End of Module Evaluation

1.  What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?
Throughout the 405 module I have developed skills within illustrator, discovered new techniques and came up with new design idea’s.  I also feel like my typography designs have became much more aesthetically pleasing since the beginning of this module.  I am happy that my pieces of work from the 100 things project, all carry the same design style and you can tell they are related whereas in the past I often found it difficult to make things work in the same style.  Also in the second part of this module (100 things), the design sheets I drew up in the beginning were very helpful for generating ideas and developing early imagery, unlike in the ‘how to’ group project, I only completed a few design sheets and then went on to lose them.  Also I have become much better at sourcing the research I need.  I created my first survey and also carried out an interview.  I now understand qualitative and quantitative research and this was useful when it came to finding the information I needed about my project.
2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process? Throughout the module I have mostly used illustrator as it is a quick way of making good designs.  Instead of screen-printing my t-shirts and bag, I used photo-transfer paper, which you just need to iron on.  This method is quick and easy and you can use as many colours as you like.  The only downfall is that they don’t look as good as screen-printed items.  In the future I would like to be more organised and leave enough time to screen-print.  My approach to the projects have also been different throughout this module as I have planned out in the beginning what I intend to do instead of just jumping straight into designing.
3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
During OUGD405, I have had to organise my time much more.  Recently (since Christmas) I haven’t had the use of a laptop at home and therefore I had to make sure I was completing designs at college and often stayed late in the mac suites using the software there.  In the beginning I thought this would be a major disadvantage however it proved useful as it meant I kept on top of the workload and kept my work out of home-life.  I intend to get a new laptop very soon, however I wish to stick to the way I have been managing my time more recently.
4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future?
My skills on photoshop are very limited and I intend to broaden them by using and practicing with the software more.  I feel like I have limited myself recently to computer-aided design when really I enjoy more hands-on designing so I intend to try out more of the workshops available to us at college.  Since the last module I feel that I have become better at blogging, but I still feel like I need to blog my process instead of just the beginnings of a design and the final outcomes.  I also need to engage more at the beginning of projects, for example the individual ‘how to’ I wasn’t interested in at all and rushed my research last minute.
5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?
Be more organised prior to the hand-in, instead of rushing around trying to find lost design – sheets. Work as hard at the beginning of the project as I do at the end. Experiment with different processes, which will then give me different outcomes and a broader knowledge of what process would suit which project. Complete tasks as I receive them, instead of getting in a panic the day before they’re due in. Keep all blog pages up-to-date.
6.How would you grade yourself on the following areas: (please indicate using an ‘x’)  5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor
	1	2	3	4	5
Attendance				*
Punctuality			*
Motivation				*
Commitment			*
Quantity of work produced			*
Quality of work produced			*
Contribution to the group			*
The evaluation of your work is an important part of the assessment criteria and represents a percentage of the overall grade. It is essential that you give yourself enough time to complete your written evaluation fully and with appropriate depth and level of self-reflection. If you have any questions relating to the self evaluation process speak to a member of staff as soon as possible.