OUGD502: PPP2 - 10 Things

When we first started the course we were asked to write lists of five things we want to improve or develop during our time on the course. As we are now in second year we were asked to reflect on our answers and see if they had been achieved.

 5 things I really want to learn during my time on this programme:

• Adobe Software (illustrator, inDesign)

I have improved on my software skills massively and now feel confident that I can use each programme properly. I also know which software programmes to use for certain tasks. 

• How to be ok with making mistakes

When I first started the course I was a perfectionist, this has not changed but I have learnt that it is ok to make mistakes, infact I welcome mistakes. Development is a huge part of Graphic Design and I have improved my skills with this no end. 

• What kind of designer I am

Before this course I was taught that all graphic designers should be illustrators  I was not introduced to the digital side of design. Since being on this course I have been introduced to so many different areas of design. I have found that I like to work with editorial and publishing and that I also have a large interest in information graphics and vector image. 

• How to work in a professional manner

I have improved my professional manner quite significantly over the past year. I now feel confident to contact working professionals and studios for placements. I have also improved my confidence skills when it comes to standing up in front of people. 

• How to stop chasing grades

I have learnt that grades are not everything. I do still think they are important but my overall development has improved so much that it has helped me to become a better designer and also a better learner.

5 things that I want to improve during my time on this programme:

• Drawing skills

My drawing skills have not improved massively since my time on the course but I have been introduced to other ways of drawing whether they be on a light box or digitally on Illustrator. I am still looking to improve on my drawing skills as my time progresses on this course and also afterwards. 

• Software skills

I have improved on my software skills massively and now feel confident that I can use each programme properly. I also know which software programmes to use for certain tasks. 

• Overall knowledge of Graphic Design

My knowledge of Graphic Design is something I think has developed the most. I am now more and more aware of the design world and different designers and studios. I think my knowledge can only develop more and more.

• Academic writing

My academic writing has improved but it still needs a lot of work. Being a year younger than most people on the course I am limited with the education I have had but I am always learning and trying to progress. 

• Organisation and deadlines

Having multiple briefs ongoing at the same time was something which I had never done before. I had done 2 projects per year at my high school. I was not a stranger to hard work though which helped me to meet all of my deadlines and remain organised throughout it all. 

OUGD504: Design Production - Workshop

This morning we were asked to come up a list of 10 successes we have had since being on the course. This is a way for us to reflect on the year and also for the tutors to understand what we enjoyed so it can be done more often. 

We came up with:

1. Learnt about type
2. Guest lecturers
3. Independent learning
4. More comfortable presenting work
5. Improved on group projects
6. New skills
7. Essay writing
8. More understanding of briefs
9. Blogging
10. Time management

After we made our list as a small group we reflected and came up with a list a collective number of groups. The whole class gave their successes and we generalised them to get a more accurate list. 

1. Presentation skills
2. Feedback
3. Workshops
4. Independent
5. Research/Development
6. Understand time management
7. Working in/with groups
8. Confidence
9. Theoretical writing
10. Understand personal style

I think this was an important task as it gave us scope to look back over our time on the course and reflect on things which went well. I also feel it was a great way to commend ourselves as a year group for our hard work and overall development. 

Summer Brief - Feedback

After presenting our summer brief of research we were given written feedback from people in our group.

Feedback I received:

• Strong historical facts
• Concise and punctual
• Presentation goes through a timeline
• Typeface exploration
• A lot of context on the subject
• Own opinions on the subject
• Considered target audience
• History and dates as well as how they were made
• Designer knowledge - Harry Beck
• Vast comparison between first and second map - very interesting
• A lot of design knowledge could maybe have other related research
• Event and use/function good
• Good link between theory and history and GD
• Presentation could have been more visual
• Wide area of research covered main topics
• Very in depth history informative - maybe talk more about the design itself - different coloured lines, why he made decisions he did when creating the tube map, other maps globally
• Well researched facts and history
• Good knowledge of the design around the underground
• I found it really interesting
• Harry Beck designs were based on circuit board, functioned on a time-based system as opposed to geographical made more sense for underground travellers as they often knew where they were going

We were then asked to separate the feedback we were given into useful feedback and none useful feedback. To start this we had to identify what useful feedback was and if it could be positive. We decided that useful feedback was usually constructive rather than positive, the positive feedback is nice to receive but not always useful for development.

From the written feedback I received I separated it into two piles:

Useful:

• Presentation could have been more visual
• Could have looked into specific aspects e.g. the colour of the tube lines

Not useful:

• Considered target audience 
• Lots of design knowledge
• Well researched facts and figures

This is an over view of the feedback I received, it is clear to me that my presentation went well and people found it interesting but I think that we all (including myself) focussed too much on the positives of each persons presentation rather than on the things they could have improved. 

Personally I think it is easier to give constructive feedback on practical design work rather than research.

Identify 3 objectives where we could improve our summer brief:

1. Look into the colour connotations and designers decisions
2. Explore into type in more depth and maybe focus on that specifically
3. Look into maps and geographical locations.