TIME ALTERED TIME LINE

TIME ALTERED TIME LINE

CASE STUDY (INFOGRAPHY)

CASE STUDY (INFOGRAPHY)

PROJECT DESIGN ARSENAL

PROJECT DURATION 3 WEEKS

TABLE OF CONTENT

OVERVIEW

OBJECTIVES

RESEARCH

RESEARCH

IDEATION

IDEATION

ITIRATION

RESULT

OVERVIEW

"Time Altered Timeline" illustrates the historical relationship between drugs and society, examining societal attitudes over time and projecting into the future. This visual, research-driven timeline uses coded imagery to depict substance legality, societal acceptance, and functional roles across diverse contexts.

Project Role:

Project Lead, Research Lead, Data Analyst, Survey Conductor, Visual Design Director

Skills:

Research, Data Categorization. Visual Coding, Timeline Design, Infographic Design, Collage Halftone Editing

OBJECTIVES

"Time Altered Timeline" illustrates the historical relationship between drugs and society, examining societal attitudes over time and projecting into the future. This visual, research-driven timeline uses coded imagery to depict substance legality, societal acceptance, and functional roles across diverse contexts.

FINAL DESIGN

"Time Altered Timeline" illustrates the historical relationship between drugs and society, examining societal attitudes over time and projecting into the future. This visual, research-driven timeline uses coded imagery to depict substance legality, societal acceptance, and functional roles across diverse contexts.

RESEARCH

Primary Resources

User Survey, Expert Interview

Research Insight

We conducted a User Survey on 52 participants.


With 84.6% of respondents consuming alcohol, it’s notable that nearly 45.5% would continue even if it became illegal, while 31.8% would choose to abstain and 22.7% remain uncertain. This reflects diverse attitudes toward legality and personal choice in substance use.

Our survey indicates a divide over Functional versus Recreational substance use, with 46.2% expressing concerns about functional use. Surprisingly, 65.4% agree on the acceptability of responsible recreational use, showing an unexpected consensus despite the controversy."

Secondary Resource

Historical Resource Compilation, Data Organization, Data Analysis

Research Insight

Our team gathered 76 historical secondary sources spanning from the 1600s to the Present illustrating the relationship between Substances and Society. Through careful analysis, we uncovered key Political, Cultural, and Economic patterns and insights, revealing how these factors have shaped Societal Attitudes toward substance use over time.

The Opium War

The Opium Wars reveal a history of addiction, resistance, and colonial exploitation, beginning with the British political invasion in 1839 that led to the First Opium War and the imperial control of Hong Kong. Later, Canada’s 1908 Opium Act imposed severe penalties, disproportionately impacting marginalized communities and establishing a legacy of inequality in drug policy. This timeline underscores how historical drug conflicts echo today, highlighting the need for equitable health-focused approaches over punitive measures.

The Racialized History of Cannabis

The history of cannabis reflects racial dynamics and societal perceptions, initially criminalized through fear-driven propaganda targeting Mexican and Black communities, leading to punitive measures like the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act. Despite this, cannabis culture thrived, especially in the 1960s counterculture, prompting advocacy for reform. Gradual legalization, including the 2018 legalization of hemp and Canada's nationwide approval, marks a shift from biased criminalization to health-centered policies. Recognizing cannabis’s cultural and economic significance requires addressing the injustices that shaped its legal history.

The Opium War

Methamphetamine, first synthesized from ephedra in 1893 and enhanced by Akira Ogata in 1919, spurred interest in amphetamines. Gordon Alles introduced Benzedrine as an over-the-counter decongestant, gaining popularity. During World War II, amphetamines were given to soldiers to enhance performance, increasing public awareness. However, this widespread use led to concerns about addiction, as adverse effects were observed in veterans. Growing awareness of these risks prompted regulatory action, and amphetamines were classified as Schedule II drugs, evolving from medical innovations to widely used substances requiring careful control.

More Information on the visual data analyst

IDEATION

Our team developed a collage-style timeline to illustrate the historical progression of drug-related events. Through research, we identified key categories and insights. In meetings, we explored design codes—using color, positioning, and symbols to convey legality, societal attitudes, and functional vs. recreational use. This process transformed complex historical data into an engaging visual narrative.

We designed an Eye Graphic as a visual code within each event card, allowing for quick recognition of the event type.

Eye Graphic Code

We selected a Color Palette inspired by the five primary emotions from the animated film Inside Out, aligning each hue with a key emotional theme in our timeline

Color Palette

We identified themes across events and implemented an Icon Organization System, assigning each theme a distinct icon for clarity and quick identification.

Icon Organization System

We chose Halftone Collage Images to represent each event on the timeline, creating a historical aesthetic that emphasizes its place in history

Halftone Collage

We developed a system that uses image positioning to clearly indicate each event's Legal Status and Societal Attitude, enhancing audience understanding

Social Perspective System

Each Event Card was designed to include key information: the year, event title, eye code, theme, connected significant events, and a brief description.

Event Card

Visual Coding Framework

The visual coding framework provides a cohesive system for interpreting the timeline's data and themes.

Rough Structure

In an early meeting, we reviewed a rough draft and defined the overall structure of the collage-style timeline.

More Information on the visual coding designer

RESEARCH

Primary Resources

User Survey, Expert Interview

Secondary Resource

Historical Resource Compilation, Data Organization, Data Analysis

Research Insight

We conducted a User Survey on 52 participants.


With 84.6% of respondents consuming alcohol, it’s notable that nearly 45.5% would continue even if it became illegal, while 31.8% would choose to abstain and 22.7% remain uncertain. This reflects diverse attitudes toward legality and personal choice in substance use.

Our survey indicates a divide over Functional versus Recreational substance use, with 46.2% expressing concerns about functional use. Surprisingly, 65.4% agree on the acceptability of responsible recreational use, showing an unexpected consensus despite the controversy."

Our team gathered 76 historical secondary sources spanning from the 1600s to the Present illustrating the relationship between Substances and Society. Through careful analysis, we uncovered key Political, Cultural, and Economic patterns and insights, revealing how these factors have shaped Societal Attitudes toward substance use over time.

The Opium War

The Opium Wars reveal a history of addiction, resistance, and colonial exploitation, beginning with the British political invasion in 1839 that led to the First Opium War and the imperial control of Hong Kong. Later, Canada’s 1908 Opium Act imposed severe penalties, disproportionately impacting marginalized communities and establishing a legacy of inequality in drug policy. This timeline underscores how historical drug conflicts echo today, highlighting the need for equitable health-focused approaches over punitive measures.

The Racialized History of Cannabis

The history of cannabis reflects racial dynamics and societal perceptions, initially criminalized through fear-driven propaganda targeting Mexican and Black communities, leading to punitive measures like the 1937 Marijuana Tax Act. Despite this, cannabis culture thrived, especially in the 1960s counterculture, prompting advocacy for reform. Gradual legalization, including the 2018 legalization of hemp and Canada's nationwide approval, marks a shift from biased criminalization to health-centered policies. Recognizing cannabis’s cultural and economic significance requires addressing the injustices that shaped its legal history.

The Opium War

Methamphetamine, first synthesized from ephedra in 1893 and enhanced by Akira Ogata in 1919, spurred interest in amphetamines. Gordon Alles introduced Benzedrine as an over-the-counter decongestant, gaining popularity. During World War II, amphetamines were given to soldiers to enhance performance, increasing public awareness. However, this widespread use led to concerns about addiction, as adverse effects were observed in veterans. Growing awareness of these risks prompted regulatory action, and amphetamines were classified as Schedule II drugs, evolving from medical innovations to widely used substances requiring careful control.

IDEATION

Our team developed a collage-style timeline to illustrate the historical progression of drug-related events. Through research, we identified key categories and insights. In meetings, we explored design codes—using color, positioning, and symbols to convey legality, societal attitudes, and functional vs. recreational use. This process transformed complex historical data into an engaging visual narrative.

Visual coding framework

The visual coding framework provides a cohesive system for interpreting the timeline's data and themes.

Color Palette

We selected a Color Palette inspired by the five primary emotions from the animated film Inside Out, aligning each hue with a key emotional theme in our timeline

Halftone Collage

We chose Halftone Collage Images to represent each event on the timeline, creating a historical aesthetic that emphasizes its place in history

Rough Structure

In an early meeting, we reviewed a rough draft and defined the overall structure of the collage-style timeline.

Social Perspective System

We developed a system that uses image positioning to clearly indicate each event's Legal Status and Societal Attitude, enhancing audience understanding

Icon Organization System

We identified themes across events and implemented an Icon Organization System, assigning each theme a distinct icon for clarity and quick identification.

Eye Graphic Code

We designed an Eye Graphic as a visual code within each event card, allowing for quick recognition of the event type.

Event Card

Each Event Card was designed to include key information: the year, event title, eye code, theme, connected significant events, and a brief description.

More Information on the visual coding designer

ITERATION

Considering feedback from a timeline design expert, we made design adjustments to better guide the audience's attention to the timeline's main focal points, minimzing visual noise, enhancing clarity and engagement.

2024

Beta Version Review

Time Altered

NikonLab

Expert Feedback

2024

2024 ©

created by Diego Alejandro Law

TOP

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TABLE OF CONTENT

OVERVIEW

OBJECTIVES

RESEARCH

IDEATION

ITIRATION

RESULT

TABLE OF CONTENT

OVERVIEW

RESEARCH

RESULT