Through this module I have developed skills in multiple project management/time management as well as concept building and visualising ideas effectively.
I felt I have failed to manage my time effectively when working on 4 projects at the same time. this was due to the lack of planning and misjudgement upon choosing briefs that was realistic to meet the deadline. However after consulting tutors and getting advice on resetting the deliverable, I made the necessary compromises to make the projects achievable. I learned to review my progresses against time scales and making changes needed to achieve set goals for multiple briefs.
2. What approaches to generating work and solutions to problems have you developed and how have they helped?
I carried out researches for each brief and then built my initial ideas around the findings from the research. Then I tried to act quickly on making decisions for the concepts and visual styles. By making quick decisions it help me forcing myself to put the projects into realistic time scales. However the briefs I picked and the tasks I set out to achieve was not realistic within the time scale given.
I had to scrap one of the animation project and replaced with a quick 2 days brief which I could turn around within the short time left facing the deadline.
3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?
I find that I can carry out research efficiently and quickly test out initial concepts.
After making the decisions on what I set to achieve I was able to produce the final design quickly.
For the science museum project I had to compromise on the final deliverable, I was set out to produce a completed animation but at the end I had to change the final to an animatic based on storyboards containing a voice over soundtrack. The script for the voice over was produced efficiently due to the script was well developed and additional planning done to sync the pace of the animated sequences.
With the PhotoVoice project I produced the photos within 2 days and spent a great time making selections and experimented with layout for presenting the photo essay, because the final product required not only images but also text to communicate the message I picked the appropriate quote and wording with the consideration of typography and layout in mind.
The Faber&Faber brief was the shortest project of the three, I forced myself to come up with the solution within a day and produced the final the day after. quick sketches was done to help making the best selections for the final visuals, I kept my concepts simple and used limited colour palette which simplified the designs and made them more effective.
4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully?
My main weakness through this module was on project and time management, I failed to follow through with the time schedule I set. Also picking unrealistic briefs and being over ambitious has cost me to loose control over my projects at the end. I ignored advices given and failed to achieve my goals which resulted having to make compromises to meet the deadline.
The lack of planning and jumping too quickly to producing solutions without in-depth considerations has wasted my time and not working productively and effectively.
I will address this problems by being more realistic with choosing the appropriate briefs in the future as well as taking on the advices I'm given.
5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?
- I would like to be more organised with my work flow and getting a better habit with project management, instead of producing designs straigt off from initial ideas, I would like to put them on paper before making it on screen more in the future.
- I would like to plan my projects more effiently, making a well thought out time plan before getting involved with the design process. I want to improve my skills as well as effective working habits, digital media requires well structured thought process and work flow, which I see I'm lacking of.
- I would like to be more in-depth with my development of ideas, I felt with this module I had to rush myself to produce work quickly I over looked the development stage, which I feel if I worked more in detail I could've benefited more from it.
- I would like to be more prepared for crits, I feel that I was always lacking behind with the work I needed to present. I struggled with showing my development and getting the useful feedback I required. I would like to plan ahead more with crits and try to get the most out of them in the future.
- I would like to be more efficient with time, this issue has cost me greatly over this module. I need to be more realistic with my set goals and be careful not to get over confident. I need to learn to complete work within my own sets of deadlines.
