Make a list collaboratively as a group of the 10 most successful things that came out of last year:
1. Passed first year.
2. Learned to live alone/ as an individual.
3. Learn to cook.
4. Learning how to use printing resources/ screen printing.
5. Developed digital skills.
6. Learned how to answer a brief/ a reliable design/development process.
7. Improved confidence in self and work.
8. Improved personal and professional practice.
9. Improved literacy and writing skills.
10. Balanced part time work on top of course.
11. Learned to integrate workshop skills into practice.
12. Prioritise briefs in order of importance.
We then came back together as a class and made a corresponding list according to the most frequent successes that were on each groups lists:
1. Presentations (Building confidence in public speaking, giving a successful presentation)
2. Giving and receiving good feedback.
3. Trying different workshops (as there are so many available)
4. Research/ development of ideas.
5. Being/ learning to be independent.
6. Understand time management, how to use time most efficiently.
7. Working with others (Collaborating on briefs)
8. Inspirations/ Motivations
9. Theory/ context (understanding the backbone of design as well as being able to communicate this effectively through writing skills)
10. Understand style - who are you? What are you good/bad at?
In our groups we can presented our presentations, below is the presentation I made on frozen yoghurt.
Unfortunately when it came to our presentations, the laptops we were working from would not recognise my USB stick. It wasn't until after the session that I realised the macs at the back of the studio would recognise my USB stick. Due to this error, I had to present the information I knew by memory, and therefore my group were not able to give me any feedback.
However I have since sent the presentation to some people in my group for feedback.
We then went on to talk about what is useful feedback?
I found from the task that constructive feedback that allows someone to go forward and progress is the best.
- Suggesting specific things to be changed.
eg. - Use larger type.
- slow down when talking.
-Suggest focus points/ specific further information.
- Saying what is good may not help with things that need changing, however it does help with things you could include in the next presentation.
e.g - good amount of research.
- effective amount of text on each slide.
What is not helpful to the development process are ego boosting compliments:
- Nice use of illustrations.
- I liked the font you chose.
This can be seen as giving feedback to someone that doesn't show them how they can develop or improve.
What feedback I found useful of the feedback I could receive:
- Check presentation before university.
- Clear knowledge of subject - knowing your research subject without having to look for cues. Enables better delivery.
To consider: What feedback would I like to receive?
Feedback with a specific focus, making a point then backing it up with why, feedback that delegates direction for improvement.
INDEPENDENT TASKS
My 3 objectives on how to improve my summer brief:
1. Use less text on slides as there is no need when you don't use them for cues.
2. Use your graphics/illustrations as visual indicators and talk about your subject instead of using text.
3. Don't try to talk about too much, pick specific details, simple and to the point instead of trying to fit too much in.
10 things that I think I will need to be successful at this year:
1. Developing a style, or finding out what I am most and least successful at in order to narrow down my future practice.
2. Making industry links eg. making connections in relation to possible placement.
3. Very confident with digital suite. Before I started the course I had barely touched the digital suite, in Level 04 I really got a great education of how to use the adobe suite, Learning how to use it last year, I'd really like to try more experimental design now i am not particularly learning at the same time I am doing.
4. Using a DSLR camera. I didn't use a DSLR camera in my first year and so it is something that i'm still pretty new to, hence why my work is very illustration based.
5. Try out as many workshops as possible that I have never done, wood cutting, etching, embossing etc.
6. Learn how to code, in order to transform a website design, into a live site.
7. Continue to become more confident (In my work, public speaking etc)
8. Not to resent the time I spent on an idea if it does not work out, it is all part of the design process.
9.
10.
