BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN
LEVEL
Module Code
OUGD301
Module Title
DESIGN PRACTICE III
06
END OF MODULE SELF-EVALUATION NAME
SOPHIE WILSON
BLOG. www.s-wilson1013.blogspot.com ADDRESS
1. What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them? Throughout this module I feel as though I have learnt an incredible amount, particularly in regards to branding and brand identity, which is something I now know I really want to pursue throughout final major project, and my personal and professional design practice upon graduation. Working with clients on a personal and direct basis has given me the confidence to develop my ideas and apply design throughout a range of deliverables and product outcomes with a focus on printed design. As a result of developing confidence and professionalism within my client and brand relationships, I have also been offered the opportunity and insight to work closely with printers and other services, such as embroiders (throughout the Leeds University Union Ballet Society brief), therefore developing my experience of working within the industry in live project briefs and gaining a body and network of contacts for future design work and generating professional outcomes. 2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process? I believe that developing strong client relationships is without doubt one of the most important things I have learnt about throughout this module, and the benefit that strong working relationships can bring, particularly in regards to trust with sourcing printers, and creating high-end design products, which often involves high economic risks, which has given me a great opportunity to work with design and service professionals. I also believe that my production values have definitely improved throughout this module as I have developed a great deal more insight into design and print outcomes, as well as a natural development and interest in methods of production through experimentation, online references and sources as well as through workshops and tutorial sessions. 3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these? I feel that throughout this module, my organisation and preparation, in some respects, has been a real advantage. Although this undoubtedly slipped at times, I feel very pleased that I have considered and evaluated my briefs to a full extent consistently throughout my design practice as well as blogging my work and evaluating my design decisions every day, which has helped to increased my confidence and the pace at which I make decisions, something that I hope to continue and plan to an even greater and consistency throughout the final major project briefs in the New Year.
I also feel pleased that I have gained the confidence to have developed working relationships with print and service professionals, something I wouldn’t have imagined I could have done when I started the course, due to a clear shyness and lack of confidence within my knowledge of the industry and specifications required for professional print. From design workshops and briefs, such as the ‘Design for Print’ module within the second year, I feel that my technical and practice knowledge has progressed and grown hugely. 4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future? Throughout the module it’s evident that I haven’t distributed the workload and outcomes of the briefs as equally as I originally planned and hoped. Although I am generally pleased with the outcomes for the various briefs, there is a clear divide in the time spent on each of them, and, as a result, feel that some are a little rushed. I feel that my time and project management was largely to blame, as well as committing and promising too much to clients, which, unfortunately, a great deal of which couldn’t be achieved by the module submission. Throughout the final major project brief I intend to focus on individual projects for a select amount of time, working on them intensely and producing design and submission boards as and when work is finalised to ensure I don’t feel unnecessarily rushed towards the end of the module. 5. Identify things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these? 1. Plan my briefs and the time management more effectively to ensure printing and design outcomes in professional presentation is not left to the last minute, therefore achieving the highest results and professionalism possible to ensure that my personal and professional portfolio is of a standard that I can feel proud of. 2. Prioritise my design outcomes and avoid “positive procrastination” to ensure that the work that requires time and a professional-standard outcome is of the highest possible standard, and so as not to avoid tasks purely because they take “slightly longer” or are “slightly less enjoyable”.
6.How would you grade yourself on the following areas: (Please indicate using an ‘X’) 5= Excellent, 4 = Very good, 3 = Good, 2 = Average, 1 = Poor 1 2 3 4 5 Attendance X Punctuality X Motivation X Commitment X Quantity of work produced X Quality of work produced X Contribution to the group X The evaluation of your work is an important part of the assessment criteria and represents a percentage of the overall grade. It is essential that you give yourself enough time to complete your written evaluation fully and with appropriate depth and level of self-reflection. If you have any questions relating to the self evaluation process speak to a member of staff as soon as possible.