Module 1 - FINAL EVALUATION

1. What practical skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them?

I have developed a wide range of skills which I would never have been able to do before. Including how to use Adobe Illustrator, which i found incredibly useful as I have always wanted to use this in my work. I have also learned how to manage my time a lot more effectively, learning to balance work and fun and also learned how to work at a pace which suits the brief. I've completed briefs a lot quicker than I ever have before, and come up with effective results in the time allocated. Alongside this I have also learned how to react to constructive criticism and where to go with my own instincts and when to go with the ideas of others.

2. What approaches to/methods of problem solving have you developed and how have they informed your design development process? I have learned to work both on design sheets and in sketchbooks. I have also learned to keep communicating both with tutors and other students, the ideas they come up with have always been really helpful both in and out of timetabled crit times... almost learning to use other people as an idea tool to bounce ideas and experimentation off each other. Also, i found taking an interest and listening to the questions of others helped me in my own development as a designer, meeting so many people from different places, which such a wide range of different skills and approaches has really taught me a lot.

3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these?

I've found I have built up a wide range of skills on the computer which I never had before, and am really enjoying using these as a tool. I personally feel that my strengths lie in my ideas, I seem to have countless ones for each brief (some being completely useless, silly or completely off the point) but some are really good. I needs to built up more confidence to carry them out to their full potential. Confidence is definitely something I feel the need to work on.

4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these more fully? Although i have definitely seen an improvement in my personal time-management skills, I still feel I need to address this more and spend more time on ideas and design sheets rather than spending my entire time on the final piece... and not developing it to its true potential. I need to stop stressing out... the briefs have been designed to fit the time... it is all relative and I think I need to realize this more. I would also like to further my illustrator skills and feel this is achievable through endless practise... things will go wrong, but that is how you learn. Again... I need to learn this.

5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these?

1. On the next module I will definitely try and get things done as we go along and not try and leave it all to the last minute. 2. I will try and keep on top of ALL the blogs... keep them going as I go along as they will be no use to me if I rush them, forget things and push them aside. 3. I want to come up with more ideas sheets and development work as I go along, as I have got into a habit of having an idea... then not writing it down, then subsequently forgetting it. Which is a shame. 4. I am going to try and pay far more attention in seminars - and try and stop asking so many questions. Not that I don't pay attention... I just feel i need to stop being distracted and make more notes. Ive found the notes I have made have really helped me along the way... so I definitely feel this is something I need to keep up. 5. I want to stay late after college, I feel that even putting in extra hours here and there... coming in on a saturday (which I have been doing) really helped me with hours and development, helped me keep on top of my work.

Are there any things we could have done differently that would have benefitted your progress? There is always something you could have done to make something better. And, this being the first module, I want to use it as a stepping-stone, the one I made the mistakes on and then subsequently learned from these and higher myself in the next module... keep myself focused and on the ball all the time. I feel if I had managed my time better... and kept everything ticking along as it came about, then I would have achieved a lot better results, but, I will definitely learn from this.

6.How would you grade yourself on the following areas: (please indicate using an ‘x’) 5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor

Attendance - 4

Punctuality - 4

Motivation - 3

Commitment - 4

Quantity of work produced - 3

Quality of work produced - 3

Contribution to the group - 4