OUIL505 Summative Evaluation

This module got off to a promising start, I was excited to start researching and do something I was really interested in. I started off thinking about space and stars but quickly changed to greek mythology as I thought this would have more scope for exploration. In hindsight, I think it might have actually been better to stick to my guns and do something space themed and mould it to fit into what I enjoy doing. I often struggle with deciding what I want to do at the beginning of a project with as much freedom as this as I find it hard to refine my ideas and end up trying to blend too much stuff together rather than choosing one starting point - for example I did think about trying to blend greek mythology and space (NO). This has always been a problem of mine in different aspects, I really need to learn how to narrow down my ideas.


This could have been the best project of the year and something to have fun with but because of how I went around it it ended up probably being my worst work. None of the work I made has been good. I don't think any of it's been bad, it's just all painfully mediocre. On the plus side this has emphasised how much I need to work on crafting in the future and dedicating time to doing something rather than thinking "this will do" because I want to make work that's GOOD and I won't if I keep falling into these routines of procrastination and rushing. Because of my terrible planning and time management I  didn't keep up with anything well, which lead my blogging to be unsubstantial and not terribly reflective and I didn't visually exhaust each idea I had. I had a few different ideas that kept flitting around still within Greek mythology and how I was going to modernise it, I couldn't settle on anything. I got caught up in the beginning thinking about the area I had chosen (book design and publishing) rather than just on my project, but then when I finally focused on the project I couldn't figure out what I was doing. I realise I should have decided on a final 'product' much earlier than I did, it was a real flaw in my thinking of this whole module.

I thought that keeping my options open was a good plan but it wasn’t. It’s like setting a dissertation question, the more focused you are the better. If I had been more focused with a goal in mind I think that I would have been able to really get stuck in and exhaust good ideas.

Despite the fact that I think this project has totally bombed I am glad that I have made these mistakes and been able to realise them NOW rather than at Level 6. I think the realisations that I have made will make it easier for me to set manageable and focused briefs in the future which will hopefully in turn allow me to work on my crafting more. I’m finding that generally my ideas are sound but as I said before fine crafting is something I would definitely like to improve. This was definitely a module of realisations. I don’t know why I’ve made all these realisations so late on in the year but as I said better now than halfway through level 6.

This has been another module where I have learned more about making mockups. My mockups are still not incredible but I definitely feel as if I am getting more proficient with digital media. The mockups still give quite a good impression of what the designs would look like on a real product, which could be shown to clients to show that the work would be viable as a product. I was happy that I was still able to incorporate my new found enjoyment in creating patterns during this module, I am still really enjoying it too. I just find it so fun and satisfying to see a pattern come together.

 

As ever time management has been a problem, as I have been busy trying to finish all the work I have not been able to go down to learning support to get help for this yet, but I am definitely going to get onto that for level 6 and over summer. As I am becoming increasingly aware of how much my time management problems are indeed impacting upon my work. I usually thought well I always get the work finished and in on time so it doesn’t matter, I am wrong It does matter because I’m not reaching my full potential because I’m not giving myself enough time to make the standard of work that I should be!