OUGD405 // End Of Module // Self-Evaluation

1.  What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?


I have really pushed and developed my research skills throughout this module. I have learned new techniques when researching which have made it clear which method is appropriate to undertake for what information i need to take away from it. I have also learned how important the research process and methods are, and that it is something that needs to be handled with the correct way in order to get the best out of whatever the brief is. 


I think when it come to applying  the research methods to the briefs, i have been in control. I have never been stuck for a direction to take when researching and feel that i have done the correct, appropriate and sufficient research in order to get the best information to make me intelligent enough to know what i'm doing when it comes down to designing, and also to include in my design. 


On the practical side of things, i have developed new styles of graphic design. I am really pleased that i took a risk and went with a style that i have been interested in for a while, but never had the confidence and appropriate brief to try it out in. I think this is a little bit of a risk, but then again, i want to experiment as much as i can in my first year and i am really pleased with the final results. 


Looking back over to the 'How To' Brief, i feel that i built skills in working in a group. It was a little bit stressful at first, but i feel by the end of the brief we was all really pulling together and working on the same wavelength. I think it is important to understand the creative differences of other designers and artists and realise that bringing in so much different knowledge and backgrounds is a really good way to collaborate, learn from each other, and get some really interesting final pieces. It is good having people of a similar age with the same passion of design around you in the studio, it helps push your design further and is a good to bounce ideas off each other.








2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?


Again, as i have mentioned above, i feel that i understand how important the research process is to the design process and maybe even more important that the actual 'designing'. I feel i will never start a project in the same way now rushing into designing things without having the appropriate research. Having good research in my opinion makes the world of difference when it comes to producing ideas for design. 


Working in different formats that i am used to was a good way to develop my knowledge and skills in different fields of design. For example, for the 'How To' brief,  i managed to design the full interface for an App which is something i have never done before. I designed, printed and created a zine for the '100 Things' brief as well as posters and postcards, where i had to develop my skills working in InDesign and sorting out layouts for print as well as the actual design. I feel  


In both briefs but particularly the '100 Things' brief, i have been working much more on design sheets, contemplating many different designs and layouts and trying to get as many ideas down as possible before i start working digitally. I feel that this helps with time keeping and keeps me from getting stuck for ideas when i begin to work digitally. I feel that my work style and the way that i work id changing for the better. In the relatively short time of being here, i feel that my time management skills are really improving and just the fact that i am constantly working with design and has now become a lifestyle more so than it already was. 










3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?


In both briefs I feel that i have developed new styles in my work that have worked well in my opinion. I have wither been challenged or challenged myself to work outside of my comfort zone and experiment with different things. 


In the '100 Things' Brief, i was heavily influenced by the minimalist swiss style which i have been interested in for a while now. In the past i would never had created something so minimalistic for a final product, just because i wouldn't really have the confidence to. In the past i have been trying to 'show what i can do', but i feel that by experimenting with different styles, i can become a more versatile designer and really try and find a field that i belong in. I am also really pleased with the results of some of the finals for this brief, i feel that i have executed my ideas in a sleek, professional way, even though i am already become bored of them, and want to challenge myself again. 


In the 'How-To' brief, i was the person who designed and put together the interface for our main product, The Smart Phone App. I feel that again by working on something completely new, it was a challenge but i feel that i used the appropriate style of design for this, and this meant changing some of the ways i would normally design and working to a different grid format that i had never done before. By creating the logos and interface design for the app, i felt that it put me in some sort of 'leader' role. The other people in the group was designing logo's and bits and pieces for me to bring it all together in the end, so i feel by doing this, and taking in this role was a real strength to the group and having an organised team like this was really successful in the long run. 








4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?


I feel that in the '100 Things' brief, my work only started to get really exciting towards the end when i started taking a slightly different route and changing the way i was looking at things. I am pleased with the final results but believe that a lot of time was wasted creating the initial set of postcards, which i don't really think are successful now i look back on them. 


In the same brief, i also kind of wished i could have worked more with info-graphics that i did. The subject i was working with did not have any percentages and statistics, just facts. This meant that i couldn't really work with the 'graphs and charts' style info-graphics as much as other people did and this is why my final products resulted in what they are. 


Finally, in this brief, i also wished i would have experimented a little bit with the format of the products as i may not get chance to do this again in the near future. Although i did challenge myself in a lot of ways, and did enjoy creating something different in the form of the zine, i feel that i could have been even more experimental with the format of the products when i look around at some of the other people in the groups' final products. 


To make sure this doesn't happen in the future, i will plan more carefully what it is i want to achieve at the end of the brief before rushing into designs and ideas. I am pleased with the final designs for both projects but feel that there is always improvement for careful consideration when it comes to what it is you want to produce and finally achieve. 










5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?


I will definitely try to experiment more with my next work. I think it is a really important thing to try lots of new things while i'm still learning and growing as a designer. I think that certain aspects of this module have allowed me to experiment with new styles and this has really worked out well for me. Even if i experiment more in the near future and some things don't quite work, i still think it is all part of the learning curve and is a good way to help develop my own personal style. 


I will try and be more inventive and think outside the box a little bit. Most of my designs for these last couple of briefs are appropriate to what it was, so i haven't failed in that aspect but i want to be experimenting more, using different formats that are appropriate and work better for that brief. Would something work better made as a net, 3D. Would it work laser cut, screen printed or letter-pressed?


I will also try and design more with a pen and paper. I feel that working more and more with design sheets on every brief that i do is improving. I think getting all your ideas down with just a pen and paper is the best way to create effective finished pieces and this is what i will be focussing on doing more before rushing into creating things digitally straight away. 


i will be reviewing my brief, and looking more carefully at what it is that i want to say. I want to strip things down to the bare minimum. I think this is a good way to start. Look at what needs to be said? how does it need to be said? It is also important to see what style would work best, i learnt this while completing the '100 Things' brief. Sometimes a much more minimalistic style will be more appropriate, but thats not the case all the time. 


Finally, i have been trying to make sure that i am making the best of the software that i use. For example, creating books/zines in Indesign and creating all the vectored images in Illustrator. I am so used to photoshop that i need to carry on pushing myself into using everything that is the most appropriate piece of software for the job. This will save me time and help me work more efficiently and effectively in the long run. 

Evaluation, Focus, Develop

Evaluation

What is the problem?


Insufficient education and information on the history of native americans in an easy to read and understand info graphic guide for a museum. 


What subject/area of study are you focusing on?


Native Americans - Religion/Mythology, Way of life, Hunting, Clothing, Traditions (War Bonnet, Hallucinogenics, Dreamcatchers, Patterns and Totem Poles)

To what depth are you investigating this area/subject? Is this sufficient?


I have already gone into a lot of depth to find the right information i need. Reading articles, books, and information on websites to pool together all the correct and relevant research ready for me to use. I have also sourced 1000's of images as a visual bank for me to look over and look back on for influence, wherever i need it. I


What is the form and amount of your research to date?


Blogged sources - Collected material - Websites - Books and Tons of Imagery. 

What visual material do you have to work with?


I set myself a limit of at least 100 images to collect for each section but have collected more. I have looked at existing artwork, both relating the native americans and info-graphics. I have also looked at general imagery for all the separate sections i have been working on before creating my own visual imagery in the form of design sheets that have now moved on into my designs. 


Is there an appropriate amount  of work for the time you have had to develop it?


I would like to think so but i would probably say i could have done more if i had organised my time a little better. I have been very busy in other areas of the course so my full time and attention hasn't been on this. I am starting to put more hours into this project now that i am well on the way with designing. 


If there isn't why is this? How could you improve your work rate?


---


What is your timescale? When is the deadline?


The deadline is just under two weeks off, but i have booked my print slot for a couple of days before. I have planned my time appropratly in order to be ready for print, giving me a couple of days and a weekend to sort out any little bits before handing it in. 


What is achievable in the time available?


I believe that the final products that i have decided to create can be achieved in the time, that is why i chose to do this and wanted to focus my attention on it. 


What methods are you using to evaluate the progress of your ideas?


I am documenting my design ideas and checking them against my research to see if they relate and fit the general style that i am going for. I think at the moment i have got a real style that is running through my work so by checking my design ideas to see if they fit in and also against the information i am using and my research i think this gives me a good idea and way of evaluating my progress. 


Focus


What are you identifying as areas worth developing further?


maybe the format of my products. I am going to be making a booklet/zine/guide, a poster/s, and maybe stickers instead of sticking to my original plan of just postcards because i want to experiment a little bit more and have a bit of variety whilst staying under the same theme. 

What are you trying to communicate?


Educating and Informing people about the history of Native Americans, in a easy, contemporary and fun way. 


What audience have you identified?


People who would most likely visit museums really. Iv'e got to think about school children as in trips with school and family as well as an older cultural audience and try and mould something that will fit with both. 




Who are they?


Older Children - Tennagers - Adults

What problem(s) have you identified?


most of the information i have found looks dated, is presenting in a ugly, dated fashion and isn't easy to link it all together and find an learn quickly and easily. 


How do you intend to solve this (these)?


By making my set of products i want to make an easy, interactive, fun way for people to learn about this, but also make the design look contemporary and fit in within todays world.


What further research does this require? (what, where, who & when?)


I would like to get a museum visit in, but i only realised this when i got back into uni, i don't think i would have time but hopefully if i have time over a weekend. I will continue various research to keep myself on track when i'm creating. I already have a style going that seems to be working. 


What is your intention?


Educate and Inform in a easy and contemporary way. this will be through info-graphic themed postcards, posters and maybe a booklet/guide.

Development


Have you moved on from your initial starting point. If so how and why?


Yes i have, i wasn't really sure where i was going with the info graphics but when i figured what i wanted to say then i could picture in my head what everything needed to look like. This has made me change my product ideas and designs and give me enthusiasm to finish the project effectively. 




What methods are you using to document this development?


Blogging the progress of my ideas through design sheets and my work as it progresses into final pieces. 




What processes will you need to use to develop your work?


Group feedback and looking over my research and existing work to see if i am heading in the right direction. constantly experimenting with new ideas to see hoe i can fit them in to see if it will work. 




Do these processes require workshop access?


--


When do you intend to access these workshops?


--

How to // End Of Brief Evaluation

• What problem did you identify?

Basically we wanted to re-brand the look of information on diamonds. From our research, we discovered that most of the stuff that is already out there is really difficult to understand, and quite frankly boring. It looks like it is just there for all the rich snobs. 

Our main focus was to make a new, easier, clear and simple contemporary look around the same information in order to make the everyday male who is planning to propose, informed and educated about diamonds enough to make them feel confident about what they are talking about when shopping around. 

• What evidence did you find to support your decisions?

From our research of stats and statistics we discovered that a lot of men find it difficult to know which ring to buy and what to look out for. 

We also thought that the existing information that we did find was there but you really had to search for it and it was long winded and boring. We wanted to make it a little bit more friendly and accessible. 

• What methods did you use to gather your evidence and what forms did it take?

We used a lot of secondary research, both qualitative and quantitative. Looking at the hard facts in moderation to peoples opinions about the subject. We based every decision we made by always keeping this into consideration. 

We took our own surveys using to get primary research but this was less important as the people who took the survey was all around out age, and probably students.

We also used trusted sources around the internet to gather the hard facts on diamonds. This needed to be correct as we was including this information in out final outcome so it would have been pointless if we hadn't got this correct.

•  (categorise your research using terms primary, secondary, quantitative and qualitative)

Primary

-  My original survey on how to ask for forgiveness

-  Imagery for the App Icons 

-  Imagery for diamonds

Secondary 

-   Diamond 4 C's - Colour, Clarity, Cut, Carat

-   Glossary of terms

-   Anatomy of a diamond 

-   Various stats and survey results

-   Imagery for diamonds

-   App Design Research

Qualitative 

-   Opinions on engagement rings, prices and idea from both male and female point of view

-   Opinions on survey results 

-   Various different tips and hints to save money 

Quantative

-    Various stats and percentages on engagement form both men and women points of view

-    Statistics on average prices

-    How popular diamonds and certain types are 

• What methods of research did you find useful and why?

• How did these inform your response to your problem?

I believe this gave me personally and also my group first and foremost, a better understanding and knowledge of diamonds. I was able to go away and re-word correct information about all sorts of diamonds in order for it to fit the friendly and clear tone we needed. 

It also give me a sense of what design is already out there and how it is not clear or easily understandable. Therefore, we could go away and fix that gap in the market that is searching for diamonds info for the average man. 

• What methods did you encounter as problematic?

I think it took us a while to gel as a group. We all had different styles and it was hard to get everyones style to match. We all had ideas but it is hard when you want to go with an idea you are really driven by and other people can't see what you see. 

• How did you overcome this?

I think we did really well in the end. We assigned each other separate tasks which we knew would work best for this particular brief. We kept the styles simple and only worked with two colours so that all of us could design things but have a similar consistent outcome. 

We kept in constant contact in the studio or via social networking sites in order to see more often how our work was progressing and to see that it was all working together. 

• What research could you have carried put that would have proved more useful?

I think we should have maybe visited actual jewellers just to see their perspective on things and also to see how some of the things around diamonds work and collect some initial infomation about our subject that is already out there. 

Personally i feel i could have done more research myself. As we was all busy doing design tasks we based a lot of the work from imogen's inital research as it was so in trusted, in depth and well written and selected. I did use my own research for a lot of the work but feel i possibly could have divided my time into a little more research rather than so much design work. However i don't think this has had a negative effect on the final piece at all.