As a visual communicator, I would like you to engage with different ways of thinking. The first activity involves reflecting on well-respected and established graphic design practitioners, the second activity asks you to select different ways to generate ideas and creative responses.
The assessment is in 2 parts:
Part one
I would like to invite you to listen to talks by the following design practitioners:
Jonathan Barnbrook – His views on graphic design
Milton Glaser – Using design to make ideas new
Stefan Sagmeister – Happiness by design
Paula Scher – Great design is serious (not solemn)
I would also like you to read Michael Bierut’s article entitled Alan Fletcher: living by design.
Which designer do you identify with the most? Explain why you identify with them.
Can you identify different ways of approaching work from these talks?
Based on your answer to question one, what did the speaker say that will be useful to your work?
Part two
For the next part of this activity, I would like you to look at this guide to the Design Council’s four step design process which provides useful suggestions to inform your own process. You are going to be investigating some of their design methods (outlined below) for this activity. As one of the world’s leading design institutions, the Design Council is a centre of new thinking and insight into new ways to do business.
I would like you to select four out of the numerous design methods listed below and try them out for yourself. You may need to carry out your own further research for more information about each method.
The design methods are as follows: Please note, some of the methods may not be relevant to your own project.
Creating a project space
Observation
User diaries
Being your users
Choosing a sample
Quantitative surveys
Fast visualisation
Focus groups
Assessment criteria
Comparing notes
Drivers and hurdles
Customer journey mapping
Character profiles
Scenarios
Role-playing
Service blueprints
Physical prototyping
Phasing
Final testing
Evaluation
Feedback loops
Method banks
Before you actually put these methods into practice, please answer the following questions:
Which methods are of interest to you?
Which ways of working are familiar to you?
Which ways of working are new?
Why have you chosen the four methods?
Can you predict which methods will be the most effective for your way of working?
I would like you to apply the different ways of developing your ideas in your actual work. If your methods include interviews or focus groups make sure that you discuss this with your tutor as this is may involve the ethics approval process.
I would like you to consider trying out some of the methods which are feasible for you, such as observation or creating a project space, and as your work progresses make a note of the more successful outcomes.
For the final part of the activity I would like you to write a paragraph about your findings from the two parts of the activities and your conclusions
Thank you
