Personal Evaluation

Throughout this project I have learnt the importance of experimentation and producing a range of ideas in order to reach the best possible conclusion. I have found it easier to propose ideas that may be considered strange, like a wayfinding system for a zombie apocalypse, and interesting to hear people's responses. Crits have been extremely useful in the experimentation process as the range of responses and ideas meant that many different approaches could be trialled. By looking at other people's work I have also broadened my mind and gained new ideas. Being constantly amongst designers I have found it inspiring and motivating.

Something that I have particularly developed in this project is using designer's theories in order to influence my work. Not only has there been direct analysis of designers like Aicher, Frutiger and Carlson, but there has also been references to theorists like Hoffman throughout. These people have shaped my use of subjectivity and objectivity in the design work, and also my technique in designing symbols. The importance of using a grid became apparent, the Aicher grid especially helped to create a consistent set of symbols. In addition to this, the use of a grid for the design boards meant they became a lot more ordered and aesthetically pleasing. In future I hope to do more research into different types of grid layout.

I have been able to explore both projects from a range of angles and different types of mediums. The wayfinding project especially involved a series of approaches for the final outcome of the zone symbols. Designing using spray paint and with graphic vectors meant that the project was explored using two mediums and it was interesting to explore these and have them correspond with each other. Superimposing images is a skill I have particularly developed through the use of tutorials and exploration of Photoshop. Although the end result was not entirely authentic, throughout the project the designs have made massive improvement.

Something I have noticed is that I need to improve my time management skills. Whilst doing work throughout this process I found it hard to keep a steady pace of blogposts, although I have improved since the last module. In future I hope to do the blogposts immediately after the work is produced and balance my time more effectively across the modules. I will also try to condense the content of the future posts so they are more refined and straight forward. It is important to have personal work that is separate to the course in order to develop new passions within design. So I will hopefully be developing my own zines alongside the work of the next module, through time management.

Finally, although there was a lot of experimentation in the object work, I found it extremely difficult to refine. This was because the ideas were so broad and diverse that there was nothing to align the ideas and it was hard to pin point an aspect to develop. It is important to explore widely but also to have self imposed constraints, to elevate the work and to make sure it is constantly improving. In the object work by only using a spreadsheet to produce the work, it meant it became a lot more refined and original. In future I hope to use more self imposed constraints.