Hi Readers,

Given that this is my very last post for 701, I have decided to take this opportunity to reflect on my experiences throughout this course. I’ll start by listing the new things I was introduced to:

• PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING!!

LOL! I must admit there were times when I felt like a fish out of water, like when it came to writing a Limited Literature Review for the very first time…BUT there is nothing that I was unable to grasp eventually. This course has truly been a complete learning experience for me, one that I will never forget and will utilize for the remainder of my graphic design career. I have learned more about research than I would have ever imagined existed in graphic design. This course has forced me to deeply examine everything that I do as a designer, and learn to incorporate more techniques into my process as I do it. Because of this, I feel that in just 8 short (VERY LONG) weeks, I have become a better researcher, writer, critic, DESIGNER and person. Thanks to my classmates, instructor and God for guiding me and getting me over the hurdles throughout this course.

Although there were a few difficulties, I must say that I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience in GRDS 701. As always, thanks for reading!

Reshonda,

Hi Readers,

This unit, I had the luxury of reviewing three phenomenal and very inspiring process books, by Jane Dorn, April Biss, and Jamie Turpin. Here is my analysis of each of them:

1. Jane Dorn, Creative Brief and Inquiry
   • I think Jane successfully communicates her ideation process and guides the reader through the creative process, with her process book, but not so much with the execution. I think the book successfully communicates her ideation process, through labels. However, it does not successful breakdown the process. If her target audience is someone who wants to become a graphic designer, I don’t think her first stage is well-executed. The collage makes it very illegible and difficult to understand the process, and if someone were to use this as a sort of guide, it would not work. Also, I don’t think the content works as well as the content provided in the pages of the process book itself. Although a very good concept, I think that some of the important parts of each phase were cut off do to the layout. To someone who does not know what graphic design is, this layout may make it difficult to understand.
   • What I do like about this process book is the amount of time spent in the actualization process and working through the measurements to get the design just right. I too am not a geometry wiz, so I can relate to this phase of her process quite well. I also really like the cleanness of the production and the unique layout concept she chose.
2. April Biss, Observe. Think. Make.
   • I think April successfully communicates her ideation process and guides the reader through the creative process, with both her process book and execution process. She provides a very detailed account all the way through both phases of this design project, and successfully engages her target audience with the entire concept.
   • One thing that I love about this ideation process is that she repeats certain steps several times, like the research and analysis stages. I often repeat the research phase in my ideation process. However, I do feel that I could do more analyzing.
3. Jamie Turpin, Experimental Panel Design
   • I think Jamie successfully communicates the ideation process and guides the reader through the creative process, with both the process book and execution process. Turpin provides a very detailed account all the way through both phases of this design project, and successfully engages the target audience with the entire concept.
   • I love how clean the execution of the process and the project itself is. I thoroughly appreciate the schematic stage. I feel that I could improve and devote more time to my sketches and thumbnails.

Overall, these were really great projects and they have truly inspired me to place more effort in my process books. As always, thanks for reading!

Shonda,

Hi readers,

In GRDS 701: Graphic Design Seminar:  Methodologies, we have been exploring different research methods and design processes. In GRDS 702:  Graphic Design Studio:  Methodological Practice, we discussed the topic of heuristic biases. Heuristic biases are when the brain creates pathways of thought from learned behaviors and patterns that we follow. Given that my brain has been forced to digest information from two courses, I have subconsciously merged a great deal of the information I have acquired from them. From all of the studies, research and information I have been introduced to, I have formed a conclusion:  My personality shows through my ideation process.

Throughout this quarter, I have been practicing another concept introduced in 702, ‘Orbiting the Hairball’. The idea of ‘orbiting the hairball’ is to step outside of existing ways of behavior and abandon your existing ways of behavior. What I have noticed this quarter, though, is that your heuristic biases shape everything about you, including the way you design. What I am accustomed to, what I have been previously introduced to, and the life I live all in some way inform how I choose to design. So orbiting my hairball is so much easier said than done. As stated in a previous blog post, my creative process changes pretty often, but the fundamental elements, for the most part, remain the same. Not only does my creative process cater to the particular design problem I am working to solve at the time, but it also caters to my personality…what makes me feel the most comfortable with executing the project. I find that the more comfort I find in working through my ideation process, the more successful the design solution is.

I recently drafted a limited literature review about stress in graphic design careers. The reason I chose that topic is because, ironically, I am a very stress-prone person…BUT I love graphic design, and contrary to the stress factor, I have a very jolly personality. You’re probably wondering, “Why is this girl rambling and how in the world does all of this relate?” Well, this quarter, I committed to warding off stress and being my natural bubbly self, even while trying to solve the most stressful design problems. So, my goal has been to find as much comfort and enjoyment in my ideation process as possible. That way my personality shines through my work and my love for graphic design isn’t contradicted when stress rears its ugly head.

I would encourage everyone, if they have not already to take a moment and reflect on how there personality is revealed in their ideation process. I know that for the most part, designers use the typical:

1. Research
2. Brainstorming
3. Thumbnails
4. Sketches
5. Refined comps
6. Execution.

However, I find it pretty rewarding to adjust the components of each step to fit my liking per design concept. It makes the process all the more enjoyable. Make sense?

As always, thanks for reading!

Reshonda,

Hi Readers,

My creative process is always in a transitioning state. I choose what process correlates best with the design problem. As it stands today, my creative process is:

according to american psychologist graham wallas’ four-step model for the creative process, The steps should be:  preparation, incubation, illumination and verification.

My process relates to Wallas’ in the following ways:

• preparation:  relates to my research stage, in which I gain a deeper understanding of a particular design need.

• incubation:  relates to my brainstorming process.

• illumination:  relates to my concept development and sketching process.

• verification: Relates to my composite development, audience polling and collaboration stage

although the order of my stages, in comparison to wallas’ proposed stages, are totally different, the concepts are the mostly the same. I do think that I could stand to expand my stages a lot more though. For example, I would like to include more areas of wallas’ incubation stage in my process, like juxtaposing, blending, and imaging. I would also like to expand my verification process. i already explore style and technique, but i would like to conduct a more in-depth exploration. i feel that my process is sometimes a little lacking in those areas.

for the most part, my process correlates well with wallas’. However, i could use some refining. i am adding that to my to-do list. as always, thanks for reading!

shonda,

Hi Readers,

My first time ever hearing the concept of “Flow” was in my Graphic Design Seminar: Methodologies class. I have experienced flow many times. However, it never resonated with me what the process was called or what I was experiencing at the time. There are often periods of time when I am working, and I realize that over twelve hours have passed before I notice the time or decide to take a break. Ironically, many times that I experience flow are directly after an extreme creative block. This is because creative blocks have taken up so much of my time that I have no choice but to dive right in to my work. Also, my methods of getting out of a creative block are the same as my methods for generating flow.

When working, I often separate myself from all distractions, like the television, people, noises, music, etc. In extreme cases, I even fast from food until the work is done. Being hungry is definitely motivation to keep the flow going. Lol Then there are times when my means for generating flow are the complete opposite, like when I blast my music from the time I start my work until the time I finish it, when I HAVE to watch tv while I work or when I talk on the phone or talk to a friend the entire time I’m working. Mainly, my “flow” catalyst depends on my mood and the amount of pressure I am under to get the work done.

As always, thanks for reading!

Shonda,

Hi Readers,

One thing I can say about my creative process is that it never stays the same for too long. I personally feel that creativity should never be stagnant. My belief is that you cannot develop new things if you are constantly utilizing the same old practices. This does not mean that once you get bored with a creative process, you should totally abandon it and move on. It simply means that processes should work in accordance with the desired outcomes. I was taught the typical creative process described in the unit:

1. Research
2. Brainstorming
3. Thumbnails
4. Sketches
5. Refined comps
6. Execution.

However, over the years, I have begun to further develop my own creative process and what works for me. As it stands today, my creative process is:

Honestly, I don’t feel that I am the strongest that I could be in any area of design. There is always room for improvement. So I am always open to collaborating with someone with more expertise and experience than me as well as someone on the same level as me. I don’t feel that any two people or two designers know exactly the same things or have exactly the same skill sets, so there is almost always a chance that something I do not know can be brought to the table. I am not the most open-minded person in my personal life, but as it relates to graphic design, because the profession is fixated around people, I feel it is best to be as open-minded and as un-reliant on self as possible.

As always, thanks for reading!

Shonda,