to base the overall design on imagery of beehives and flowers.
Sketches throughout the design process
Adapting Through Feedback
Enhancing Structure
Throughout the project, the biggest challenge was creating designs that were easy to understand and visually appealing, yet not overly complex, especially given the unfamiliarity of the topic to many people.
To address this, I conducted two rounds of usability testing with four users who were new to the subject. In the second round of testing, I included an additional four participants to gain fresh perspectives. Below are the improvements made based on the usability testing:
Adding Pages
After conducting two usability tests to gather feedback, I adjusted the project by adding essential pages at each stage. The second iteration included an introduction page to clarify previous misunderstandings, and the final stage featured a page that succinctly explained the project's concept and addressed its core issues.
More Information
I kept the main pages simple and provided additional information on separate pages accessible by clicking on elements. These additional pages offered precise figures and more detailed information.
Adding Different Design
I created a page comparing the capital regions of South Korea and other countries, focusing on population and the locations of the top 10 corporate headquarters (based on 2023 rankings) within those regions. Additionally, I used different visualizations to highlight comparisons between regions within South Korea.
Developing Legends
Initially, the legend was too simplistic and difficult to understand because it lacked detailed information. In the next design, I enhanced the legends to make them clearer. For the final design, I developed a separate pop-out feature for the legends to improve accessibility and clarity.
Initial Problem
Insufficient Information Supporting the Data
Second Design
enhancing legends
Final Design
Separate pop-out for the legends
Improvements I loved
All About Colors
Throughout conducting usability tests, I gained many insights that led to significant improvements in the project. Among the feedback received, a crucial point was the need to enhance accessibility when selecting colors. This led me to reconfigure the color scheme. Below are the key insights that informed these enhancements:
Photo from the usability testing session.
Reducing Eye strain
For my first iteration, I used a bright yellow color reminiscent of bees, and the overall design system incorporated honeycomb cells. After the usability testing, I realized that the vivid color combination was causing eye strain for many people, making it difficult to view the website.
As a solution, I reduced the overall color saturation by using a beige background and shifted to a more calming design.
Color for Everybody
Utilizing the "Coloring for Colorblindness" tool by David Nicholas, I adjusted the color scheme for clarity across all viewers. Crafting a palette that accommodates the various forms of color blindness presented a significant challenge.
More Challenges
It was my first time focusing on color for accessibility, which involved a lot of thoughtful consideration. Below are the key challenges I faced in this process:
Challenge 01
The available color combinations were limited given the amount of information I needed to convey.
Challenge 02
Colors should ensure clarity and visually enrich the overall design.
Solutions
Reduced the color palette to one color per data point.
Employed a combination of patterns and varied shapes to enhance clarity.
Results
By developing a better color structure, I made the data easier to see for everyone and added more information without creating clutter.
Introducing the Solution
Seoul Hive
Seoul Hive visualized the severity of capital region concentration from population to transits in detail.
Next Steps
Thougths
This experience was truly fascinating for me, as I've been drawn to data design for quite some time. It was challenging yet rewarding to present diverse information clearly and cohesively. Regrettably, I couldn't create a more engaging interactive website or include all the initial information I envisioned. However, I plan to keep refining and expanding this project in the future.
Next Steps
Add Education Informations
Education is a very important field in South Korea. The quality of education can significantly affect the distribution of people. Therefore, when discussing the concentration of the population in the capital region, it's an indispensable aspect that I definitely want to add later on.
Transportation problem
South Korea is renowned for its well-developed transportation system. Overall, it's impressive, but a closer look reveals that the organization within Seoul is particularly noteworthy when compared to other regions.
The majority of transportation facilities, such as the subway system, are primarily centered around Seoul, making this topic a fitting subject for discussion.
