END OF MODULE EVALUATION OUGD402

What skills have you developed through this module and and how effectively do you think you have applied them?
Organisation and time-keeping was key during this module - not only because they were a main focus, but also because 402 has been ongoing, and it is the very last to be assessed. I was quite shocked during the time management workshops, seeing how much time we wasted when many claimed they didn't have enough time to even do what they wanted. It definitely put things into perspective and allowed me to see, realistically, how I was spending my time and how I could spend it more effectively. I've definitely become much more aware and conscious of this, and have started to keep track of my days so that I'm making the most of them. I have become much more organised in the sense that I have started to keep a diary since the workshops, keeping note of all the tasks that need to be completed. This can be seen in the pre-booking of print slots before Easter. I was aware that after Easter, digital print would start to get busier and busier with it coming up to final projects and end of year shows, meaning that third years would receive priority. In order to make sure I was going to be able to print without panic or stress, I worked out when exactly each deadline was due, what I was going to have to print and when it would need to be ready by. This then allowed me to book three print slots in advance for each of my modules.
What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process?
Design concept and development boards have been extremely prevalent during this module. I find them useful as it allows you to break down your project into sections and categories that are much more manageable, and it allows you to get a much clearer view of the direction your heading in and the progress you've made. They're a very good tool for crit work also, as they have allowed me to express my ideas to others in an organised fashion. They seem to work a lot better than a pile of design sheets as people are able to see the process from beginning to end. In addition to this, I found that occasionally I would struggle when it came to talking about my work, however, in the crits for this module, these boards allowed me to focus my thoughts and ideas.
What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise these?
 I feel that my illustration skills have continued to improve, being visually engaging. I feel they were successful and worked well with my stock experimentation. I have become a lot more confident in using colours that I normally wouldn't go near, and I'm happy that I've ventured away from my 'colour comfort zone'.  My organisation skills also allowed me to book a print slot in advance, so this is one less thing I had to worry about. It also pushed me into getting my work done a couple of days before the deadline, which therefore allowed me to make changes and improve on my outcomes. As I had problems printing, if I had left it to the day of the deadline, or the day before, I wouldn't have the time to fix the issues that occurred. You need to leave time so that any changes can be made if something is to go wrong. I'm extremely glad I had these extra few days to sort out my outcomes, and produce something extra to go with it that I was happy with.

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

I definitely feel like I could have posted to PPP a lot more often, evaluating my progress as I went along, not just at the end of modules. I feel I needed to reflect more on what I was doing, and use this blog as an area to document my time on the course. 
I also feel that this project was a little rushed. It kind of got left behind and I feel like I didn't fill it to it's full potential. There were certain aspects of the practical briefs that I was really happy with, yet other areas could definitely have been improved. In order to not make these mistakes again, I need to keep working to the best of my abilities, and not settle for anything that I don't feel happy with. If I'm not content with my work, I can't settle, therefore I need to allow myself more time to produce an outcome that fully meets the brief.

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

1. I definitely need to post to my PPP blog more often, particularly when I find inspiration or work that interests me. This will allow me a log of design that could help me with future projects.
2. I need to focus on evaluating my progress more often in order to get a better understanding or where I'm heading, what I'm improving at, and what isn't going so well.
3. I will make sure that there's cross-overs between modules so that one doesn't gain priority over the other.
4. Try not to panic when printing goes wrong as it's not just about quality of print.
5. If an idea isn't working, move on, don't try and push it otherwise nothing will get done.

Attendance -  5

Punctuality - 5

Motivation - 3

Commitment - 3

Quantity of work produced - 2/3

        Quality of work produced - 2/3

     Contribution to the group - 3