Implications and Impact Infographic x2

In this blog post, I am sharing two infographics that outline historical and technological implications on the field of learning experience design (LXD). The first will explore creating a timeline without the use of generative AI, while the second version will solely use generative AI.

First Creation - No Generative AI Tool Used

The first version was created in Canva without using Generative AI. The timeline is kept simple, focusing on significant events and technological advancements that helped to shape the field of learning experience design. Each point in the timeline is directly connected to a column that describes its impact on LXD, as well as my own development as an emerging LXD professional.

Accessibility was considered throughout the design. I ensured compliance with accessibility standards by using a font size of at least 12 points and checked each that their was sufficient color contrast throughout. All parts of the design were manipulated by me in Canva. In the next creation, we will explore how I used generative AI to create a learning experience timeline.

Image of Experience Design Timeline

Second Creation - Use of Generative AI Tool

For the second timeline creation, I used Venngage. Using their AI tool, I entered the following prompt and kept the information fairly broad:

Create a timeline infographic that outlines significant moments in history for learning experience design and how each one impacts today's learning experience designers. This will include 1910-1956 (foundations and initial theories), 1960-1990 (human centered design approaches), 1990-1998 (tech advancements, and 2007-today (fast-paced learning and use of AI).

The prompt space in Venngage's AI tool was quite large and I could have provided more detail if preferred. However, after the image was generated, I chose not to make any adjustments. Though Venngage offers options to customize a design after it was AI generated, I left the design in it's original state in order to show what generative AI produces from a single prompt.

Image of second creation created in Venngage using their AI tool.

Reflection

Creating the timeline in Canva with no Generative AI support required more time and effort. I had to take time to brainstorm how I wanted the information be displayed, transfer my notes into the text space, and select colors and fonts that had high contrast to ensure their accessibility. Though this took more time, this process had quite a few benefits. First, I knew where the information I wrote was sourced from and that it was accurate. Additionally, the process of creating the infographic on my own helped my own learning and understanding of significant moments in learning experience design. Instead of being a passive learner by allowing AI to write all of the content, I was engaging with the material and applying what I learned through a creative activity.

In using Venngage's AI tool, it took only a few minutes to enter the prompt and for the image to generate. I was impressed that the AI tool created a well organized timeline, with images that related closely to the title of each historical moment and provided some decent descriptions. However, the descriptions were vague and lacked more meaningful details, such as how these points in time directly impacted me or the field of LXD. The years were changed and not fully accurate, so I had additional concerns of the reliability of the information it produced. For initial image creation, the AI tool was very helpful and fast, but the content needed to be checked over to ensure it was descriptive enough and accurate.

Ultimately, though it took more time, the Canva version ensured that the information was accurate, I had ownership over its creation, and I was more engaged in the learning process. The Venngage AI version was great for quick image generation, which would be beneficial when needing help with ideation, but it lacked specificity. Each approach offers affordances and constraints. The most effective strategy may be to combine them to strike a balance between accuracy with efficiency.