Module OUGD103 Evaluation

During this module I have felt the most engaged with my work. I feel it has been very varied in relation to briefs and the outcomes I have produced. For example, entering a live brief, working in groups and working using my own experiences as a backbone for a brief. I feel these have really challenged my design skills and pushed my potential.

Working in a group I feel is a great learning curve because you have to be flexible yet decisive, listening to everybody's inputs, yet not getting held up with extravagant ideas. Previous to the 'Communication is a Virus' brief I would have said that working in a group is hard work and sometimes the results aren't as you'd first hoped, however now I feel I have come to understand and appreciate the benefits. Firstly ideas can be generated a lot quicker, I see it as an on going crit between each other. If someone suggests and idea you can instantly get feedback on it without having to go with instinct. Also people's brains work in different ways, so they may be able to come up with a solution to an issue that you just can't figure out yourself. I feel our group worked like this, we all had our own input into the design and eventually it all pieced together like a jigsaw. I feel if I had this brief set on my own I wouldn't have come out with as much work or to as higher standard in the time available.

Being that this module was the final module of the year and everything seemed to be winding down, be it that other friends were finishing their courses before or that the weather was getting nicer. This made it quite hard to keep focused. Keeping a timetable made this a little easier however it was still tempting to break the work cycle and get into bad habits. I feel that working along other students who are in the same situation has encouraged me to keep working hard. Working in the college studio's with driven students made me feel more inclined that I should be doing the same.

I feel that I have learnt a lot this module. I have learnt that experimenting is the key to success. Since the type and grid sessions I have been doing a lot more initial ideas and layouts of idea generation. By wasting two days in the screen printing rooms, in some ironic way it has taught me to be patient. Although it didn't deliver the results that I wanted without trying the method out in the first place I wouldn't have the same outcome in the end. Keeping on top of work and doing a little bit every day helps so much when it comes to submitting work, there is not as much stress and everything seems to be a lot more organised.

If I had to re-take this module I don't think I would change a lot, I now know to keep focused all of the time to avoid a back log of work. I feel satisfied and please with the work I have produced and feel I have been pushed to my full potential.