OUGD503 - Overall Module Evaluation

OUGD503 Overall Module Evaluation

For studio brief one I chose to do 5 briefs, one main brief and 4 smaller briefs.

The brief ranged from 2 day briefs to 8 week briefs. The time restraints meant each brief had a different research and development timescale. I feel as though I was able to use a range of research methods. For the Penguin brief I was able to read the book that I was designing for and found inspiration from that. For the Drop Box brief I visited the sea side to get primary research and visuals.

For each brief, I followed a set work flow. I decoded the brief, then went onto research. This was followed by producing 3 to 4 possible concepts. The strongest concept was developed and if appropriate a prototype was made. Finally, the outcome was produced and evaluated. Following this workflow meant that even the short-term briefs were developed and backed by research. The strongest briefs answered in this studio brief were the logos and the Drop Box submission as these had the most development and iterations. The Vinetree Ep cover would have benefited from more development.

For studio brief 2 I completed a substantial collaborative brief with a Surface Pattern textile student. This brief ran smoothly as we approached it professionally from the start. We did this by setting strict deadlines within the brief and making sure we knew our roles within the collaboration. We did this using the collaborative brief, action plan and creative contract. The outcome met the brief as the reusability aspect was at the heart of the design but the production let it down. I don’t think the digital mock ups clearly communicate the design. To improve the design could be mocked up on an existing tin and a small tree could be planted to clearly communicate the idea visually.

Overall I enjoyed this module because it gave the opportunity to explore personal interests. I often find it easier to produce design when I am following a strict brief but answering the Drop Box briefed showed that freedom is not something to be feared. The collaborative brief forced me out my comfort zone but also forced me to stick to set deadlines as another designer was relying on me to get work done. Another tool I used to help with time management was creating a calendar. Creating a chart and printing them out kept me aware of what needed to be done and when. Admittedly, I did not follow the plan religiously but it did give a structure to the module. For this module, I had to learn new skills. One of the most difficult and time consuming skill I learnt was how to animate and use after effects. The outcome of the animations was enough to translate an idea but there is definitely room for improvement. I found this quite frustrating as I had to learn a skill, but did not have the time to master it. Finally, this module has helped highlight that one of my major weaknesses is production. Not only in physical form but also in documentation. To improve I need to improve my photography skills and invest more time into documenting my outcomes. I can do this by incorporating time to hire equipment and space to take photographs of my work into my time management programme.