OUGD502 - Visiting Professionals: Freed By Design Talk

OUGD502 - Visiting Professionals: Freed By Design Talk

Kimberly from Freed by Design came into the studio to give a brief introduction to user experience design (UX). She talked through how she became involved in user experience design and its relationship to graphic design. She highlighted the point of informed research within a project as the greatest design in the world still needs to be able to connect with the audience it needs to be marketed at to ensure success for the client. The feedback loop in terms of user experience is often a lot more user focused to ensure a successful resolution to the brief she highlighted this sketch visually representing her typical design process; 

The second half of Kimberly's talk focused more on 'what is a user' she defined these as;

• Consumers 
• Customers 
• Audience 
• People 
• HUMANS

She stressed the fact that we seem to neglect that users are humans with physical emotions just like us and that we need to design with humans in mind not just 'users' which become much more structured and stereotyped. From this we looked at different research techniques to help collate data from these HUMANS. She explained several research techniques that can be fast, efficient and most importantly cost effective. 

FOG - asking if this is a FACT, OPINION or GUESS, is important when designing for an audience as it allows the audience to remain at the focus and for the design to not run off in sporadic directions. 

Surveys - Utilising social media networks with free tools such as survey monkey to quickly compile a range of usable data that can be applied to the development of the design. 

Coffee Shop Test - Asking to buy people a coffee in exchange for their opinions on a product, feature or development of the product

Observation - getting out to the places your target audience are, experiencing the same environments they do to get a better understanding of how they live and what appeals to them. 

I liked the concept of UX design working with the human senses to improve the experience a product/function can have with the user. I think this has great potential and is an important side of the industry to be aware of as brands etc will bode more positively with consumers who have had a positive experience with them resulting in a strong and well established consumer-brand relationship. 

OUGD502 - Visiting Professionals: Parallax Studio Talk

OUGD502 - Visiting Professionals: Parallax Studio Talk


Laurence and Louis from Parallax studio came in to talk about designing for digital platform, they run a highly successful digital design studio in Leeds and London with an impressive client list. They introduced us to their studio, they type of work they do and gave an insight into their design process. From the talk I found that the main struggle they have is the crossover between the designers and the developers, within their studio they keep the design and development of a website separate and have found there can be issues with the crossover of the two. They explained to their top 10 tips for designing digitally to ensure the resolution is as successful as possible. 

• Wire framing - To ensue the aesthetic is feasible and reproducible across various web pages 

• Fonts - Make sure the fonts you want to use are available as web fonts 

• Responsive Design - Ensure the design is thought out and usable 

• Research - Research the target audience and ensure the design is appropriate

• Retina - Design with a range of screen sizes in mind to ensure there is no loss of quality across a range of devices

• Interactivity - Mock up any animations to spell it out for the developers

• Understanding - Make sure there is a clear dialogue between the designers developers and the client 

• Consistency - Create style guides so when handed over to the client the aesthetic can be continued

• Compromise - Prepare for honest feedback and that the client has the final word despite your personal opinions

These tips really made me aware of some of the complications found within the industry, With an understanding of these common problems I can proactively design with these in mind to get into good habits. These tips will also help me with any live project undertaken at university to present a sense of professionalism to clients and external studios. Learning about there studio and focus on digital design I can identify this area of the industry however doesn't particularly appeal to me. At present I seem to be enjoying more analogue methods and branding design, although I am keen to learn more about digital methods and design to add it to my skill set and would be able to produce such resolution if required by a client. 

OUGD502 - Visiting Professionals: G F Smith Talk

OUGD502 - Visiting Professionals: G F Smith Talk 

Matthew Scarf from GF Smith came into the studio to give a talk about the company and how it influences the industry as well as how I can start to use them as a student. He gave a brief history of the company before talking about the different paper options they supply the main strand being the colour plan selection which features 50 colours, 25 embossings and 8 weights these are all dyed creating beautiful high quality stock that has no white edges and a luxurious feel. They also stock a range of specialist papers that each have unique properties and can elevate the quality of a project. Matt talked us through the factory services the offer which included; 

• Handmake envelopes
• Duplexing 
• Bespoke dummies 
• sampling service

He talked about how we as students can request samples through the university to allow us to start to engage with the stock within our current practise. I took away from the talk how the choice of stock can inform a design and really elevate the quality of the outcome, the papers from GF Smith will create a luxury feel for the resolution and further appeal to an audience. Following the talk matt brought in a range of samples for us to look at all using GF Smith stock this demonstrated to me just how the informed use of approbate stock can elevate a piece of print and add a totally new dimensions and connotations to the resolution. This got me thinking about specialist paper stock and how it can stat to be implemented within my practice, Ive started to do this already within my publication design but hope to use it within the collaboration with Ben Biondo making the print resolutions of a high quality and desirable as a limited edition collective run.   

OUGD502 - OUGD504 Module Feedback

OUGD502 - OUGD504 Module Feedback

The first module submitted in level 5 was design production, I was initially sceptical as to how I would transition from level 4 to level 5 knowing there was an increasing workload and demanded more refined resolution to the brief. I felt that id put a substantial amount of effort into all the briefs and feel I had created some good quality creative resolutions my favourite being the kickstarter branding brief as it was well developed and could see the real life application. 

I was happily surprised with the feedback and result of 73%, this makes me feel more confident in my ability with the grading reflecting and reinforcing that I have created high quality creative resolutions to the brief. The tutor comments were largely positive stating I have adapted well to level 5 and that tutors can see my emerging sense of style which is encouraging as I'm currently trying to experiment and identify where I fit into the industry. Comments were made towards the evaluative nature of my writing style which is something I can build on in response to this module and develop over the year. 

OUGD502: Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report: The Proposal

OUGD502 Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report

The Proposal

The second part of the report was to creatively interpret the responses from Ben and visually communicate this creatively to produce an focused engaging resolution to the brief. This is where I would have had trouble if I had created my report around a studio however as Ben is a freelancer I can make my creative resolution more personal and engaging. I felt this would be a great opportunity to create a collaboration between me and Ben as a designer I admire within the industry feel with would help to improve my practice and fulfil a sense of achievement working with one of my design idols. This could even lead to chargeable work if we sold the prints, I plan to screen print the resolutions adding a tactile print method which will create a more engaging resolution and high quality finish. 

Ive been having a problem with getting responses from Ben due to his busy schedule so conversation has been split via email and the instant messaging function within Tumblr. I sent ben the proposal which he got back to be saying he'd be willing to collaborate with me, when asking about what sort of style he'd prefer he was very relaxed leaving the design direction up to me. I find this exciting as it will give me opportunity to generate the concept and show I can collaborate within the professional industry. 

I emailed Ben my design proposal which would incorporate both of our styles into a contemporary print series that was contextually informed by his answers. I have created a narrative for each of the three prints that I have given Ben free-reign to interpret however he likes which will add a good mix of our individual style to the piece. I am now just waiting for ben to approve this direction before I start developing some physical work. 

OUGD502: Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report: The Answers

OUGD502 Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report

The Answers

Hey Rhys -

I hope you have been well. 

Below are my responses to the questions you sent over.

-

I’m a big fan of your manifesto ‘never not have fun’ whats the most fun you’ve had in a while? 

I went to Parker Palm Springs the other weekend and that was a really cool experience. That place is a bit of an oasis.

Your work ethic seems quite relaxed and laid back how do you deal with stress, especially being a freelance designer? 

A desire to design comes naturally to me. It is something I have to be doing. I get restless if I am not being creatively productive in one way or another. Whenever I have a project, or a design that needs to be completed I just do it. I know that seems straight forward, but it is the truth. I have had to become a morning person, getting up at 5am, in order to fit more design into my day. There are stressful and exhausting times, but for the most part projects flow pretty organically. Design is a non-stop effort for sure. 

How would you describe your style?  and would you say you mediate this to the type of clients/projects you choose to work with? 

I would describe my style as "evolving". As consistent as my work feels, it is always changing in some way or another. Some days I want to make wavy, playful patters, others days I want to create super minimal, type centric pieces. My creative work is really a culmination of designs, lifestyles, ideas, moods, feelings, etc. that I am attracted to.

I have been fortunate to work with people who are interested in the way I make things and trust my vision on projects. I prefer to work with other creatives - photographers, architects, shop owners musicians, etc. because they see the value in good design. 

Would you say location has affected your practice? How do you think living in Los Angeles has impacted you as a designer in terms of inspiration and your response to a brief?

Absolutely. There are so many influences attached with any location. Be it a small town in northern Michigan, LA, or Berlin. I feel it is impossible, as a person and especially as a creative to not be effected in some way by your physical surroundings. 

Living in California has not directly effected the way I respond to a brief. It has more so effected the way I make things and the final outcome of a project visually. 

You seem very interested in creativity as a lifestyle which is something I feel I understand pretty well, are there any sayings/mantras you try and live by? 

Not in particular, it is more of a way at looking at creativity/design. I like to view my design as a practice. There is no peak, or final piece, or aesthetic or mood that I want to settle on. I will continually be making things allowing my design to evolve naturally and be influenced by what is around me. I am drawn to living a creative life, because it is ever changing. The way I shoot images, style my home, and design today will change over time, and I like that.

I was really impressed with Bens response to my questions. I was initially worried that me might rush them and not provide much detail but his response show that he has clearly thought about each question and carefully considered his responses. This provided me me with a great insight into him as a practitioner and his practice. From these responses I can now look at creative ways to visually articulate Bens practice that will be directly influenced by his responses. 

 

OUGD502: Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report: The Questions

OUGD502 Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report

The Questions 

With the go ahead from Ben I started to establish a range of questions. I ideally wanted to conduct the interview face to face to gain the most emotive responses however due to the vast location and time differences it was unfeasible to meet Ben personally. I considered a Skype interview however due to the time differences this would also be extremely difficult to arrange and would require a follow up transcription that may loose some of the quality, Emailing questions isn't ideal as I can't build things he brings up in his answers unless I do follow up questions however it will ensure the answers a of a high quality as Ben will have time to think about the questions in depth and revise them before sending to ensure he is happy with the responses instead of being put on the spot like an interview would which may result in slightly less focused responses. 

I started off very informally to ease him into the questions, this then developed into more academic questions asking about how he deals with stress as this is not evident through the laid back style of his work. Asking about his stye was interesting for me as he branches out so much within his practice it would be interesting to know how he views this personally looking at the industry and his place within it. Asking about location was an element that I am currently thinking alot about myself having spend the summer touring Australia and absorbing their culture. Ben lives and works from California with iconic scenery and famous lifestyle, his views on how location has affected his practice will shed some light on his work style and ethic. Finally he talks a lot online about living creatively I wanted to find out if he lives by any rules or sayings that have supported his lifestyle. 

I have created a strong set of questions that balances his lifestyle with his practice and how he defines this. I feel these questions will result in a set of strong answers that will enlighten me about Ben as a designer and his place within the industry. 

Final questions: 

I’m a big fan of your manifesto ‘never not have fun’ whats the most fun you’ve had in a while? 

Your work ethic seems quite relaxed and laid back how do you deal with stress, especially being a freelance designer? 

How would you describe your style?  and would you say you mediate this to the type of clients/projects you choose to work with? 

Would you say location has affected your practice? How do you think living in Los Angeles has impacted you as a designer in terms of inspiration and your response to a brief?

You seem very interested in creativity as a lifestyle which is something I feel I understand pretty well, are there any sayings/mantras you try and live by? 

so 

OUGD502: Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report: The Gentle Reminder

OUGD502 Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report

The Gentle Reminder

With no response from any of the requests I send an Instant message to Ben Biondo's tumblr profile. To my surprise he relied almost instantly saying he must have accidentally skipped passed it and that he would look forward to answering my questions. This was great news and meant I could start to create some specific questions towards Bens practice that would evoke a strong response and would allow me to develop a strong resolution to the brief. 

OUGD502: Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report: Research - Ben Biondo

OUGD502 Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report

Research - Ben Biondo

Having no significant luck with contacting studios I decided to shift my focus again to freelance designers, I was initially hesitant to do this as I wanted to create connections within the industry that could potentially lead to employment opportunities however have never considered freelance work and this could give a critical insight to this side of the industry. 

My first thought was a freelancer from California called Ben Biondo. I initially stumbled across his work at the start of the year through social media and loved his style. By extension I found his website which allowed me to see his full portfolio. I liked the vast range within his practice from the dramatic photography in the overgrowth campaign and the illustrative elements within the 'a few plants' series. Most of all I was attracted to his logo work and 'small things' series which to me showed pure creativity and the fun to be had within design. Mixing a range of styles, aesthetics and formats as pure experimentation. The use of pastels appealed to me and the typographic experimentation was refined yet playful. 
http://benbiondo.com

Interested in Bens style and attitudes towards design I sent him an email explaining the brief in the hope he would reply being a freelancer meant the email would go directly to him. 

OUGD502: Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report: Studio Research - Music

OUGD502 Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report

Studio Research - Music

Taking my focus outside of London I found MUSIC, a creative collective with an inherent desire to create better communication for brands based in Manchester. Opened under 10 years ago in 2007 music has grown from strength to strength building a large client base including LCM, Canterbury and Chester Zoo. I connected with David Simpson founder and send him an introductory message telling him how I grew up living close to Chester Zoo and I liked what music had done with the new brand identity. Hopefully he will reply which will lead conversation to progress into an interview. 

OUGD502: Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report: Studio Research - Further Studio Research

OUGD502 Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report

Studio Research - Further Studio Research

From the list of studios Tim Wan provided me through a linked in conversation I identified a number of studios that I admire in terms of their ethos and portfolio of work. The studios that most inspired me from this list were Bunch, Hingston Studio and Moving Brands, I did some follow up research before contacting these studios which would help educate me and ensure there were no slip ups on my behalf if the studios do respond. 

Bunch: 
Bunch is a multidisciplinary design studio with bases in London and Zagreb, I discovered it was founded by Denis Kovac in 2005, which gives me a name to try and contact/connect with. I really like style of work bunch produces opting for a blend of bold type and block colour in a range of their work, which is a style I seem to be developing more and more within my own practice. I could see myself working at a studio such as bunch as I feel my style would lend itself well to their portfolio, they also offer internships which is a bonus and something I can keep an eye on. 

Kingston Studio: 

There was little background research about Hingston Studio other than it was founded in 1997 by Tom Hingston and describes itself as an Independent creative agency. They have developed a very impressive client list for a small independent studio such as Absolut Vodka, Alexander Mcqueen and Virgin records. I was particularly attracted to the design and print section of there website as this work was bold creative and innovative much as their wallpaper magazine covers handmade using paper cut outs. 

Moving Brands: 

Moving Brands are independent, global creative company who work with established and emerging businesses to design and transform their brands and experiences to thrive in the moving world. They were founded in 1998 and have opened studios internationally in London, Zurich, San Fransisco and New York collecting a hoast of awards in their time including D&AD, European Design Award and New York Film Festival. I loved the branding work they produce especially the Grosmunster identity, They resolved the brief in a contemporary aesthetic whilst remaining clever and sympathetic to its origins and heritage. 

Of these Studios only Denis Kovac of Bunch accepted my invitation on Linked in however did not reply to my initial hello message. However I will consider this a defeat as he is in my network for further opportunities including the internships the studio provides. I will continue researching studios taking my focus out of London however am glad Tim pointed me in this direction as I know have a more comprehensive insight into the industry and have learnt about more great studios that may present opportunities for me within my profession career. 

OUGD502: Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report: Studio Research - Bibliotheque

OUGD502 Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report

Studio Research - Bibliotheque

I began my studio research focusing on my favourite design studio Bibliotheque, based in London. Their style is quite classic and refined with contemporary aspects that bring their designs to life. I realised there was a smile chance I would be able to conduct my interview with them due to their schedule and small number of employees however wanted to try anyway as it would be a great opportunity if they responded. I began by researching the studio and found the managing director Jonathon Jeffrey on Linked in however he did not accept my indication. Going down a slightly different route I found an alumni from the graphic design course at Leeds college of art that had previously worked at Bibliotheque. Tim Wan now a freelance designer accepted my request which gave me access to privately message him. 

Unfortunately Tim never took the job at Bibliotheque so had no contact information to pass on leaving me with no choice but to contact the studio via their generic email address. Tim was really friendly asking me about the course and when he offered further help I asked him for advice about similar design studios that he could tell me about. He responded with a great selection of studios that raged in size and prestige. This was a fantastic insight that allowed me to identify a range of studios that I had never heard of before and found a great deal of inspiration looking through this collection of work by that range of studios. Tim was a great help although he could not refer me to my first choice provided me with a number of studios that I now know about and admire the work of. 

OUGD502: Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report: Methods of Communication

OUGD502 Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report

Methods of Communication

Linked in

Talking to my tutor he explained the opportunities that Linked In provides as a professional form of communication with other practitioners. In terms of this brief sending generic emails to the hello@'studio name' will rarely achieve a response whereas linked in allows me to target specific designers from the studio creating a more focused route into talking with a particular studio. 

From this I decided to focus my main efforts of communication through Linked in as well as personal email addresses. I initially considered a more tactile form of communication such as printed letters and postcards however concluded this would be less affective sending it to the studio where the receptionist will most lively receive it, instead  I aim to focus on creating a personal connection with a designer that will be more genuine and direct. I hope this will lead me to connecting with a range of industry professionals that if nothing else will boost my network on linked in and they are there for future opportunities that may even include employment. 

OUGD502: Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report: Brief Interpretation

OUGD502 Studio Brief 1 - Creative Report

Brief Interpretation

Brief: 
Building on your continued familiarisation with the creative industries and prompted by the need for even more engagement with professional contacts, you are required to seek out an industry practitioner or practice who you will base a report on.

The completed report should utilise your skills as both a designer and a researcher and make use of material drawn from at least one personal interview with an appropriate spokesperson to then culminate in an insightful overview of a contemporary industry figure or organisation. Your interview can be carried out in person or via phone, Skype or email. Supporting sessions will offer guidance regarding the approaching and interviewing of subjects

You should aim to subsequently develop a report that is engaging in terms of both its style and content. The completed report can be submitted as a digital or a print output. However, it needs to communicate your subject's route into industry and identify where their creative practice is currently situated.

On completion, a project evaluation of 500 words should also be posted to your PPP blog.

Analysis of the Brief: 

I think this brief will aid my progression into the commercial practice of graphic design. It is focused around making me research different types of graphic design practices from large corporate studios to more bespoke design boutiques and even freelancers and consider their route into industry and if it something I can identify with. This brief gives great opportunity to make connections within the industry without asking too much of the interview subject merely a chat. Which could later even be developed into studio visits or job opportunities. 

I will approach this brief by firstly researching a range of design studios that I admire for example wolff olins and bibliotheque, I can objectively identify the limitations with these studios as they are multi-national industry leading studios it will be difficult to create an initial point of contact. Based on these limitations I will also research smaller studios and freelance designers as these may be easier to contact and have more time to help me throughout the brief as a back up. I will experiment with my methods of communications considering alternative ways to evoke a response from potential interview subjects that standard emails. 

I am looking forward to the process of this brief researching design studios that may give me inspiration for my current practice and may even inspire me to want to work with particular studios/individuals.

OUGD502: Study Task 1 - Study Task Evaluation

OUGD502 Study Task 1 - Taking Care of Business 

Study Task Evaluation 

This study task challenged me to work within a group to identify a very personal topic of what I want to do after university, this would be difficult to put any group of individuals and expect them to have a similar path due to the vast expanding nature of the industry. There was no significant conflicts within the group, I feel we were initially reserved as to the direction we wanted to take however managed to agree on the multi-dimensional platform that would implement everybody skills and specialities. 

We approached the task very democratically voting as a group on all major decisions which ensured a fair resolution to any problems. Everyone pulled their weight within the group distributing research focuses evenly and dividing the presentation equally to ensure no one had more that others of took over. Even though our styles vary in terms of aesthetic we agreed the aesthetic of the branding and collateral needed to be fairly minimal so to not contrast any particular style of work as the magazine/website will features work from all platforms, this clean contemporary style ensured the best composition of the content.

It is a common statement in business to never get into bed with your friends however in this instance I feel that is wrong as through the process of this study task we have kept each other motivated and the creative brainstorming sessions have resulted in great ideas and a high quality resolution. The process of creating a business plan initially sounded dull however doing it with friends made it more fun and allowed me to realise the full potential of start up businesses. 

'Its not the destination its the journey' and I have enjoyed the process of creating a business plan within my group. 

The feedback from the tutors was engaging and supportive, it extended on ideas we presented to add more commercial context if the business was to be extended into a live project. I feel the concept was articulated successfully within the presentation and the tutors identified the wealth of research and development within our business plan.