Strategies for Graphic Design aimed at the Multiple Sclerosis Community The Development of the Inclusion Framework to Assist in Design Thinking and Visual Communication Artifacts A thesis submitted to the School of Visual Communication Design, College of Communication and Information of Kent State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts by Andrew Fogle august, 2016 Thesis written by Andrew B. Fogle A.A.S., Sinclair Community College, 2010 B.F.A., Kent State University, 2014 M.F.A., Kent State University, 2016 Approved by Ken Visocky O’Grady, M.F.A., Advisor School of Visual Communication Design Jamie Kennedy, M.F.A., Interim Director School of Visual Communication Design Amy Reynolds, Ph.D., Dean, College of Communication and Information Table of Contents LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................vii PREFACE .............................................................................................................ix AckNOWledgmeNts ...........................................................................................x CHAPTER I: Introduction ......................................................................................1 Background ....................................................................................................2 Thesis Intent ...................................................................................................2 CHAPTER II: MS and Common Symptoms ..............................................................3 Multiple Sclerosis ............................................................................................3 Types of MS ...................................................................................................3 Relapsing-Remitting MS .................................................................................4 Secondary Progressive MS ..............................................................................4 Primary Progressive MS ..................................................................................5 Progressive-Relapsing MS ...............................................................................5 Common Symptoms ........................................................................................7 Fatigue ...........................................................................................................7 Cognition .......................................................................................................8 Visual Impairment ..........................................................................................9 CHAPTER III: Visual Communication and Design ..................................................12 Issues with Access ..........................................................................................12 ADA, SEGD and Laws.......................................................................................12 Graphic Design ...............................................................................................13 Problem Space and Solution Space ...................................................................14 III CHAPTER IV: The National Multiple Sclerosis Society ............................................16 Communication Materials Aimed at the Multiple Sclerosis Community ...............16 Unstructured Interview with Manager of Research at the National MS Society ....17 Unstructured Interview with Creative Director of the National MS Society .........19 CHAPTER V: Survey Development and Results .......................................................21 Development ..................................................................................................21 Survey Goals ..................................................................................................22 Outcomes .......................................................................................................22 CHAPTER VI: Personas .........................................................................................23 Background ...................................................................................................23 Molly .............................................................................................................23 Gared .............................................................................................................24 Bea ............................................................................................................24 Anthony ........................................................................................................25 Persona Use within the Framework .................................................................. 26 CHAPTER VII: The MS Inclusion Framework Guidelines ........................................27 Easy-to-Read ..................................................................................................27 Legibility and Readability ...............................................................................28 Aspects of Legibility ........................................................................................29 X-Height’s Relationship to Legibility .................................................................29 Typographic Selections ....................................................................................32 IV Serif Versus Sans-Serif ...................................................................................35 Typographic Sizes ..........................................................................................37 Type Weights ..................................................................................................37 Expanded and Condensed ................................................................................39 Spacing Issues with Typography ......................................................................40 Typography Conclusions from IFS ....................................................................40 Page Layout and Grid Structure ........................................................................41 Line Length ....................................................................................................42 Typographic Alignment ...................................................................................44 White Space is not Negative Space ....................................................................45 The Golden Ratio .............................................................................................46 Grid and Layout Insights from Survey ..............................................................47 “Gestalt” Principles .........................................................................................48 Similarity ......................................................................................................49 Figure-Ground Relationship ............................................................................50 Closure ...........................................................................................................51 Continuation ..................................................................................................51 Proximity .......................................................................................................52 Conclusions ....................................................................................................53 Color .............................................................................................................53 Color Contrast, Hue and Lightness ...................................................................55 Typography and Color .....................................................................................56 Color Insights from Survey ..............................................................................58 Photography & Representation .........................................................................59 Poster-Children ..............................................................................................59 Disability as a Symbol—Visual and Metaphoric .................................................60 V Photography Insights from Survey ...................................................................62 Production .....................................................................................................63 Binding Methods .............................................................................................64 Digital Files ....................................................................................................64 Conclusion ......................................................................................................65 CHAPTER VIII: Focus Groups ................................................................................66 Development ..................................................................................................66 Focus Group 1 ..................................................................................................67 Focus Group 2 .................................................................................................71 Focus Group 3 .................................................................................................72 Conclusion ......................................................................................................73 CHAPTER IX: Quantifying the