DT Individual Project: The Conclusion

The timeline of this project was painfully short and it was quite apparent by the time I had reached the prototyping stage that there were a lot of gaps that needed to be filled in. As with the first DT project, the project needed even more user feedback despite having significantly more this time. It still was not enough. The good thing about it though, was that the problem was clearly more defined this time but it still needed more user feedback to support it.

I gained a lot of insight during the Prototyping session the most. Prior to taking this course, I already understood the value of prototypes as it was a requirement at work, it was crucial for designer to prototype before sending in the FA (Final Artwork) to the printer or developer. I’ve always loved the iterative process (I’m actually one of those designers who sometimes does not know when to stop) as with every pass, a weak point or something ‘off’ was bound to come up.

In our Week 11 class, Michelle showed us a clip that showed Designworks’ Rowan Lamont’s insights on the Design Thinking process he and his team used in creating the 2018 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton. I absolutely loved what he said about prototypes:

A prototype is not a solution, it’s a way of asking a question.

He also made mention of the value of immersing ones’ self in the world of the user in order to fully emphathise with them and deliver what they want and need with your design solution.

At this point, I acknowledge that my project is not as spot-on, organised, comprehensive and extensive as I initially imagined it would be. I could go on and on about what it lacks and how it could be improved. It’s not that the strategy didn’t work, it was because I could’ve done it better. In order to take this project forward hit all the marks effectively, the first design idea must be addressed (the user engagement idea). Instead of focusing on a passive approach (the label idea), the active approach must be put forward. Design after all is largely driven by its human core. The ‘what’s in it for me?’ is as human as you can get and should be the driving idea behind the project. I’d like to believe there’s hope for this project. Maybe someday the answer to the question ‘How’ve you bin, Brisbane?’ would be a resounding ‘Great!’

Some notes on my A0 Poster Making Process:

As part of the final output of this project, we were required to either write a report or submit an A0 poster that summarised all our findings and insights. I chose the latter since I felt that it was going to be a lot easier for me. I couldn't have been more wrong! I took me a while before I was finally happy with my design (I went through two other versions first). There was a whole lot of stuff I had to put into it!

Once I had my final design, I decided to rapid prototype it using scratch paper. I did this to ensure that all the copy was correct and that the font size was readable. I'm glad I did this because I found TONS on errors on the poster! This indeed proved the value of prototyping!

The final product is definitely something I'm proud of (save for a few 'orphaned' text but that's just me being obsessive compulsive!)