Learning outcomes:
- Research the outputs you generated during the Contemporary Practice module to identify four subjects that encapsulate your personal interests, identity and experiences. List all four subjects on the Ideas Wall and contextualise your research in your blog.
- Distill your research and reflect on peer feedback to identify one subject that you will develop into a self initiated project. Evaluate your research and outline the rationale for choosing the subject in your blog.
- Communicate and write a project brief that clearly outlines the aim, critical context, outcome and target audience for your self initiated project. Add the project brief to your blog (as an attachment or written directly into the post) and add a link to the Ideas Wall.
The first week back and this I have been asked to look back at module 1. I would honestly rather forget the outcomes for that module, for me it was more of a exercise in exploration of process and ideas and non of witch are stirring much spark for this weeks task. But we shall proceed. The learning outcomes this week ask that I research, and discover my personal interests sparked from module one. I need to distil research and define an area of interest that I can pursue for the following four weeks. By the end of this weeks challenge I should have a clear and concise project brief to outline the critical context and outcomes of the project. I should also ensure that I have identified a clear target audience.
Firstly this week I need to understand what defines a design or project brief. In the suggested reading for this week, ‘creating the perfect design brief and how to manage design’ a book written by Peter Phillips first published in 2004. Phillips outlines his definitions and expectations of a design brief, he states that despite the many names given to this document it is critical that key information is present. To identify this, Phillips quotes an extract from the Design Management Journal, an article written by Kim Zarney that states the key elements of this document should include:
The ingredients, like a recipe this section should include all the elements and the approach to the project in order to make it successful.
The Inflexible Elements, what are the parameters to the project, what is essential and what are the tolerances that the designer should be working within. The inflexible elements identifies areas of necessary importance and the rules that can be bent.
Reviewing Opportunities, having the opportunity to review the project at set stages provides an opportunity for all to agree on the approach and strategy being implemented.
Assess the competition, having an opportunity to gauge gaps in the market and short falls by the competition enabled the project to offer something different
I aim to use a similar formula for my own brief and will explore these principles in further detail. Looking back at my work from module one the fist idea that I picked up was the Dementia distorted type. After identifying issues such as communication, family loss, daily frustrations and raising awareness. I explored the idea from a personal perspective and asked the question, How can I use design to better the lives of people suffering with this illness. With only four weeks to hand and a whole heap of research needed it would be difficult but I had the thought of using smart watches and an electronic device such as a Google home or an Amazon Alexa to aid the lives of these families. I wondered if this would cause more confusion. As interesting as this could be, would it be feasible for the four weeks project. I felt not to continued to explore other options. One other idea that had been explored more in module two but I had made tedious links to location was the problem of plastic pollution on the beach. The focus here would be to educate people, chidden about the cause and effects of plastic use. This was an idea that I felt would be relevant to the social and political action that is being covered in the news. I needed to add value to this story and had ideas in different avenues around this. One would be a children’s book that explored the idea of plastic pollution though a story and would raise an awareness. I concluded that maybe young people are already aware and how much value would I add to this but, how much detail could I add into a children’s story book about the impacts and causes without resulting in panic or distress. Is that a response that I wanted to create? Other than the kids book I wondered if I could make an app that used a phones camera to document the physical impacts on the landscape from the plastic. Encouraging children and adults to undertake a two minute beach, street, river clean. Could they document their findings and earn points for their efforts. The more that is documented and cleaned up, the greater the incentive of a reward. It would encourage people to go explore and be active but to also make a sigificant impact on their local area.
On a similar theme was the concept of location and the idea of lost identity. Using an app, and the phones camera the programme would use GPS to detect a location and the phone could be used to scan a landmark or area and information about the place would appear on the screen. The question here was to answer, how do I engage people with the local area who may have moved in from further afield? How do you engage people in the local history and stories of a location. On this idea of location I also delved back into the idea of the lost Cornish language and speaking to Stuart this week I mentioned my wanting to write and illustrate a kids book. It was suggested that this would be an opportunity to do so. The why for this project would be to raise an awareness of the Cornish language, if this is the route I decide to take as a children’s book would only explore this very briefly. If it sparked an interest in the idea the language, would I follow this up with suitable platforms and support? Could I link the idea of plastic pollution and the beach cleans into the story? The why really would be to raise awareness and to engage young people in their local environment. It may not be a Cornish beach but it may well be a street or river, the call to action could be for young people, children to be the change that they wish to see. I liked the idea that there could be a character in the story that would speak the Cornish language but then would this cause any confusion to the and slow the story down? I need to investigate suitable words and phrases for the character and to the storyline.
Project Brief
Project Overview and Background: In a 2001 census it was estimated that only 7% of people identified as being Cornish. With no option for this on the official documentation, individuals identified as other and had written ‘Cornish’. A self initiated social media survey also high-lighted the demographic divide of Cornish and ‘outsiders’ or individuals who had moved into the area. It is suggested that you are not entirely Cornish until you have a minimum of five generations born and raised in the county. This influx of what can be argued to be outsiders has added to the decline in use of and celebration of the Cornish Language. This project aims to bring the language back into focus and educate a younger generation. The project will focus on childrens books and in this first instance will teach children some basic words.
Target Audience Review: While this project initially aims to focus on the language it must be noted that the target audience should be wide ranging. Acknowledging that within those whom identify as being Cornish may still have a disconnection to the history. The book is focused on children and learning common English and Cornish words, the parent or older sibling, while reading with the younger child will also be engaged with the book and thus creates a wider reach and a longer lasting impression and a need for further literature to be developed that uses the Cornish language.
Design Strategy: The initial approach to this project is to start from the beginning and educate children about the Cornish language that aims to equip them with a basic understanding of key phrases. Further literature will explore more complex uses of the language. The use of illustration will be key to a learners understanding of new knowledge. Developing a series of books and sharing these stories and illustrations through social media will further enhance the spread of understanding. While the initial target audience is for the product to be accessible to young children, the adaptation of the material into social media will continue to reinforce the message and use of words.
Assess the competition: There are publishers who focus on Cornish language books and story telling. These books require a level of understanding of the language to access. This project aims to take individuals through a learning journey through a series of books from all age ranges. Starting at the beginning with simple Abc books working up towards illustrated stories and through to young teen fiction. The project aims to build upon the work of existing parties that support and petition for the use of the language but goes beyond this by developing a strategy that focuses on the journey an individual takes when learning a new language.
Project Scope: Initial outcomes for the project focus on children’s an ABC book, this material can be adapted to suit an older demographic of young adults and distributed through social media. As suggested above, the project aims to create a journey of learning, enabling the individual to learn as they grow older and keep on learning the language until it becomes instinctive.
The ingredients: Essential to this project is the language and clarity of the message. The use of typography should not distract or distort words but should be used to enhance the readers experience in learning the pronunciation and grammatical use of each given word. Illustration should further enhance this experience and use early years pedagogies to support growth in understanding of the language.
The flexible Elements: while the content is king within this project the elements should focus on the message and clarity. If opportunity arrises for further learning to take place in new media platforms, this should be explored.
Reviewing Opportunities:
Deliverables: The initial deliverable for the project is to produce a concept book that demonstrates a visual language and is used within market research and review opportunity’s for further development. The first book should be designed ready for print.
Specifics: The book should be no bigger than 200mm x 200mm and should be printed on a suitable durable material such as duplex board with a gloss finish.
Existing Products:
Cornish Language Issues:
Initial Ideas
Critical Reflection At this stage, I am not entirely happy with the direction and is not what I intended for the project. While I do like the idea of incorporating the Cornish Language maybe this could be done in a different way. I also believe that due to the assessment within this project, this book is not sufficient for 80% of my mark. But for short period of time, just four weeks, do I have enough time to fully explore further ideas? and do it justice?
Okay, lets refocus I will continue with the idea of words in Cornish but I will create more of a kids activity search book. In a similar theme of Wheres Wally but looking at the expiration of Cornwalls history, landmarks and incorporating words.
Exploration of ideas
Pixels and Serifs. 