Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Ohio University, 2019, Studio Art

This thesis is the written component of a larger project which includes the website: womensworkdesign.com. This project applies the research methodologies of feminist art historians to a study of graphic design history, then uses the tools of digital communication for public dissemination. This paper seeks not only to resurrect female graphic designers excluded from the historical canon but to question the nature of their exclusion. Through an applied analysis of the current model of graphic design history this paper explores three case studies to conceptualize and demonstrate a more inclusive historical approach. This approach explores themes that each of these female graphic designers were engaging with through their lives and work and introduces that information to the digital space using womensworkdesign.com.

Committee: Dori Griffin (Advisor) Subjects: Communication; Design; Fine Arts; Gender Studies

MFA, Kent State University, 2016, College of Communication and Information / School of Visual Communication Design

Post-industrial cities today are experiencing an influx of new generations moving into local urban communities. Street culture and walkable downtowns and districts are progressively developing in these urban areas, and the need is present for safer and interconnected bicycle infrastructure. Research has proven that the success of a walkable and bikeable environment plays a significant role in the comprehensive sustainability of a city. Therein lies an opportunity for design to help foster environmental experiences involving the urban streetscape. Experiential, or environmental, graphic design elements can improve the safety and connectivity of bicycle pathways for the betterment of the city as a whole. This investigation explores the value that environmental graphic design elements can contribute to the development of safer bicycle pathways, and further examines the role of wayfinding increasing the connectivity of urban bicycle networks. A case-study design investigation was executed involving districts and roadways in the near-west downtown Cleveland, Ohio area. The location is a primary link connecting west side neighborhoods to downtown Cleveland spanning three urban districts, making it a relevant area of study. This study uses design research tactics and prototypes to further understand how design can improve the user experience of Cleveland's bicycle pathways.

Committee: Ken Visocky O'Grady MFA (Advisor); Jessica Barness MFA (Committee Member); David Middleton MFA (Committee Member) Subjects: Design

MFA, Kent State University, 2012, College of Communication and Information / School of Visual Communication Design

This research explores the hypothesis that the identity and environmental design of a business, whether created intentionally or not, attracts customers because it affirms some aspect of the customer's self-concept. Two online surveys featuring photo-simulated shopping experiences in eight shopping scenarios—grocery stores, book stores, shoe stores, bakeries, wine stores, coffee shops, sit-down restaurants, and clothing stores—were distributed to online survey participants to evaluate self-concept, purchasing behavior, the application of retail patron images, store choice, and consumer perception of brand personality. Although connections to self-conflict were not conclusive, the findings of this research imply that consumers make judgments about the quality and availability of merchandise and service based on the exterior of a business. Consumers are also able to convey whom they think shops at a given store, an additional motivator for patronage. The research displays that it is important for retailers to have an understanding of their target audience in order to connect with them, and that predictive value may lie in consumer preference for similar store types.

Committee: Ken Visocky O'Grady (Committee Chair); Sanda Katila (Committee Member); Jerry Kalback (Committee Member) Subjects: Aesthetics; Architectural; Business Community; Design; Interior Design; Urban Planning

MFA, Kent State University, 2024, College of Communication and Information / School of Visual Communication Design

This thesis investigates the ways in which drawing can be used to improve memory. Human memory can often be unreliable. Because of this, memory refresher systems called mnemonics are frequently used in written and visual learning systems to aid in the recall of important information. Among the many forms of visual mnemonics, drawing has proven to be a successful aid. Previous research into the topic has shown drawing to be highly effective in elevating recall. Unfortunately, drawing mnemonics are not widely utilized. Additionally, there has been limited academic discussion or research from the perspective of artists or designers. There has yet to be any form of research into how skills developed as an illustrator can improve the success of drawing-based mnemonics. The improvement of perception has been shown to improve the memory of professionals when working in their fields. Additionally, improving in drawing has been shown to improve an individual's perception and mental visualization. This research aims to isolate the elements of drawing education that can be learned to improve one's perceptual skills and the mnemonic quality of drawing. The tests conducted throughout this research also utilize AI image generation to test and strengthen mental imaging and perceptual abilities. Findings from the thesis demonstrate the beneficial uses of drawing and artificial intelligence to improve mental processing in artists and non-artists.

Committee: Chad Lewis (Advisor); Jessica Barness (Committee Member); Gretchen Rinnert (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education; Artificial Intelligence; Design; Education

MFA, Kent State University, 2023, College of Communication and Information / School of Visual Communication Design

This thesis explores the relationship between design thinking methodologies and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The work includes a case study of a national advertising campaign conducted by the author, a designer for Bellwether Enterprise (BWE), examining the transformative and adaptable nature of design thinking in shaping marketing projects. It emphasizes its influence on the perception and strategic direction of CSR efforts within the company. The research comprises two main themes: the examination of design thinking methods and their impact, and the exploration of CSR in terms of internal employee engagement and external effects on client relationships and business growth. The paper highlights how CSR enhances brand development with design thinking as a guiding framework, focusing on audience understanding, value proposition definition, and the creation of a visually and verbally coherent brand identity. The second section of the thesis centers on BWE's "Working Together" advertising campaign, celebrating a decade-long partnership with Enterprise Community Partners. The campaign involved in-person interviews with residents in affordable housing communities across the United States, emphasizing visual storytelling through documentary-style short films, portrait photography, written content, a microsite, and a 3D online exhibition. The paper evaluates the campaign's effectiveness, discussing outcomes, addressing challenges, and offering recommendations for future content creation using design thinking principles. The project aimed to authentically depict the experiences of affordable housing residents, contributing to BWE's CSR initiatives. The author's application of design thinking principles facilitated creative and innovative engagement strategies, aligning the campaign with the needs of both the organization and its audience. This thesis serves as a comprehensive exploration of the transformative potential of design thinking wh (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Jessica Barness MFA (Advisor); Ken Visocky-O'Grady MFA (Committee Member); Sanda Katila MFA (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Design; Marketing

MDES, University of Cincinnati, 2023, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Design

Experiential Graphic Design (EGD) is a multidisciplinary design field that is rarely found in post-secondary design education. Entry-level Experiential Graphic Designers typically face a steep learning curve when they enter the EGD field because they need specific skills, knowledge, and personal attributes to design for the built environment. The entry-level position is open to multidisciplinary backgrounds, but an interdisciplinary mindset is necessary for success. Implementing the EGD discipline into post-secondary design education would better prepare entry-level designers to meet today's design challenges and provide students with greater awareness of skills and attributes needed for a career in the EGD field. This case study uses a mixed method convergent design approach to gather qualitative and quantitative data from a questionnaire to fully understand the entry-level Experiential Graphic Design position. Ten industry professionals are recruited through convenience sampling and purposive sampling for the participant's experience level. From the qualitative and quantitative data gathering, data analysis is conducted using data screening, the structural coding method, and the Designers' Professional Identity framework. An interdisciplinary Experiential Design (EXD) certificate program is designed for post-secondary education, at the University of Cincinnati, with four components — the Society of Experiential Graphic Design's (SEGD) Core Competencies, mentorship, reflective practices, and the Designers' Professional Identity (DPI) framework. These components are the foundation of the EXD program and are used to create the five courses and one co-operative (co-op) experience that meets the needs of the entry-level experiential graphic design position. This EXD certificate program can educate students on leveraging relationships, interactions, and the interconnection of people, places, and artifacts that comprise an experiential graphic designer's p (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Muhammad Rahman M.Des. (Committee Member); Vittoria Daiello Ph.D. (Committee Chair) Subjects: Design

MFA, Kent State University, 2023, College of Communication and Information / School of Visual Communication Design

This research explores the impact of shelter design on the behavior, well-being, and adoptability of shelter dogs, as well as the experience of potential adopters and visitors. The research questions investigate various aspects of shelter design, including physical environment, layout and flow, cage design, enrichment items, and the role of lighting, color, and sound. By examining these factors, this study aims to provide insights into how shelter design can be optimized to enhance the experience for all involved and increase the likelihood of successful adoptions.

Committee: David Middleton (Advisor); Ken Visocky O'Grady (Committee Member); Jessica Barness (Committee Member) Subjects: Animal Sciences; Animals; Behavioral Psychology; Communication; Marketing

MFA, Kent State University, 2023, College of Communication and Information

The combination of variable fonts and digital signage presents a unique and practical solution to the various challenges wayfinding systems face. These challenges include issues with readability, monolingual signage, low visibility, minimal readership, material waste, and limited adaptability to environmental conditions and space functionality. Variable fonts, on the other hand, are incredibly versatile and adaptive. They can be easily modified, and their display methods can be customized for any resolution or medium, static or digital. With new infrastructures and spaces emerging, typographic and display technologies are continually evolving. Designers must capitalize on and leverage these advancements to instill a better experience for those interacting with them. This investigation examines the directional attributes of a partially formed typeface to ascertain whether typography alone can aid users in navigating a given space. The findings of this investigation set the foundation for shaping the future of environmental graphic design and type design.

Committee: David Middleton (Advisor); Aoife Mooney (Committee Member); Jessica Barness (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Design; Instructional Design; Technology

Master of Science (MS), Wright State University, 2022, Computer Science

Education about implicit bias in clinical settings is essential for improving the quality of healthcare for underrepresented groups. Such a learning experience can be delivered in the form of a serious game simulation. WrightLIFE (Lifelike Immersion for Equity) is a project that combines two serious game simulations, with each addressing the group that faces implicit bias. These groups are individuals that identify as LGBTQIA+ and people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The project presents healthcare providers with a training tool that puts them in the roles of the patient and a medical specialist and immerses them in social and clinical settings. WrightLIFE games are distributed on both mobile and desktop devices and go through the entire cycle of providing healthcare professionals with experiential learning, which starts with defining the goals of the simulation and ends with collecting feedback. In this thesis work, cross-platform software frameworks like the Unity Engine have been used to develop survey scenes to comprehensively document users' pre- and post-simulation experience and attitudes towards implicit bias. Life course scenes were designed to convey an enhanced user experience that bridges the socio-technical gap between the real and virtual worlds. By applying existing user-experience design methodologies to design the survey scenes and life course scenes, it was possible to create an immersive experiential-learning assessment tool that has the potential to deliver data-driven and targeted learning.

Committee: Ashutosh Shivakumar Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Yong Pei Ph.D. (Committee Co-Chair); Paul J. Hershberger Ph.D. (Committee Member); Thomas Wischgoll Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Computer Engineering; Computer Science

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2022, Design

This is a scholarly personal narrative about the author's three-year journey leading to the development of the Recycling Distraction, a website designed to raise awareness of the shortcomings of municipal recycling. Based on research by environmental historians, sociologists, and economists, the Recycling Distraction presents a critical perspective on America's reliance on municipal recycling for managing post-consumer waste. Through the website, the author challenges the longstanding corporate practice of individualizing environmental responsibility to avoid anti-litter regulations, and argues that companies should be held responsible for their proportionate share of environmental damage caused by single-use disposable products. This paper documents the author's experience learning the fundamentals of user-experience (UX) research as an MFA candidate in the Department of Design. During the journey, the author navigates the landscape of sustainability programs at The Ohio State University, and searchers for opportunities to conduct UX research to support the development of circular-economy initiatives at the institution. Following a series of exploratory design activities, including: (1) conducting user-experience inquiries into recycling-related problems; (2) designing digital solutions aimed at improving recycling participation; (3) reviewing recycling and circular-economy literature; and (4) reflecting upon on his experiences, the author redirects his efforts toward raising awareness of recycling's failure to reduce waste and prevent pollution, which culminates with the development of the Recycling Distraction project.

Committee: Yvette Shen (Advisor); Bartow J. Elmore (Committee Member); Paul J. Nini (Committee Member) Subjects: Design

MDES, University of Cincinnati, 2019, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Design

The digital age has affected the whole music industry and has become a part of cultural evolution. The music industry has continued to transform over time and we are currently in a major shift due to technology and digital music. There are many aspects that can be evaluated, however, this thesis will investigate music album cover design. Through the design of music album covers, designers help brand musicians and the cover introduce musicians name, the album name and set the tone for the listeners. Music listeners are now mostly seeing music covers as small icons if they see any music covers at all. Currently, people aren't getting to experience cover design as they did in the past, therefore, they're losing the story aspect of album visuals. The question being asked: Are graphic design principles still being applied in digital album cover design to create a visual narrative? This thesis analyzed what graphic design principles play a role in the visual narrative that is seen on music cover design. Research methods conducted were surveying, card sorting, era mapping, narrowing down of music genre and album cover analysis to gain insights. The study will determine if music cover design still conveys a visual narrative, is still important, and relevant in the digital age.

Committee: Renee Seward Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Yoshiko Burke M.F.A. (Committee Member) Subjects: Design

MFA, Kent State University, 2019, College of Communication and Information / School of Visual Communication Design

Utilizing co-design to analyze the role of technology in design studio pedagogy, by considering its future capability to transform and enhance learning. This study aims to improve online learning in visual communication design education through the use of co-design methods to create alternative concepts for design education. This study evaluates the opportunity to move beyond the space of a traditional classroom and embrace technology to enhance learning and facilitate participatory culture in the design classroom.

Committee: Gretchen Rinnert (Advisor); Jillian Coorey (Committee Member); Jessica Barness (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Design; Education; Fine Arts

Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Ohio University, 0, Studio Art

Based on Gerard Hofstede's theory of cultural dimensions, this packaging design thesis demonstrates how cultural concepts can be portrayed through visual language, intertwining social psychology and graphic design. The creative project aimed to stimulate dialogue for viewers to ascertain the countries' opposing societal values and behaviors, given the container designs. Furthermore, the following thesis strove to directly convey the most significant aspects of the dimensions through fundamental elements of design, form and color. Containers, as the medium for representing the unalike cultures, provided an innovative perspective on the dimensions. The masculinity versus femininity dimension was omitted from this study.

Committee: Mark Franz (Advisor) Subjects: Design; Social Psychology

MDES, University of Cincinnati, 2019, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Design

The student experience at educational institutes is affected by a variety of factors – academic as well as non-academic. Certain key factors related to uncertainties during a student's time at the Institute play an outsized role in determining the quality of the student experience. In spite of knowing the factors affecting student experience and developing solutions to tackle the issues, the problem of stress affecting student experience remains endemic across college campuses. Resources provided by educational institutes to address the problem remain under-advertised and under-utilized among students. The data collected by the University of Cincinnati (UC) Student Wellness Center and the Counseling and Psychological Services show that within the previous year 57.4% of the students felt overwhelming anxiety, 49.9% felt things were hopeless, 36.3% felt so depressed that they difficulty functioning and 59.1% felt very lonely. These statistics point to a problem which is also existent on UC campus. This thesis developed tools to help undergraduate design students at UC deal with stress through interventions focused on positive coping mechanisms. The system is a wellness tool-kit which can be adapted or tailored by students to deal with various other stresses in different situations. The data gathered for this research study was derived from two primary sources, undergraduate Communication Design (CODE) students and experts from wellness experts across campus. Student data for identifying the source of the stress was collected from observations, surveys, focus groups, and poster studies. Data for understanding stress factors came from expert interviews with undergraduate CODE professors, representatives from the UC Student Wellness Center, and researchers and psychologists from the UC Counseling and Psychological Services. Tool development was rooted in understanding how stress affects the students, based on insights derived from the research data. To help student (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Claudia Rebola Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Renee Seward (Committee Member) Subjects: Design

MFA, Kent State University, 2018, College of Communication and Information / School of Visual Communication Design

Though there has been increased discourse on non-Latin type design practice within the type design community in recent years, there still exists a need for many more high-quality digital typefaces in most of the world's written languages—societies, who, without these resources, are less able to contribute to global discussions. As a result, this thesis uses a number of different methods to analyze the pathways in multi-script type design research, examine the expansive relationship between typography and culture, and investigate the relationship between anthropological methods and the type design process. The questions posed include: how does one become prepared to design an effective and well-researched typeface in a new script? How does one research a new script? Does the use of anthropological research methodologies increase a type designer's understanding of a script's cultural context, and therefore increase the success of their design practice? If so, to what extent, and in particular, which aspects of the contextual typographic culture should the designer investigate? How does an understanding of the relationship between type and design affect this research process? As a catalyst for further practice and discussion of these topics, a comprehensive research framework outlines best practices when pursuing type design research in a non-native script. By utilizing anthropological and human-centered design research methods in the process of creating multilingual type systems, as well as examining culture, a non-speaking designer can begin to gain a wider, more global sense of typography, as well as better understanding for the needs of the global community for whom they are designing.

Committee: Aoife Mooney (Advisor); Ken Visocky-O'Grady (Committee Member); Sanda Katila (Committee Member) Subjects: Design

Master of Fine Arts, Miami University, 2017, Art

There is a communication gap between farmers in Lerida, Tolima and colombian climate entities which contains information that is vital to better control farming operations. This project addresses this problem by improving the communication platforms between farmers and the technology available to help farmers by using design. The goal of this project was to enhance communication platforms between farmers and climate entities, different design theories and UI/UX tools were implemented to improve this communication. Currently, the design solutions and technologies available to rural farmers are not effective, accurate or user-friendly, these technologies were not designed with rural farmers in mind, they do not have access to the information that they need on a platform that is easy to navigate. This research aims to to enable farmers to get the information they need. It was economically relevant to invest in this problem in the area: Lerida, Tolima. because rice field farms are the first employment opportunity in town (Yanes, 2013). Mitigation adaptations and better communication would be very beneficial to the area (Ramirez-Villegas, n.d.).

Committee: Dennis Cheatham (Advisor); Erin Beckloff (Committee Member); James Coyle (Committee Member) Subjects: Agriculture; Design; Fine Arts; Instructional Design; Latin American Studies; Web Studies

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2017, Design

Design for Sustainability (D4S) is the process of incorporating environmental considerations into design practice (including environmental impacts, renewable and recyclable materials, material and project processes, etc.). Graphic and Print Designers have yet to fully embrace D4S incorporation for various reasons—fear of losing clients, not knowing how to apply D4S without negatively impacting their work, and a lack of education on the subject are among them. The purpose of this thesis is to explore ways to motivate a change in Graphic Design processes toward more environmentally sustainable processes. The original path of this research was to create a tool for Graphic Designers to use to assess the potential environmental impacts of their projects at the beginning of the design process. Through a series of surveys and interviews with design professionals, it became clear that the issue could not be resolved by a tool alone. The challenge was reframed to focus on the larger context of who could use the tool as well as how they might collaborate in its use on print projects. The reframing resulted in a Journey Map that encompasses the tool concept and all of the `players' that might use it, including Design players (e.g., Graphic and Production Designers, Art and Creative Directors) and Design-Adjacent players (e.g., Clients, Management, Project Managers, and Vendors) in an ongoing process. Its purpose is to motivate them to start, as well as guide them along the journey toward sustainable design. There is a significant need for the Graphic Design field to evolve and become a greater advocate for the environment, given the resources we require of it for our work. This research offers an opportunity for Designers to educate themselves and take the lead on making print projects that showcase D4S thinking. Designers should take the lead, and also collaborate with Design-Adjacent partners to move the industry forward.

Committee: Elizabeth Sanders (Committee Chair); R. Brian Stone (Committee Member); Blaine Lilly (Committee Member); Noel Mayo (Committee Member) Subjects: Design; Environmental Studies; Sustainability; Technology

MFA, Kent State University, 2016, College of Communication and Information / School of Visual Communication Design

What are the sensory limits of design? Will emerging technologies continue to push design into new realms of practice? How can multimodal environments adapt to users providing more holistic sensory experiences? What is the role of a graphic designer, in the growing world of multimodal design? My thesis research investigates the ways audio and visual cues combine to create more dynamic and immersive environments. These two sensory medias may increase comprehension of information, engagement, and navigation within a designed environment experience. A preliminary investigation surrounds multimodal design, focusing on the use of multisensory interaction design. The research will then turn to the practice of designing sound and design utilizing sound. During this study I documented my process through a video diary and photos of my journey into incorporating audio media into small video base test experiments and large scale multistage designed environments. Sound connects. It asks us to surrender ourselves and to immerse ourselves in the sensory world and in participatory experience. It incorporates and creates communion. With sounds, there is opportunity to better understand how these two medias work together, with the goal to eventually enrich user comprehension, engagement, and navigation while in an environment.

Committee: Jessica Barness M.F.A. (Advisor); Ken Visocky O’Grady M.F.A. (Committee Member); Daphne Peters M.A./M.F.A. (Committee Member) Subjects: Design

MDES, University of Cincinnati, 2015, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning: Design

There are many brand identity guidelines currently being used in the field of graphic design, yet none of them has been specifically created for cross-cultural brands. The aim of the study was to create the methodologies for designing cross-cultural brand identity. The case of Thai Dessert Brand Identity in Cincinnati was conducted and the observations, problems, questions and findings throughout the design process were documented. The methodologies for identifying the appropriate cultural element for the design phase included the primary research, which involved qualitative research method through an in-depth interview as well as quantitative research method through online surveys, and the secondary research in fundamental design principles and existing branding strategy models are studied to help create the framework. To facilitate the data analysis of the qualitative research, the main steps of thematic analysis were applied. The primary result from the design project yields the Brand identity design for the brand `Kati-Kala' with the essential brand assets that are well accepted by the target audience in Cincinnati. The Cross-cultural Branding Design Framework was built using analysis of the documented observations and problems during the design project. Overall the research study provides useful insights for designers and business owners who seek to create visual identity for their brand in foreign countries, as well as emphasizing the importance of understanding the cultural aspects of the brand to create an identity blend that facilitate business success.

Committee: Craig Vogel M.I.D. (Committee Chair); Todd Timney M.F.A. (Committee Member) Subjects: Design

Master of Arts, University of Akron, 2014, Theatre Arts-Arts Administration

Informative content and visual presentation are each critical when providing a meaningful museum experience for both the casual and sophisticated visitor. For an effective learning experience to take place, knowledge must be turned into information then work in tandem the principles of graphic and exhibition design to achieve successful visual communication. This topic is important to explore because although there are experts in this field, the concepts need to be distilled for a wider audience of museum administration professionals– in all key departments of the museum personnel structure. A succinct document will greatly enhance the collective understanding of the obvious public function of museums and exhibitions, to reveal their higher purpose, which is education. This paper could provide a museum director, education director, curator or an exhibition designer with the incite needed to put together a museum show that is interesting, engaging and educational. It would also be an informative resource for those interested in the new technology developments used to aid a museum visitor.

Committee: Sapienza Neil Mr. (Advisor); Durand Pope Mr. (Committee Member); Gary Holliday Dr. (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Education; Arts Management; Design; Museum Studies; Museums; Technology