OUGD502 - Module Evaluation

1.  What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

The main skill I have developed in this module is my ability to be able to go through the motions of setting up a business in a collaboration. I found that as I have a good understanding of business studies, this really helped the group and helped myself understand what was needed to set up a business and how important these skills were. This gave me the experience of a realistic setting up of a business, with a lot of time spent on figures and making sure everything was realistic. It was also an eye opener into how as a new business we would have to promote ourselves to get exposure. Running through these ideas was useful to me as a designer as well as if I were working in a collaboration.

2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?

The main method that I have learnt in this module is to do with the paperwork side of the business, learning about how to protect myself as a designer and what I can do and should do when starting freelance work, in terms of payment, copyright, terms and conditions. I found that this was really helpful as it gave me an insight into how I could work if I were freelance or working for a studio.

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

I think the main strength in this module is down to my self branding. I think my ability to create an identity for myself and spread it across a number of different media, scales and formats, has been the strongest of this module. I did find it initially hard to try represent myself with the branding, however when I got it, I went with it and I think it turned out really great. The skills I have developed throughout this year and through this self branding project are ones that I will take forward with me.

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?

I think my definite weakness of this year is in my networking. While I have set up a Behance account and taken part in a lot of live/competition briefs this year, I don't feel I am at the point where I would have liked to have been. I would have liked to have more communication with studios and designers, but due to my own shyness and lack of confidence in this, I feel I have wasted an opportunity. Over the summer I would like to visit studios over the country, hopefully and get a placement, or plans for a placement in the next year.
I also think that my oral presentation wasn't as good as it could have been. I think that this was down to lack of preparation and thinking about my own presentation skills. I did a visual, minimal presentation on the idea that I would talk a lot and not have to flick through the slides much, however I found that without some of the images on, I forgot to talk about some important things of the year, which was a bit annoying.

5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

1. Network more - exposure is just as important as creating the work. I think that networking next year will be fundamental to me getting a placement and job next year as I will be more confident in myself as a designer and in talking to other designers/studios.
2. Make a presentation which suits my presentation style. Making a presentation that suits my style will mean that I will be able to have a much more fluid and confident presentation.
3. Spend more time on my self promotion pack. Giving myself a few more days to do the self branding and promotion is something that I would have liked this year, but there wasn't enough time for me, so hopefully next year I will be able to organise my time a bit better to get a bit more time.
4. Create, code and make my website live. I think getting myself a website up and running live on the internet would give myself a bit more exposure and potentially get myself some clients in the future.
5. Spend more time researching studios and work that I like. I think that researching a bit more would have helped me generate more ideas throughout the whole of this year, and helped me get an idea into what kind of area I would like to go into as a designer.