Evaluation

Thinking about design philosophically is an area that wasn't thoroughly explored prior to the module. Design was usually thought about practically and at face value, by learning about why designers design the way they do, it develops my own design process and will create solutions that have more depth in meaning. I.e creating a design that is entirely appropriate to the audience, context, purpose, functions and ambitions instead of creating a design that is appropriate at face value. During the course year however, my own interests in Graphic Design changed. After being exposed to OUGD404 Design Principles, I developed a growing interest in editorial design. And because my essay choice was based on branding, the module could have been an opportunity to learn more about the printing process and print designers rather than learning about how brands use advertising. Despite this shift, the research question as a whole made me more aware and knowledgeable on the techniques brands use to attract the consumer. Not only from the company's point of view but it also made me more aware of the behavioral patterns of consumers and what they look for in a product. The benefit of this research is not limited to the area of branding. Being that the essay question revolves around the relationship between the brand and the consumer, by learning about how advertising techniques influence the consumer, I can take these learning points into how my future designs can impact the viewer. Be it through the way its printed, how its presented, the context, application and other variables that can make a difference in making the design effectively achieving its aims

The module made me realise value and the benefit of looking at different opinions on one argument. I.e. looking at different opinions and evaluating their validity and how the argument fits in to the overarching theme. And much like the research, this value can be translated into my design process. How coming up with different ideas or looking at varying sources of inspiration to finalise on an approach that works best in effectively achieving the aim. 

Practically there could have been more work done in creating a more ambitious outcome and one that is more explicit in relating to the way it relates to the essay question. At face value the adverts have no real contextual background, it only when the designs are explained do the adverts relate to the question. This problem could be down to how general the aim of the practical outcome was. A more focused approach should have been done to specifically target an issue in the essay. More primary research on how adverts interact with consumers in the real world should have been done as well. This would have better informed how the advert would be presented and what kind of advert it would have been. This research into how and where these adverts are placed could also have been carried through into the secondary research, despite the analysis done on why the advert campaigns are successful, looking at where and how they display their advert would have been benefical as a way to get a gauge of how adverts are placed in the real world. Thus transferring this knowledge into the practical outcome, making it more contextually appropriate.

Overall, the practical outcome does relate to the essay question. The advert evidences the techniques used by brands to attract consumers and it highlights how people buy into their self image through the depiction of these brands as a crisp packet. Taking this experience in CoP into Level 05, my aims are to align my interests in Graphic Design to the essay question as well as to form a better connection between the essay and the practical outcome. This in turn will create a better resolution that effectively answers the question.