Collection 100, Course crit.

The feedback above is from the first crit.  We left only our final resolutions in the studio whilst the tutors analysed them.  Once they had finished we were told what they thought they were lacking, what we could do to improve them and what to just scrap all together.  This crit was based on the idea that the work has to speak for itself without us being there to explain it.  The general feedback I got was that the pieces were visually strong, but the concept was lacking depth.

The feedback below was from the final crit.  Here we left our final resolutions with all of our development work and received feedback from our peers.  I found that sometimes the feedback was pointless and un-constructive.  However, the feedback that I did find constructive I am going to take on board and consider before the module hand-in.

My Time Management 'Challenge'

My time management skills are almost non- existent.  My plan is to create a 'To Do' list everyday for three weeks (supposedly this is the amount of time it takes to change a habit) before I go to bed.  I think it's going to put into perspective exactly how much work I have to do and when I can do it.

I plan on scanning in a list daily.  The idea of putting it up on my blog means that I have physically wrote down that I am going to do this, and if I don't do this I will look bad, and I don't like looking bad- this is my incentive.

Jan 21

-Today is the first day and is only half a day so will not be as long (I would imagine).

Todays 'To Do's':

- Create some direction sheets for my moving image and info graphics piece.

- Talk to Amber about general direction, see if it's all going good.  Or not.

- Get yesterdays moving image Flash induction up on blog.

- Take a picture of my bag and trace on Illustrator.

- Put yesterdays scans on Practice and context blog.

Jan 24

Jan 25

-FINISH ESSAY.

Jan 26

-Get some more secondary research together about money- given my new direction.

-Do some more design sheets for sure- lacking in that area.

-Scan in Vis lang work for blog.

-TAKE BOOKS BACK!

Jan 27

- Update blog in general.

- Check out work for the 'design for screen' brief.  Get on that.

Jan 28

- Print everything off for the crit.

- Get on with whatever comes out of the crit.

Jan 31

- Complete current infographic.

- Do some more primary research for current direction.

- Get on with final design.

- Scan everything in on blog.

Feb 1

- Print images off for Vis Lang.

- Update blog.

Feb 2

Feb 3

Feb 4

-Print off current poster designs for the crit.

Feb 7

-Work on the posters, make amendments from fridays crit.

Feb 8

Feb 10

Feb 11

Feb 14

- Sort out leaflet- finalise.

- Print off final resolutions.

- Get images up on blog.

Feb 15

Feb 16

Time Management

We were asked to document what we did for a week so that we realised how much time we were spending on different activities.

So I made a book to record what I did on what days.

I found that I spend the majority of my time in college and in bed.  However, when I am not doing these things I am pretty much never productive.  I spend my time watching films and talking to people, along with the main issue- getting worked up about what to do for my current brief, thus not achieving anything but getting worked up, rather than doing something, being pro active. 


I have decided to give myself a time management "challenge".  I've come to realise I get very little done but have the drive to do it, it's just the majority of the time I have no idea what i'm supposed to be getting up to.

Collection 100, Presentation.

'What if...' Evaluation

Self Evaluation,


The problem we first identified as a basis for the whole project was 'How do we make people more aware of the amount of CCTV within Leeds and how much they are being watched?'.  
             The subject matter of CCTV cameras came from mine and Bens' research prior to the group brief.  We had surprisingly focused on the same thing.  When we came together we had a reasonable amount of research- images/ facts/ quotes etc.  This formed a stable basis for the beginning of the project so that the rest of the group could research some more so we knew as much as we could about our subject.


The method's to collect the research included:
Primary methods:
Qualitative:  - Images of CCTV cameras
                    - Survey of what people thought of CCTV cameras/ the amount/ 
                      if they were aware of the amount    that existed/ are they a good thing or bad thing etc.
                    - Walking around leeds checking out their visibility and how many there were.


Quantitative: - Totaling up exactly how many cameras we could find on Briggate.
                     - Producing pie charts on peoples opinions of CCTV cameras and how they feel about 
                       being watched.


Secondary methods:
Qualitative: - Youtube online videos on CCTV cameras.  More specifically on their visibility and the amount 
                    that exist.
                   - Leeds newspapers/ online articles about the amount of CCTV within Leeds. 


Quantitative: - The number of CCTV cameras within Leeds (internet).
                     - The annual cost.  Along with the cost for one taxpayer. 


From the research we found that every single CCTV camera was well above the average head height.  Which means that unless you are looking up it isn't in your eye-line.  So, it makes sense that barely no one knew how much they were being watched.  The majority of our poster designs revolved around this issue of height and visibility.  We reacted to this problem by incorporating arrows within the designs- as arrows signify direction it made sense to use them.  
When we went out to make the brief live we got a lot of attention.  We stood under the cameras with the posters and said nothing.  I found that mostly people just looked at the posters- which is successful in its' own right because it is attracting attention.  However, some people began talking to us, which meant that we had communicated our message effectively enough to make someone else feel the need to find out more information, rather than just acknowledging the posters existence. 


I think we all found it difficult to get together at the same time and sort everything out collaboratively.  Most of the time the general consensus was to go away, design, come back and make decisions on them together.  Some thing i'll definitely take from this is to basically force people together to keep consistency within designs through constant communication.


Five things I have learned about the design process:
- Research.  Research is vital, in every single form.  It develops designs and makes them more informed.
- Work.  All the time.  As long as you're constantly coming up with designs (good or bad) the final resolution will      always come out more resolved.
- Use different methods of design i.e. Illustration/ digital/ photography.  Again this helps bring together a more strong final resolution because you have experimented enough to know what works and what doesn't
- Time management is key.  I think this is the main issue that has arisen from this project.  You have to spend your time being pro-active and constantly doing something or else you slip behind and get nothing done.
- Be ready to print in time.  This brings everything together in time to make it live.  If not you get behind and could miss the deadline.




Group Evaluation,

OUGD101 MODULE EVALUATION

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


Before I began this course I had no clue how to use Illustrator, now I feel I can experiment enough to teach myself what I want to achieve- to a reasonable standard.
My time management skills have increased from what they used to be.  My productivity is more successful because I have a lot more to do in a lot less time- so it has to be.  However I still have room for improvement within this area.  I have improved my organisational skills by refering to my diary every day so i know what's going on and I know what to bring.  I also refer to 'Moodle' daily to keep up to date with deadlines.
I have mainly learned that 'less is more'.  It's difficult to keep it simple, but I think that it is necessary sometimes and I am slowly learning this.


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


I've realised that primary research is key.  For example if in the 'How to...' brief our target audience was students in our college that do Graphic Design that could go for naps during the day.  We asked people on our course for constant feedback of what they thought, and I think that in the end, the final resolution worked, mainly, because of this.
I have also developed researching throughout a whole brief and not just at the beginning.  Doing this keeps the development informed and overall more successful.  You can't just do it at the beginning- it's got to be a constant to keep it interesting.


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


I found that my strengths are my concepts.  I justify everything I do in relation to the concept I am following so therefore it usually makes sense.  I plan on capitalising this by continuing to inject my ideas into everything I do to keep consistency and depth.  


What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?


I tend to forget about the specifics within a brief.  I get carried away with the concept I have come up with and forget about certain aspects within the brief.  If I think my idea is good then I tend to carry on with it because It works, but doesn't necessarily answer the brief.  I am also constantly generally unsure about the quality of my work and what decisions to make.  I need to gain confidence in my abilities.  


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


-Refer to the brief a lot more.  My final resolutions will answer the brief and be more informed.
-Add more to my context blog.  I need to research more thoroughy what is going on in the world regarding designers work.
-More development work.  My final designs will be successful in communicating a message (something they have been lacking) because of trying and testing.  Learning from mistakes.
-Blog each day rather than in one bulk.  I'll remember everything i've learned by going over it on the same day.
-Create more physical prototypes, rather than doing a sketch and deciding something doesn't work.  Perhaps my ideas could grow into something more successful and interesting because i've developed them further.

Illustrator Final Resolution

Printed A1 onto tracing paper.