OUGD103 self evaluation

What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them? 
My idea generation skills have improved greatly, especially during the most recent brief speaking from experience. Over the five weeks, I only used a computer and started designing my products in the last 2 weeks of the brief. Over the first few weeks I was researching and generating ideas for what would work best and be most effective. If I hadn't have spent so much time on generating ideas I would not have created the products which I did for my final pieces. I feel that this generation and mass of ideas really helped my project progress as a faster rate once I started designing. Each product had a purpose and a use, which enabled me to crack on with the designs.

What approaches to/methods of research have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?
For the Don't Panic brief I did some research into who receives the brown envelopes and also looked at alot of the past winning posters to get an idea of the kind of style they prefer. I thought this would help me to design a poster which would have more of a chance of winning. However I think this may have hindered me slightly as I was putting alot of emphasis on making it appropriate for Don't Panic over the receivers of the envelope. I defiantly would have done the poster differently if I had carried out my research differently. Only the other day I though of a design which would have been more appropriate! For communication is a virus I researched alot during the first week and collected a huge amount of secondary quantitative data. However this all turned out to be not as useful as hoped once me and my partner started working on an idea. It helped us choose what we would eventually do, however I think it may have been useful to carry on researching small amounts in the second week to help us produce a design which would have more appeal to our audience. Our piece works well, but I do feel that it could be better.

What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
I have experimented more with type in this module which is what I want to specialise in next year. I have also tried out illustrative type on my Don't Panic posters to see if this style suited me. I also researched this at the beginning of the speaking from experience brief and found it very interesting. I think my strengths in this module have been my research, ideas generation and my use of colour. I have found that I do not use colour half as much as I used to. I would really love to only use black and white if I could with just maybe one colour. I much prefer a limited pallet now... Looking back on everything I have done this module, I have only used more than one colour in speaking from experience, and at the beginning I wasn't even going to do that! Also, for speaking from experience I have used a different working method. I have used different paper stocks depending on what I am doing (sketching, writing, printing) and have put all these sheets into one rind-binded square folder. This way I could work on the stock I wanted at the size I wanted, instead of messing about with a sketchbook and missing pages out etc. I have found this way alot easier to work and really believe I have created more work because of it. I have realised I do not always do things in order and often go back and forth before I settle down. this way of working suits me and I think that my new way of creating a sketchbook demonstrates this. I have made a summer list and I intend to develop my drawing skills and understanding of shading/different variations of grayscale over the summer... as well as get a job so I can afford to come back next year!

What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?
I found that I did not work as hard as I could of during communication is a virus. I am not sure if it was because I knew my partner and I worked well together and I felt I could relax, or I was just having an 'off' week. Next time I have group work I will definitely pull my weight more. I also do not write down my time management... I work it out in my head. Recently I have been more effective with my time management, but at the start of the year it wasn't very good. I think it could still do with improving. Also my blogs could be updated more frequently. I need to find the right balance of what should be posted and what shouldn't. I am hoping to come into college for 9 all next year and blog for 30 mins every day so that they are always up to date.

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

1. Blog more, when I look back in a few years I can understand better what I have done.
2. Produce my own sketchbook, this way I work more effectively.
3. Use type more, I enjoy type and want to specialise in this.
4. Produce time management sheets so that the course tutors can see I have made good use of my time.
5. 
   

Don't Panic.

Communication is a virus.

Typesetting.

InDesign.

Type and grid.

Speaking from experience. 

Speaking from experience (self evaluation)

What problem did you identify?
Over the last year I have learnt alot and had a large selection of topics I could address, however I choose to inform the new first year Graphic Design students of 'the unwritten rules'. These are things which the new students will learn for themselves but this humorous 'heads up' should forma  bit of an ice breaker for them.

What evidence did you find to support your decisions?
I knew that I did not know these unwritten rules before I came and there is no way that the new first years will expect some of the things which are include in the list of rules. I also asked around the class and on Facebook and Moodle about what funny unwritten rules they have learnt since being here on the course... about the tutors/studio and course itself.

Grab of Facebook group use for collecting primary qualitative information on what students think the unwritten rules of Graphic Design at Leeds College of Art are. 

















What methods did you use to gather your evidence and what forms did it take?
I mostly used primary research and asked people directly. I collected both qualitative and quantitative data this way. I received some primary quantitative data from the students on the Foundation course at Vernon Street as these are people who are looking into going onto degree level art and design. I found out how they were feeling about going to a university and what areas of design they are most interested in. I then asked current students on my course what they thought the unwritten rules were... I added quite a few of my own but this formed the basis of my primary qualitative research. Once I had collected this primary data I could look into some secondary research. I looked into design styles and researched quite alot into illustrative type as from my primary quantitative data I had found out that the Foundation students liked illustration, however I wanted to show off the area of study I wish to develop further next year which is type. Illustrative type seemed to be the best of both worlds.

Sex issue typeface for Wallpaper, Malika Favre.





















What methods of research did you find useful and why?
I found all of my methods of research useful and believe they all helped with different aspects of my project. I think my qualitative research collected from the Foundation students would have been more helpful if the questionnaire had been filled out by a larger sample. The research collected form my peers on the unwritten rules was invaluable and really made the project come to life, without this input and research my project would have been more applicable just to me as it would have only been the things which I remembered and found funny, but everybody is different and I think that from all the rules collected, the 10 used in the project and diverse and funny for different reasons to different people. Hopefully this should attract a larger audience that if I just wrote down the rules which I found humorous.

How did these inform your response to your problem?
My methods of research informed everything of my process in this brief. One batch of research lead the way for my next collection of data. For example... my secondary research help me greatly with me design ideas. Each of my 10 products have a different type or style to them and this has all come about through my research into how to effectively portray that particular rule. Typeface is massively important and I hope that I have used them effectively in this piece of work. I have learnt how important research is... there is no point in making or designing something if there is no need for it or it will not work.

Selected page from Never Use White Type on a Black Background and 50 other Ridiculous Design Rules. Used as part of my secondary qualitative research.













What research could you have carried out that would have proved more useful?
It may have been quite useful and good use of my time if I had questioned current students and received some more primary quantitative data on where they normally look around college to identify other possible locations for some of my products, or maybe find out if they found them funny or informative.

Five things you have learnt about the design process over the last five weeks

1. Time management is key.
2. Do not be afriad of change... my idea progressed after I developed my idea further, I was worried I was going too far and I was giving myself too much work but it has definatley paid off when I think about what I was going to produce. 
3. A range of products do not have to all look the same.
4. I did not use a computer until the last 2 weeks of this brief... and loved it!
5. I cannot describe anything... so mock-ups are brilliant! 

TIME MANAGEMENT SCAN

Five things you would do differently next time

1. Develop a clearer brand for all my pieces.
2. Experiment with colour a little bit more.
3. Expand upon my ideas sooner on in the design process and push them even further.
4. Have a back up plan if I cannot print on the stock that I want to! I could not print on transparent stock or anything larger than A3... even though I booked a print slot in the digital dungeon. Luckily my head was working and I could think of alternative solutions to my issues. 
5. FInd out some more Design Context stuff on humorous rules and how to design for a funny but informative message. 

Rule #01 Fred time. 

Rule #02 There is never enough print credit.

Rule #03 Never pull a face at Amber.

Rule #04 A break is not a holiday. 

Rule #06 Posters don't always work. 

Rule #08 9:30 means 9:15.

Rule #10 Green and orange make Amber see red.

Speaking from experience (final crit)

Speaking from experience (design direction boards)

I had John again in this crit and found some of his feedback useful, I am going to work on some of the suggestions from this crit, but not all of them. I don't want to go too far make people uncomfortable by using rules which are offensive, overwhelming the new students or create a giant sticker, just because.

Issues raised

• Lack of colour
• Location of products
• Could be more humerous
• Stickers could be developed further

Action to be taken

• Experiement with colour such as using orange and green for rule #11. Green and orange make Amber see red. Not too sure about this as it defeat the object, but I will experiment with this style and could possibly use the design as a hypocrite for the rule.
• Walk around college and think of the places where people may look without meaning to. Floor... ceiling... places you wouldn't expect to see informative design. 
• Think about the message and John believed some of he rules I did not include in my final selection would have been good. I am not sure about this and am going to stick with the 12 I have chosen. 
• I am going to sketch out some more ideas and see if I can develop the sticker idea on further... stickers may not be the answer and appropriate medium for all the rules. 

PICTURE OF DESIGN DIRECTION BOARDS

Speaking from experience (progress crit)

Has a problem been clearly identified?
1. Yes clearly designed - the unwritten rules of graphic design. Not a genuine problem but light hearted fun. Certain parts useful but not entirely.
2. 'The unwritten rules', its genuinly quite fun, not necessarily a problem but still appropriate.
Me.  The brief does not say that my concept must be based on solving a problem. I am trying to design and produce some products wish will inform the new first years on the unwritten rules me and my classmates have learnt over over first year on the course.

Is the audience being taken into consideration?
1. Yes, in terms of preparing students for what is to come but unless they understand the course and tutors they may not understand all of the rules.
2. Yes definitely, injection of humour is always appreciated. Subject could be quite intimidating, but when approached in a fun way it works. Information being presented is useful and will become more useful over time. Not sure about foundation students section, why?
Me. Getting the balance right with the rules and wording is key, I need to reword the rules so they are not intimidating but fun aswell as informative. I asked foundation students about their likes and interest in terms of design as these are some of the hopeful applicants to become the new first year students, and as they are my audience... i thought it would be best to see what they like... and not base it on what we used to like as design and teaching changes rapidly.

What further research is required/would be benificial?
1. Speaking to students. Possible other products. What students feel they would have benifited from.
2. Look at use of colour and type to catch your eye, the yellow works well. Is hand drawn typeface appropriate? think about legibility and clarity. Positioning of stickers, different environments.
Me. Legibility is a huge point to be addressed when I consider whether or not to creat a typeface for this. I hope to keep it quite simple, so not to overclutter or detract from the message.

What methods are being used to document the research/development?
1. Work sheets but could do with more drawings.
2. Photographs of proposed product. Questionnaire used to find unwritten rules from actual students. Mock-ups, design context for different typefaces.
Me. I will do more drawings and sketches of my ideas as these help move the brief along.

PICTURE OF INFORMATION BOARD