WEEK 12 - Collaboration

Wednesday October 12, 2011

Today we looked forward to our exhibition and reflected on our efforts so far.


Group Exercise - DISCUSSION
Reviewing
Discuss these questions in relation to a group creating a design in collaboration

01 – What are the 3 best things about your efforts for this year's exhibition?

• Speaking to potential sponsors face to face
• Giving input to the Ten Squared Design Logo
• I am learning about how an exhibition goes together behind the scenes

02 – Did you manage time well?


We overshot a couple of deadlines but generally pulled everything together in the time provided


03 – Did you manage materials well i.e. test prototypes?


Yes i was amazed how quickly i could assemble my 3D Coffee Table frame


04 – Have you researched installation methods?


Yes, see previous blogs in the last month for research


05 – Have you made a shortlist of the essentials for the last WEEK?


Yes I have made a shortlist for all the assessments due in order of priority


06 – Have you made a shortlist of the essentials for the last DAY?


No I have a rough idea in my mind but i may need to write it all down

Blog Exercise – Using Failure

In regard to creative collaboration & the exhibition:

Discuss these questions - write a paragraph on each and use examples

1 . List and describe 2 areas of failure in your preparation for Ten Squared

• Our driving around to businesses was a fail because we thought they would like a friendly face however they were a bit scared of us coming in and asking for donations.
• I didn't like my Logo Drafts I had submitted to be be chosen for the Ten Squared Logo Design

2. Describe how you could realistically improve on this next time you exhibit

•  If we called the businesses and emailed them the forms we could have saved a lot more time.
• I think that if I worked on more designs for the Ten Squared logo, I would be happier with the result of my best contribution towards the logo. But I am still happy with Josie's chosen logo

Working Together

Reference (image above): WB iPhone workingtogether.jpg

Inspiration

Reference (image above): Effort http://www.liahalsall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/03-ps35-1effort-posters.jpg

YouTube Clip

Effective Communication Commercial

Commentary

This is a commercial for Ford Focus. The clip is only 30 seconds in duration but makes the definition of communication quite simple. It also shows that communication does not just have to be from human to human. It can be in technology as well. I chose this video because collaboration has a lot to do with the communication between humans and humans as well as humans and technology.

Reflection

This was our last week of collaboration blogs. The questions asked this week allow us to think about our design efforts for exhibition, reflect on how we have been preparing and based on experience how we could improve next time. Collaboration as a subject has been fun discovering different aspects about each other and ourselves. This will help us understand human interaction when we enter the workplace in our chosen field.

WEEK 12 - Origination

Wednesday October 12, 2011

Today we got into three main groups to research new dynamics for our exhibition.
We were to find some inspiration from Youtube clips in one of the three catergories below and expand on how they can make our exhibitions more fun.

GROUP PROJECT

PART 1: Group Research (20 mins)

• Using YouTube choose one video for EACH of the concepts below

1. Communication Methods

2. Emerging Technologies

3. Idea adaptation

• PART 2: Group presentations: (25 mins)

Each video must be prefaced by a verbal explanation of why the chosen clips

demonstrate the research topics above

• PART 3: Blog (Homework)

We presented our videos on the big screen

Reference (image above): WB iPhone Youtubestage.jpg

Brain Storm Exhibition Relevance

Reference (image above): WB iPhone YouTube Brainstorm.jpg

1. Communication Methods

Rachel Sunita and Te

This group chose this video to emphasise communication for the exhibition. The clip shows many great inventors including the inventor of the mobile phone Martin Cooper. They say that communication technology will explode and as more of the world become more tech savvy, they will become self sufficient.

2. Emerging Technologies

Warwick & Josie

Josie and I chose this clip to show how emerging technologies such as the Microsoft Surface 2 can be effective for exhibitions. They can be a stand-alone showcase for our 2D and 3D designs on screen. They can also be user interactive for the exhibition audience to navigae themselves through our designs. This technology is not availible yet but can be adapted to the iPad 2 which the uni does have. We can even stream the iPad to a large screen.

3. Idea adaptation

Zac, Aja, Helena

The clip is based on a simple design such as a ladder being adapted for safety. They basically add on to the original ladder with winches, safety mechanisms. The group didn't really connect this well in relation to the exhibition but they did succeed in showing how experts have a adapted a ladder to many dangerous situations to make it safer.

Idea Generation – Exhibition Concept

Prepare for exhibition

Reflection

This week of Origination is our last week of Blogs. We have finished Maeda's book and have a good idea of how to make successful design successful. The video clips shown in today's class were quite entertaining and insightful. I was really impressed with the ladder design shown on the adaptation video even though it didn't have much to do with the exhibition itself. Now the blogs are coming to a close we can now concentrate on our designs for exhibition in three weeks time.

WEEK 11 Collaboration

Wednesday October 5, 2011

Today we discussed reflection and criticism within our group.

Group Exercise - DISCUSSION

Reflection

Discuss these questions in relation to a group creating a design in collaboration

01 – What is the difference between reflection and criticism?

Reflection is taking a step back and looking whereas criticism is the judging of merits and the faults

02 – Can you reflect while you are designing?

Not whilst in the actual physical act of designing but during the process it is important to reflect constantly to keep on track

03 – Do you set aside time for reflection?

Not officially. A lot of my reflection is done before going to sleep I go over the day’s progress, the things to plan for the following day/s/week/s.

04 – Do you make notes on your reflections?

I tend to make more of a list of things to tidy up if they are un-finished tasks. I make notes like a to do list either on my phone or paper. The phone is good for portability but the paper is good for memory retainment.

05 – When is the best time to reflect?

I find during certain parts of designing as well as looking back at the final product. Also at night when going to sleep there is less distraction for reflection.

06 – Do you compare your work to work by your heroes?

Yes. We tend to compare our designs with a hero that has spent years and years building up to quality. We must remember they started out like us.

07 – How do you benefit by comparison?

I can see design in simple form. I can see a similar finished outcome of what I am aiming for as well as the standards and quality.

08 – What can be a disadvantage of comparison?

We could make our designs and ideas similar to others and lose our originality.

Reflection

Reference (image above): Deer Reflection http://www.judy-jones-photo-source.com/images/deer-by-water.jpg

Blog Exercise – Moving On / Encouraging solutions

In regard to creative collaboration:

Discuss these questions - write a paragraph on each and use examples

1 . Are you brave enough to move on and adopt new and unexpected ideas?

Yes if someone comes to me as a fresh pair of eyes and asks what something is because it doesn’t not mean anything to them I feel that I need to adopt sometimes radical changes to my work to get the message of my work across.

For example: I Thought I had a reasonable design logo for an irrigation business but then I decided to take a risk and completely turn the design into another form which turned out to be a lot better. I then showed the group my 2 main designs and they liked the second one better. They suggested swapping a pipe icon for some simple grass in which I embraced yet still trying to apply the perfect grass.

2. Describe how you have encouraged others with a solution to their design problems:

I have made sure I tell other what I like about their work before or after I tell them what I don’t like. I think It is important to acknowledge the good so the bad can be addressed without seeming like a blatant attack on them or their ideas.

For example: I told Sunita I like her business card design but I don’t like the look of the text overlapping the image of her leaf design. I said that her choice of colour and design is excellent but the layout incorporating the text and logo needs a better layout from my eyes.

Criticism

Reference (image above): Criticism Banner

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipgdVEXrm0g-rVbWVqTKJfbUwnVjLqktSfmXbmYEjXhzi-3o_A3q8a9tuLYccDXNZOXgSVpBlpGqdmKaNC75Hjc4REhB8nF4j5hNA_jK2wHG-qiI4w-NUgbH5JDAd8MowuKPUq6AB7wIg/s1600/criticism.jpg

YouTube Clip

How to Take Criticism : Do Not Respond Defensively

Commentary

In this video, we are advised to embrace criticism. If we become all too defensive and block out the feedback of others we are missing out on valuable information. Tracy Goodwin
is the speaker. She has a masters in corporate communication and 10 years experience in professional speaking. Her many years of research is summed up in about one and a half minutes of priceless advice. Very useful.

Reflection

This is my reflection on reflection and criticism! I think its very important that we reflect so we keep on track with our desired outcome. We should also criticise during reflection to see if we can improve in different areas. We improve and then reflect again. We then re-criticise to see whether our criticism was warranted. This is constant process that achieves success and saves us from a lot of time and energy reverting back to the aim of our purpose. 

WEEK 11 Origination

Wednesday October 5, 2011

READING: The Laws of Simplicity; John Maeda

• Intro and Law 10 – The One

Reference (image above): http://lawsofsimplicity.com/2006/07/23/law-10-the-one/

Reading Quiz

Answer the following questions as succinctly as possible in your own words

10 mins: Cut & paste into your blog and start answers / 10 mins: Open discussion

1. What does Maeda call the 3 keys?

 away - Moving complexity away to make it seem simpler

 open - Becoming vulnerable by being honest and open with information

 power - 

Get more out of something by using less power

2. Describe how you have used these in your work towards TEN SQUARED? Give

at least one example of each key.

away - There are many different parts to build my 3D Irrigation Coffee table but by planning and Isolating the key parts I can make a series of parts come together in simple form

open -  Displaying the process on how I got to my final 2D and 3D designs to the finish

power - By choosing to design a coffee table from irrigation parts I dont have to use any power for my exhibit than if i went with the Fridge Coffee Table idea.

3. Describe an incident in the production of TEN SQUARED where technology has

been an enabler…. and another where it has been a disabler!

Our Design Logo was knocked back by the corporate branding at CDU. Technology has enabled us to change the colour of our design logo very quickly rather than having to re-draw and colour physically on paper. 

Technology has been a disabler where I have lost my 2D project file due to not saving my work or a software error. Whereas if it was on paper it would never fully disappear.

4. At this stage in the exhibition process you are all working on some element or

process for the big event. List 3 things (in your current project) that you could

take away to simplify and one thing you could add for meaning.

Simplify:

1. Take away all the non relevant computer files associated with the exhibition

2. Collate and put away any parts not used in the 3D design

3. Organise Exhibit files into appropriate folders eg drafts, finals, layouts, invites

Add for Meaning:

A Mascot for our Ten Squared Exhibition.

Simplifying Design

Reference (image above)::https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZ54WHDCqW31KkyeuowoiJDkYdqqQ6tGJx919I2q-ctjntMUSo_AU6G2ShZ_ENJj34mt30KPDFyORbvtOuUJ8NU-uTJwnxtJRrHOhXXDk-ylXrntIhzTjXYnDszuFRpOs7kYpzV5f9bs/s1600/05.jpeg

Youtube Clip

Simplifying the Content Design

                      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUYYRkTUhA8

Commentary

In this video Rob explains that we need to simplify our heavy design structure so it is easy to find. There's is so much design out there and it is not really catergorised. I agree with Rob that we need to collate all this important data and put it into a simple, easy to read and access format because we are inundated with technology and design these days. This clip is not very entertaining and I tended to look at the painting while he was talking but I agree on what he is saying.

Reflection

We all actually found this weeks reading quiz quite challenging. We really had to think hard about how we can simplify our designs for exhibition even further using Maeda's Keys. I found that Maeda tended to drag the last chapter out to conclude what was a brilliant book. I think he spoilt the book by making the conclusion more complex than the laws he talked about. I guess he just wanted to 

Week 10 - Collaboration

Wednesday 28th September 2011

Today we got right into discussing different way we go about designing.

Group Exercise – DISCUSSION

Moving On

Discuss these questions in relation to a group creating a design in collaboration

01 – Have you had to abandon any exhibition design concepts so far?

Yes I wanted to design a fridge coffee table and then decided to design an esky coffee table before I stuck with an irrigation style.

02 – If so, was it hard?

It was hard in a sense of not achieving my initial goal of designing it but it was easy to accept that to design something simple first would be more beneficial due to time and budget restraints.

03 – Do you think it is easy to miss a better idea if it is not the first one?

I think you should always hold on to those ideas somewhere in your mind where maybe they can manifest to fruition when the time is right.

04 – Do you have any techniques for creating unpredictable ideas?

Sweeping or mundane tasks tend to inspire the clearest of ideas for me as my mind wanders from the task at hand.

05 – Is logic the best way to attack a design problem?

It is but not totally. Sometimes logic is only based on what we already know. What we don’t know or stumble upon by accident can become the success of being illogical.

06 – What other problem solving methods could work?

• Asking an expert in a certain field
• Drafting plans and building prototypes
• Asking a design education facility to come up with ideas for your project and have a prize and/or recognition for the best solution or interpretation.

07 – Do you ever doubt your design decisions?

There is always an element of doubt. This is healthy as long as you can push through this and see your idea working no matter how you go about it.

08 – Do you ever consciously put on “another hat” to get inspiration?

Always. It is important to look at your work from every angle because in the real world your design will be under the highest scrutiny.

09 – Describe somebody opposite to you in relation to his or her design approach?

I like to draw out plans first with an idea in my head. My brother likes to have an idea in his head and jump straight into making it.

10 – Could you imagine designing like them?

Yes I like how there is no procrastination in drawing however I like to see things clearly on paper so I know it is going to work. Nine times out of ten my brother will be right but I like to make sure everything looks right before proceeding.

Blog Exercise – Encouraging Solutions

In regard to creative collaboration:

Discuss these questions - write a paragraph on each and use examples

1 . Describe how you have contributed to design solutions for other group members

Last semester, one of my classmates Maha incorporated a squirrel into her Absolut Vodka advertisement to emphasise the season of spring. I suggested that she photoshop the tail of the squirrel to wrap around the vodka bottle to make the image look more embedded an attain character.

2. Describe how you have challenged designs by other students in your group

Josie uses a lot of black & white in her designs. I repcect that this is her style yet because we are learning graphic design I encourage her to embrace colour and play around with it to widen her skillset.

3. Are you flexible when others suggest design improvements / changes?

Yes because they are seeing my work from a different perspective. They symbolise an audience who will be critical so I value their input. They may have extra skills I can learn from as well.

4. Choose a design that group input has changed radically. Post before & after images.

MB Irrigation Logo Design

Before

Reference (Image above): WB MB Irrigation Draft 1.jpg

After

Reference (Image above): WB MB Irrigation Draft 2.jpg

5. Describe the process of shifting the design solution radically.

When I presented the “before’ to the class they were initially happy with the design but Mark the lecturer suggested using one sprinkler head as a whole frame so the audience knows exactly what the company is about. Therefor I blew up the image of the sprinkler head and placed the name inside it, changing the font and colour scheme. The blue and green symbolise sky and grass. The “after” logo is not successful in becoming a final logo but successful in exploring another avenue of design ideas and inspiration.

After..The After

Reference (Image above): WB MB Irrigation Draft 3.jpg

The suggestion of radical change from before to after spiked another radical change to my own revamp of something simple and effective. I changed my mind from the traditional square badge style and played around with words and pictures. Mark suggested using green grass instead of the horizontal black pipe could nail this logo.

YouTube Clip

Autistic Artist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAyhz2m-UuQ&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PLD426A7B6D8440681

Commentary

This is an amazing video about a person that finds it very hard to communicate socially, but put him in a helicopter above the vast city of Rome and re-create it into a drawing with amazing accuracy in the 3 days following. Everyone has a different way of interpreting. Autism has unfortunate social dyslexia but can create super humans with amazing memory retainment capabilities.

Reflection

I liked today’s class in the way it challenges us to look at new ways in how we can go about designing. I would like to challenge the process in which I design. I tend to procrastinate a fair bit so actually jumping in head first on some things may be a great way to begin and then fix up any problem down the track. This will be the most effective in design programs where your work can easily be altered. It’s not so easy in the practical sense where prototypes take time to build and change.