21.08.15
HMW Questions & Iteration
Define/Ideate/Mock-up
Unfortunately i missed the first hour of this class but i did get there in time for some rapid iteration and 'how might we' approach to idea generation.
Reflection:
The 'how might we' questions are a useful tool because it helps you attack the problem from a specific angle, or with a larger goal in mind. That being said, since my research at this was lacking i felt i couldn't make the most of these ideation exercises and ill will reattempt them over the break.
20.08.15
POV & IDEO
Define/Ideate/Mock-up
We had a talk from Meena from about IDEO and approaches to design thinking and research. Up in class we gathered our research we did for homework to discuss and find trends or interesting manifestations. We practiced our POV statements before the end of class.
Reflection:
Using post-it notes to define trends in our research was very useful, it provided a clear look at the distinct groups/categories that things could be attributed to. Unfortunately i was the only one out of four people doing the same topic who actually did any research so everyone got to advance their understanding of the topic despite doing no work for it - an aspect of group contributions that never fails to come up.
I feel this exercise would have been more beneficial had my interviews been of better quality, my questions didn't get a discussion going and my answers were a little under developed and failed to tell me anything i didn't already know. Something to try again during the break.
Agian the POV statements would have been more beneficial if my interviews had gone better. Nonetheless the exercise itself does help to simplify and clarify a specific cause and direction.
14.08.15
Ideo Methods
Define/Ideate/Mock-up
We had a presentation on the IDEO cards and how they can benefit our design process and later in the class we did a 15 minute rapid prototyping exercise to test it out.
We were a few short minutes to come with a method of researching our topic before Tim gave a small ethics talk and we started our first draft of our ethics forms so we get stuck into research this week.
Reflection:
I like the Idea of the IDEO cards but sometimes just picking a method and going for it doesn't always produce ideas. I dont feel like 10 minutes was enough time to properly plan an entire research method for my topic so getting us to complete ethics forms before the end of class was almost redundant, that being said i finished some interview questions at home for homework.
13.08.15
Design Thinking provocations
Define/Ideate/Mock-up
We had presentations from Tim, Tulia and Donald about various design provocations and ways of thinking and approaching things. Following that Mark talked to us about ethics at Massey.
Studio was largely a feedback session. We began with a 'Strength-weakness- opportunity' exercise and finished by discussing with peers and tutors.
Reflection:
The 'Strength-weakness- opportunity' exercise helped quite a lot because we got multiple students feedback in a simple form, and for the most part they were consistent which gave us a good direction to head in. The feedback was largely type focused but a few were pointing out what image styles were and weren't working.
07.08.15
Refinement & Further Feedback
Define/Ideate/Mock-up
We had a small presentation from Tim about where we were at a year and a half ago, trying to inspire us and give us confidence. He is clearly picking up on the fact that we are struggling and quickly getting snowed under.
The rest of the class was spent gathering feedback from peers and tutors and discussing the direction of the project for the final week.
Reflection:
The feedback we received this class was far more helpful than yesterday, giving specific feedback about layout, font and imagery. We have settled on a style of imagery and have a plan for the composition and context of imagery for each page. We are slowly nailing down a style of grid and type - after receiving good feedback about today's iteration. We need to take photos and work our own images into the project, finish laying out the type and we should be in a good place.
07.08.15
Exchange
Ex-change/Empathy
We had a small presentation from Tim about where we were at a year and a half ago, trying to inspire us and give us confidence. He is clearly picking up on the fact that we are struggling and quickly getting snowed under.
The rest of the class was spent gathering feedback from peers and tutors and discussing the direction of the project for the final week.
Reflection:
The feedback we received this class was far more helpful than yesterday, giving specific feedback about layout, font and imagery. We have settled on a style of imagery and have a plan for the composition and context of imagery for each page. We are slowly nailing down a style of grid and type - after receiving good feedback about today's iteration. We need to take photos and work our own images into the project, finish laying out the type and we should be in a good place.
06.08.15
Peer Feedback
Define/Ideate/Mock-up
We first had a presentation by Chris Jackson from DNA, he spoke about the state of design and its ability to be defined or 'packaged'. The rest of the class was spent passing around our mock-ups, giving and getting feedback.
Reflection:
I found the presentation to be interesting but not altogether 'news'. I'm well aware that design is not a clear cut systematic process that can be packaged up nice and neatly, for me the different methods and ways of 'design thinking' are just generalizations or guidelines, and that ultimately the project will dictate the process. I think his main point was that design is subjective and changing at all points of the process.
The Feedback we received from our peers in class had both extremes of helpful and not. Ultimately a lot of it told me what i already knew, or brought up the 'subjective nature' of design. Feedback or not im aware that our images and style need to be worked through, we still have several mock ups images and different styles, we are finding it quite difficult to nail down anything specific that works.
