Learning outcomes being assessed

a) Record essential information about design sources, elements, ideas and inspirations in a clear and systematic manner

b) Interpret and classify primary and secondary design sources

c) Discuss the purposes and outcomes of common design ideas generation methods

d) Use common ideas generation methods to generate design concepts

e) Experiment using analogue and digital tools and techniques to generate design ideas

f) Discuss notions of personal taste, in relation to self and others, using a basic sociological and ethnographic frameworkDescription

We want you to produce a process diary that records weekly design exploration exercises accompanied by critical writing and reflection on the process.

Background

Observation, analysis and documentation are three key skills that you will need to develop as a successful designer and visual communicator. We want you to explore the world around you from a designer's perspective, looking at situations differently, questioning what is in front of you and recording each step of the process.

Many of the world's most accomplished artists and designers are not just masters of their craft, they are compulsive collectors too. Paul Smith, Alan Fletcher, Joseph Cornell, Emory Biko, Marc Newson and Stefan Hoderlein are all avid collectors of objects, sounds, videos, photographs and images that excite or intrigue them.

Your mission as a design explorer is to document and observe the world around you as if you've never seen it before. Take notes.

Collect things you find on your travels. Document your findings. Notice patterns. Copy. Trace. Focus on one thing at a time. Record what you are drawn to.

Details

Each week, for the first five weeks of the teaching session you will be given a series of design exploration tasks. Some will be undertaken in class, some outside of class time. You will need to use a variety of tools and methods to document and collect the outcomes. Your outcomes will need to be collected together as a process diary that contains the exercises and also contains written reflection and critical thoughts on each exercise. You should write at least 150 words to accompany each exercise.

Your process book can be a physically constructed document, a digital pdf or a video diary - (there will be sessions to help you undertake each of these). In each case you will need to show the outcomes from the exercises and your critical/reflective writing in a clear, sequential way.

There will be exercise sheets given to you detailing the requirements of each exploration exercise. The exploration outcomes must be accompanied by your critical/reflective writing.

The Exercises
A1: Right Where You Are B1: Differences
A2: Combinations B2: Patterns
A3: Viewfinder
B3: What have you consumed? A4: Tactile Boards
B4: Found Type
A5: Multimodal Thinking B5: Found Paper

These exercises are referenced from: Smith, K. (2008) How to Be an Explorer of the World: Portable Life Museum, Perigee Trade

Documenting & Collecting Methods Documentation Methods may include:

Writing, sketching, collecting objects, pencil rubbings, pressings (flat objects), tracing, clay relief (plasticine), transcribing (observa- tions), print making (using objects).

The tools:
Camera (as high quality as possible, could also be iPhone), tweezers, glue, gloves, tape, some sort of bag, audio recorder, mp3 player, computer, video camera, (could be iPhone), magnifying glass, field note book, date stamp, labels, pens and pencils.

Collection Methods may include:
Ziploc bags, envelopes, recycled glass jars, recycled boxes, a journal, file folders, old sweet tins, old film containers, tactile boards, hangings.

There will also be a set of document templates given to you, these include:
Object Documentation Log, Experience Collection sheet, Experience Documentation Log, Overheard conversations sheet, List pages sheet, Object tags, Research Notes.

Use of non-original material

Assessable aspects of this brief, identified in the marking criteria, need to be the student's original work. If non-original material can be included in the submission, the lecturer will provide details regarding what this can be. Students need to comply with the Academic Integrity Policy, and can refer to the Academic Writing Guide in the Student Handbook for further information regarding the use of non-original material.

Key Texts & References

Refer to the Subject Outline for lists of texts. The lecturer may provide further key texts and references associated with this specific assessment.

Marking Criteria
This assessment task is worth 60% of your overall mark. You will be marked on the following:

The Creative Process:
the work undertaken in exploring, experimenting and developing ideas.

Communication of ideas:
the originality of ideas, how well your ideas are communicated

Elements and craft:
the skill in which software and materials are used

Design processing and consistency:
display of ideas to their potential

Professionalism and presentation:
work is presented cleanly and neatly, consistent positive involvement in class discussions