End of Module Evaluation OUGD103

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN LEVEL 04 Module Code OUGD103 Module Title

END OF MODULE SELF-EVALUATION

NAME

Polly Williams

BLOG. ADDRESS

http://pa-williams0912.blogspot.com/

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

Throughout this module I think that I have developed my illustration skills in terms of applying them to the brief more and within a graphic design context. With the vogue project my design decision was deliberately image based, but with previous modules I have struggled make the illustration relevant to the graphic design context. I think with the last two briefs; Communication is a virus and Speaking from experience, I have worked more like a graphic designer, making the illustrations work as a visual aid to the content and context.

I think that my Adobe Illustrator skills have improved hugely throughout this final module, particularly in the last project. Having that bit more time allowed me to sit down and really get used to the program. I feel a lot more confident and competent than I did at the start of the year, when I had never even used it! I just need to keep persevering over the Summer so that I don't forget what I've learnt and can continue to learn.

I have learnt a certain amount from the inDesign brief and workshops, but I am still trying to get my head round that program.






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

I have always been used to doing a huge amount of research with my work, but I still think I have improved my methods of research and my understanding of research in general. In this module research came more naturally so I think I was more thorough and more broad with my research. I have learnt the value of primary research with this module in terms of trying to understand your audience and the market for your product. Without it I would have been completely lost. I have found the more you do, the more ideas you tend to have.


3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
I have been really pleased with my creative thinking processes for the last few projects. I think that most of my ideas have been a lot stronger and more directed than in previous modules. I think that this probably helped to contribute to making my illustrations more relevant to the projects. I think my research has been more thorough in this project, which has improved the standard of my work.


4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?
I think that there is still a huge amount of room for improvement with my illustrative skills, I think I need to keep working on my illustrations in my spare time more than I do now so that I continue to improve even if I'm not constantly working with illustration in my graphics work. Although I have improved my Illustrator skills, I still have a long way to go to be able to do all the things I would like. Also, although I have become quicker at using the program, I still take longer than I can afford to to do things on the program. In addition to this, my inDesign skills are really weak and there is a lot of work and time to be spent on getting to grips with the software. It is such a useful program that I need to learn to use!



5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?
1) Put more of my time aside to experiment with t e software when we are given a software brief/workshop. Make the most of the staff contact time as well so that I can ask questions when u get stuck.

2) Work on my drawing skills more in my spare time than I do already. This will help me improve and maintain the skills I already have whilst not loosing focus with my graphic design work.

3) Make the prototypes earlier on in the project to allow time to correct faults. I was lucky that only a small amount of tweaking was needed, but next it me this may not be the case.

4) Improve time management skills even more. I have become a lot better at managing my time but there is constantly room for improvement. I think it is inevitable that this does improve with experience.

5) Think more about distribution and presentation of the product. This is such an important part of each brief/product and I need to think more about it and think more creatively next time.




6.How would you grade yourself on the following areas:

5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor

Attendance 4

Punctuality 5

Motivation 4

Commitment 4

Quantity of work produced 4

Quality of work produced 4

Contribution to the group 4

The evaluation of your work is an important part of the assessment criteria and represents a percentage of the overall grade. It is essential that you give yourself enough time to complete your written evaluation fully and with appropriate depth and level of self-reflection. If you have any questions relating to the self evaluation process speak to a member of staff as soon as possible.

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE_self evaluation

WHAT PROBLEM DID YOU IDENTIFY?

I focussed on the problem that new first years on the course can find it slightly overwhelming. I attempted a light hearted approach to giving the new first years helpful tips and terms in relation to the course, in the for of an a-z. I also touched on the issues surrounding sexual health in Leeds, delivering my idea on the packaging of free condoms.

WHAT EVIDENCE DID YOU FIND TO SUPPORT YOUR DECISIONS?

I chose condoms as my product because these were voted one of the most useful freebie given out during freshers week. I also found that condoms are used a lot in promotion and can be very successful ways of getting a message across. I found out what pieces of advice/tips people in year one had been give/wish they had been given, or would give now in retrospect.

WHAT METHODS DID YOU USE TO GATHER YOUR EVIDENCE AND

WHAT FORMS DID IT TAKE?

For primary research I conducted a survey asking for tips and advice, which I asked to all first year graphics students. I also conducted a simple tally chart style survey to discover what freshers freebies they felt were the most useful. My secondary research included condom packaging and promotion, and a variety of different ways of presenting the information. I looked at other

designers work for this.

WHAT METHODS OF RESEARCH DID YOU FIND USEFUL AND WHY?

I found that keeping my surveys short and straight to the pint meant that people were less hostile about doing them and also allowed me to gather my research more quickly and therefore make decisions quicker.

HOW DID THESE INFORM YOUR RESPONSE TO YO

UR PROBLEM?

This gave me a lot of information to work with in a short

amount of time, allowing me to begin working on the content, and coming up with finalized ideas for my a-z of advice.

WHAT RESEARCH COULD YOU HAVE CARRIED OUT OUT THAT WOULD HAVE PROVED MORE USEFUL?

I could have done more research into to other freebies that could be available that would fit in the same sized packaging, to add a bit of variety. I also could have researched display and distribution more than I did. For example how I would distribute the product and wher

e would be the best place to do this, bearing in mind that it is aimed mainly at graphic design students.

I could also have looked into some more websites to help me with my web design.

5 THINGS THAT YOU HAVE LEARNT ABOUT THE DESIGN PROCESS OVER THE LAST FIVE WEEKS....

>My abilities with illustrator have come on more in the last five weeks than in the entire year. I think that sitting there for almost 5 weeks just really getting to grips with the software (because I've had the time) has really helped me. By most standards I'm still not that skilled, I am now fully competent!

>Because of the longer length of time for this project, I have had more opportunities to change and develop my designs. In this project I have really developed my idea making decisions and changes almost every day.

I have learnt a lot about colour palettes in the last 5 weeks, mainly through experimentation, just trying to see what works.

I have learnt more about the practical and functional side of design in this project. Working with nets and working out whether it will work on a physical and visual level, as well as working out correct layouts for print.

>I designed a website for the first time, so design wise that was something I have learnt about, in terms of layout and function.

5 THINGS THAT YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME....

>Next time I would try to focus on one idea from the start, rather than touching on a few which I felt got me off to a bad start and wasted time. However I am glad that I went with my instinct and changed my idea, as I think it worked well in the end, and I made up for it work wise.

>I would experiment with prototypes a little earlier because due to issues with printing, I had to improvise and change my stock, which didn't work at first and could have caused problems if I'd left it any later.

>Next time I would spend more time considering distribution before I start designing the product. Since I've finalized my product I've had more ideas for distribution, but they don't really work with the product that I have now. I think there are a lot of really interesting and innovative ways of distribution and I could have come up with a more interesting one.

>I think that missing the third crit set me back more than I realized. With a project this long I have found the justification and opinions from other people at regular intervals stopped me from going mad and thinking that my idea is doomed to fail. Whenever I've had a crit or a tutorial with john I've come out feeling confident and with lots of new ideas. Aside form feeling bad for getting in trouble for not going

>I think that I have made progress in terms of trying to give my illustrations more purpose in a graphic design context, rather than being image based for the sake of it, but I think next time I can take that even further.

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE_crit feedback

SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE_crit feedback