Reflecting Journal
Skills & Knowledge:
Awareness of diverse and global range of design cultures and languages: I am aware of various and global range of design cultures and languages as if I find it important due to I am an International student in the University. I also travel a lot, and until know I have been to Dubai, Sweden, Switzerland, to several islands of Greece and to Lebanon. I am also learning the design culture and languages here in Manchester because I am from Cyprus and these all are new for me. I intent to travel to as much as possible countries all around the world to find new design cultures and languages, to develop my knowledge and skills and also to adapt those elements of designs to mine. Experience of design research, analysis and synthesis: From the time when I start the University I have experienced throughout every project that it is been assigned to us research, analysis and synthesis. I am aware that this experience is not enough to reach the level of professional so I intent to improve my research, analysis and synthesis skills by asking professional persons to advice me how to do this more professionally. Visualizing/prototyping skills and aptitudes in a range of media and formats: I have experience working and developed my skills of media and formats, such us AutoCAD, Sketch Up, Microsoft office and Adobe software’s, ranging from graphite, pens, pencils, paints, chalks etc. Furthermore I intent to and hope that that skills will evolve through my next years in University and come to a point that my skills will be more than professional. Aptitude in compiling interim and summative design presentations: From last years projects we perform both solo and group presentation. I think I am doing okay regarding presentations but okay it is not enough for me so I intent to gain more confidence through other presentations that I am going to execute in University and learn how to be expert on them by my fellow course mates and by my tutors. Aptitude for designing through a digital platform: I do have the ability to design through digital platforms, as I mentioned before, but I do not thing that it is the stronger skill that I have therefore I am thinking and I intent that if I do not increase the level of that skill until June of 2014 to
take summer classes to be more specialized in this matter because designing through digital platforms is essential. Knowledge and experience of process, component and production technology: Throughout the years from school and now during the university I have learned and developed my skills about the process, component and production. Especially in the university, I have learned the process of model making and how to produce a model with different materials available in the workshop. I intent to research more about the production and components technology through out the web and books.
Project Process:
Experience of design process and methodologies: Through the projects in university I have manage to learn the design process and methodologies. This is very essential for a completion of a project but I thing I have to learn more ways to approach and I intent to, thereby to find the best way of doing it. Experience of team leadership and management: In my first year on university we had a group project ands I was the leader, where we had to measure a part on Centenary Building where we have our classes, so we had to divide the work on each person. I think we worked well as a group but in the end we figured out that some measures was different with others in the group and that had effect on our grade, thus in the next group I intent to be more careful with the group and listening to the others opinions as they are listening to mine as well and having a conversation about details with each other. Experience of costing projects and fee negotiation: I have not experience of costing projects and fee negotiations yet so I intent to do some research for my upcoming projects. Experience of planning and managing project activity: From my completions of many projects in the university I have notice that planning and managing project activity is very important due to you have to manage your time to be on deadline with some respectful elements on it. I did not have that skill before university and now I know how to manage my time and plans to be on schedule and deadline. I yet think that there is room for development so I intent to be more consistent. Experience of managing client relationships and collaborations: I do not have experience of managing client relationships and collaboration related with Interior design but I have worked before on a fast food take away
restaurant and I have a taste of it. It is sure not enough, hence I intent to experience that through my work placement in the 3rd year in university. Experience of a wide range of project types and scales of innovation: I have experiences a wide range of project types and scale innovations in the projects assigned to us by the university tutors, such as outdoor nature project and a design of a house in a given location. I intent to have a real experience by my placement in the 3rd year, and after university from the job position I am going to have.
Enterprise and marketing:
Knowledge of design sectors and creative industries: Through lyceum and my foundation year I covered these areas of design: graphic, 3D, architecture, fashion design and visual arts. I know each of these areas fairly well, but I intent in the next years to cover more and more sectors of design by research or by assignments. Experience of project procurement and client consultation: I do not have experience of project procurement and client consultation but I hope and intent to gain experience through the years I have left in university and from my work placement in the 3rd year. Experience in planning continuing professional development: I do have experience in planning continuing development from my years in university but I do not thing is professional yet. It is development though so I intent to make it professional in time before I graduate. Experience and understanding of legislation and regulations:
For some of the projects that I did I had to search for some regulations about stairs, doors etc. but I did not learned as much as would like or as I have to learned, so for my next projects I intent to learn and apply as many legislations and regulations rules. Experience of design budgets and account management: I do not have experience of this due to this was mentioned to us very few times, but I do know that this is essential to know so on my upcoming projects I intent to search that and refer to it as much as I can and as much as I have to.
Experience of design practice marketing and promotion: I have not had the experience of marketing and promotion but I do have a kind of promotion experience through the client boards that we make at the end of each project. I intent to make a research about the design marketing and I hope to learn more about promotions in the university.
Values and vision:
Understanding and practice of ethical business standards: I do not know much about this area but I intent to make some research to find out more about it. Subscriptions to policies and standards of ethical design: I think we have looked into some issues for extend population and what the designer ‘Le Corbusier’ did for that, but I intent and I will make a further research of policies and standards of ethical design. Commitment and understanding of the imperatives of professional practice: It is very essential to be committed and understand the imperatives of professional practice because the client will trust you to do the best you can and do what exactly they applied for. I intent to gain experience about that in the real world practice. Awareness and appreciation of key design futures and innovation trends I am aware and I appreciate the key design futures and innovation trends Commitment to the advancement of design knowledge, expertise and value. I gained some knowledge from a previous project which I researched an architect designer ‘Frank Lloyd’. I intent to make more research on this area on upcoming projects. Awareness and practice of user centered design. I am aware that I have to know who my client is and understand the user-‐ centered design so I intent to make research and know my client and their needs to be fulfill their needs and for to be successful.