Common Module -AY25.26 WOII

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WOII | Summary

This module helped me rethink things that I usually take for granted in my daily life. It helped me understand the things I have been thinking in certain ways without realising it. Now I can understand the depth of design. Also, I see design in more realistic and practical ways. For example, in my studio poster, I initially only focused on making the visuals look like Paul Rand style.

However, I realised that the layout, typography, and composition needed to support the message clearly. This helped me understand that design is not just about appearance, but about how form, function, and context work together.

I used to simply think that design changed over time like trends, but I learned that it actually develops based on the environment and situations of the period. I can see new cultural materialism in today’s society after covid happened.

People tend to prefer less face to face interaction activities, which is reflected in designs such as Zoom, online medical services like MaNaDr, and QR ordering and payment systems.

In conclusion, I used to question why postmodernism works looked so unusual, but I came to understand that they aim to break traditional ideas of art. This expanded my perspective.

However, I still chose function over form, and I personally prefer simpler designs, and this can be seen in my layout work for the digital skills module, where I focused on readability and clear visual hierarchy.

(230 words)

“Zoom (Software).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 Apr. 2026, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoom_%28software%29. 

“Your Online Doctor Visit, Virtual Appointments, 24/7 Telehealth Consultations.” Online Doctor Visits, Virtual Appointments & 24/7 Telemedicine with AI-Powered Platform, MaNaDr, manadr.com/sg/consult-a-doctor-online. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026. 

“F&B QR Ordering System: MEGAPOS.” MEGAPOS POS System, www.megapos.com.sg/qr-ordering-system. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

Shankar, Sahaana. “Form vs Function.” With Love Sahaana, 22 Feb. 2022, wp.coventry.domains/sahaanashankar/2022/02/28/form-vs-function/.

Endicott, Karen. “Post What?” Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, Dec. 1998, archive.dartmouthalumnimagazine.com/article/1998/12/1/post-what.

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WOII | Week 11 Postmodernism

Through this class, my two keywords of postmodernism are 'complexity' and 'breaking the rules.' I saw a few example posters of postmodernism in the slides and I felt most of them were quite messy and had too many focal points that ruined the hierarchy of readability. However, I understood that this is a deliberate strategy of postmodernism. On the other hand, the uncomfortableness in Maurizio Cattelan’s work, who is the icon of breaking rules, makes me feel it explains the ‘breaking rules’ side of postmodernism.

I read that Maurizio Cattelan breaks these boundaries because he refuses to let art become just a simple design product. While I was researching Postmodernism, I discovered Maurizio Cattelan and it immediately made me think of Paul Rand. Because Paul Rand is the master of Modernism so they are totally opposite.

I chose Paul Rand for my studio project since I loved his modernist style. Robert Venturi said "less is boring." (1966) But when I look at Paul Rand's work, even though it might seem boring at first, the hidden wit within the simplicity is what makes it so interesting.

I think it’s actually quite brilliant. This is why I strongly agree with "less is more ." (1947) To me, if Paul Rand was the designer who organised people's lives to be more convenient and beautiful, Maurizio Cattelan is the artist who breaks those organised frames to make people think. In the end, I believe modernism gives us certainty, while postmodernism makes us ask questions.

(250 Words)

References :

Lewandowski, Daniel. “A Profile.” Paul Rand, I.D. Magazine, 1993, www.paulrand.design/life/interviews/1993-id-magazine.html. 

Lewandowski, Daniel. Paul Rand, Steven Heller, 2000, www.paulrand.design/life/books-articles/books/2000-paul-rand.html. 

Rand, Paul, and E. McKnight Kauffer. Thoughts on Design. Wittenborn and Company, 1947. 

“Maurizio Cattelan: All.” The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation, www.guggenheim.org/exhibition/maurizio-cattelan-all. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026. 

“Maurizio Cattelan Sculptures+, Bio, Ideas.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/artist/cattelan-maurizio/. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026. 

김민. “관객이 내 바나나 먹었을 때? 큰 감흥 없었어… 예술은 어차피 재활용” [When the Audience Ate My Banana? I Wasn't Very Impressed... Art Is Recycled Anyway]. 동아일보, 8 Feb. 2023,

Keskeys, Paul. “‘less Is More’ vs. ‘Less Is a Bore’: Whose Camp Are You in? - Architizer Journal.” Journal, 31 May 2022, architizer.com/blog/practice/details/less-is-more-vs-less-is-a-bore/. 

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WOII | Week 9 Cultural Materialism

After this lecture, I started to think about Cultural Materialism differently. I thought about the cultural differences that I have experienced in different countries. I was born and spent my childhood in Korea, also traveled to the Philippines several times for volunteer work. I went to secondary school in Malaysia, and I am currently studying in Singapore. I often think that all cultures are quite different depending on the country and region even within Asia.

I used to think simply that these differences were like something normal that always existed from the beginning, and I respect every culture’s differences. Through this lecture, I realised that the way people live shapes culture, as well as the social structure, technology, and environment of a society. Design is also changed and created within this frame over time.

Now I understand design is not only about making things visually good, but also about responding to the conditions of its time. One example is during the Korean War. Airplanes kept dropping Propaganda leaflets which were made with light paper for spreading purposes and also they often used large text and strong graphics so people could read them easily. This was not simply for aesthetic purposes, but to deliver information quickly and efficiently.

For the activity, our group chose Barbie world. In Barbie animations, the barbie is perfect and very focused on appearances. Since Barbies have countless of outfits, choosing them every day could be tiring. Our idea was using an AI that recognises where Barbie would be going to and automatically recommends outfits for the specific event. It was interesting to see how products can become different depending on a world’s culture, values, and technology.

(275 words)

References :

“North Korea Is Dropping Leaflets on the South - What Do They Say?” BBC News, BBC, 19 Jan. 2016, www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35349686. 

“Korean War Leaflets and Safe Conduct Passes.” National Museum of the United States Air Force, National Museum of the United States Air Force, www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/196359/korean-war-leaflets-and-safe-conduct-passes/. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026. 

Hee Young Kim. “Are Chopsticks the Same in All Asian Countries? | Asia Society.” Are Chopsticks the Same in All Asian Countries?, Asia Society Korea, asiasociety.org/korea/are-chopsticks-same-all-asian-countries. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026. 

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WOII | Week 4 & 5 Design Analysis and New Bahru Field Trip

This lecture really made me think deeply about craftsmanship for the first time. I was impressed by the artist Kelly Limerick. I actually saw her work in person at the MBS Art Fair before. She explained that crochet is her language. It was amazing to see how she takes a simple ball of yarn and makes it a special meaning through her stitches. I think craftsmanship is basically the voice of the maker. Last time, I used to look at the design of an object only. But now, I started to think more about “Why did the maker choose this material? and what were they trying to say?” For the class activity, our group theme was Functionality. It was very interesting because I realised that even the same object can be seen in many different ways depending on our category. This class really changed how I look at the things around me.

I focused on lighting during the field trip. Most of the lights are technically functional but I wanted to categorise them differently. I noticed some of the lights seem very useful for houses, but some of their designs are too special and I do not think it is easy to fit in just random places. So I categorised them into “utility vs emotion.” Some lights, such as the linear crossed LED and the woven rattan ceiling light brighten up the space efficiently, with minimal attention to decorative form. But, something like a meteorite shaped plastic light and circular thin fabric light creates soft diffusion. These lights were less about brightness and more about atmosphere and mood. The material choice played a big role in shaping this difference. I think the hard materials and exposed structures produce light directly and more focus on lighting but the textured and layered materials softened the glow. This made me realise that even when the function remains the same, the emotional experience of light can change completely depending on form and medium.

(325 words)

References :

“ The Originals – Crochet Artist, Kelly Lim.” YouTube, VisitSingapore, 12 Sept. 2017, youtu.be/EVsGLQ3e26M?si=FyLRjwKDFc7iBO0w. 

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WOII | Week 2 Aesthetics

I learned that aesthetics is not only about beauty, but about the form, function, and context working together. I was impressed by the relationship between form and function. After this lecture, I realised that design is not just about making something look nice. It also has to work properly and fit the situation it is made for. I discovered that design should start from understanding where it will be used and what it is meant for.

For the class activity, I noticed that many of the signages at Sim Lim Square, prioritised function over visual decoration. Maybe because of the characteristics and age group of the people who visit there. The alcohol prohibition sign that I analysed used strong contrasting colours and simple symbols so that it catches attention from a distance.

Instead of focusing on visual appeal, it focused on communicating rules more effectively. This showed me how design can prioritise clarity and purpose depending on the context. This idea also reminded me of the furniture designer Bahk Jong Sun.

His philosophy of work is “emptying,” He removed unnecessary decoration to focus on the spirit of the original material and structure. Instead of being fancy, his designs emphasise restraint, balance, and functionality. 

Through the session , I understood that aesthetics is not just about good looks, but also needs to focus on considering form, function, and context together. I will apply this mindset in my studio catalogue design projects by removing unnecessary elements and concentrating on readability. 

(250 Words)

References :

“Home.” Bahk Jong Sun, www.bahkjongsundesign.com/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026. 

Carlson, Cajsa. “Interlinked Geometric Shapes Form Tadao Ando-Designed National Museum of Uzbekistan.” Dezeen, 27 Aug. 2025, www.dezeen.com/2025/08/27/tadao-ando-national-museum-of-uzbekistan-geometric-shapes/. 

“‘designed by Apple in California’ Chronicles 20 Years of Apple Design.” Apple Newsroom, 25 Feb. 2026, www.apple.com/newsroom/2016/11/designed-by-apple-in-california-chronicles-20-years-of-apple-design/. 

“Apple-Samsung Patent Battle Revived in California Court.” BBC News, BBC, 14 May 2018, www.bbc.com/news/technology-44108835. 

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WOII | Week 1 Phenomenology

In class we talked about phenomenology and how meaning is formed through past lived experiences. Descartes’ rational and detached perspective was also mentioned, but I do not agree with it. I do not understand how the fixed objective standard is set since people’s background and experiences are all different. 

In Korea, we often use the word “jik up byeong (Habits shaped by one’s job),” which basically means the job will slowly change the way people see things. Like a dentist noticing on someone’s teeth first, and a nutritionist looking at the nutrition label before they eat. Like these examples, people’s unconscious thoughts can be changed by environments. Since everyone lives with different perspectives and minds, It’s hard to see things exactly as they are without our own perceptions influencing us. That’s why I completely agree with what Husserl said “all consciousness is consciousness of something.” (1901)

I chose time for my activity. I feel the passage of time more clearly when I see my younger cousin, because I only meet him once every few years. Each time we meet, his growth is obvious. But I see myself every day, so I hardly notice my own change. Time feels real to me only when I direct my attention toward a specific moment.

In photography class, we had very different interpretations of the same image. Also for my studio module, my friend felt the specific vibe from my post card work which I never intend to give it. That made me realise that not all people think the way I do, especially in design.

(258 words)

References :

Zahavi, Dan. “Edmund Husserl.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 8 Aug. 2025, plato.stanford.edu/entries/husserl/.

tnqis2. “직업병에 대한 다양한 인터뷰 (ft. 직업 습관).” Contenda Magazine, 19 Feb. 2024, https://magazine.contenta.co/2024/02/직업병에-대한-다양한-인터뷰ft-직업-습관/. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.

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CTS A | Week 13 Summative Assessment Compulsory Question 3

In CTS class, I learned things beyond design skills and developed other important skills as a designer.

I want to work with the fashion diploma to design fashion show invitations and social media posters for promotion. I can use what I learned in studio and digital Skills class to create a visual identity for each show. Also, I would like to collaborate with interior design. For their exhibitions, I want to design wall graphics and explanation texts based on the type sensory lesson from the studio lesson, and create a simple ticketing website for the audience. Lastly, with fine arts. I want to try making portfolio websites for artists after their exhibitions, similar to Brodie Neill’s own website, focusing on one artist’s work and story.

For my own final projects, I want to design a car interface screen for a car brand, inspired by how our DCE seniors worked with Hyundai. Another one is to rebrand certain car companies, such as branding new logos, websites, and changing the entire theme of the car brands. In the end, I want to make my own athleisure brand that supports people's healthy lifestyles. 

To engage communities, I want to volunteer my design skills with organisations like Unicef or World vision, creating small gifts that only donors can receive as a reminder of their support so that more people are motivated to donate. I also hope to help SSC by designing posters and improving their website so more volunteers can join. With Nature society Singapore, organise a campaign that encourages people to reduce disposable products and care more about nature.

In the future, I want to work as a car or fashion branding and marketing designer. CTS class trained me to see different viewpoints and organise problems clearly. I can use digital media skills to widen my view, do market research, and study trends online. Using a growth mindset and collaboration skills will support my professional development from failure to success.

reference: “Brodie Neill -.” Brodie Neill, brodieneill.com/. Accessed 19 Nov. 2025. 

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CTS A | Week 12 Summative Assessment Compulsory Question 2

I learned many skills from CTS that are essential for working as a designer in the future. In the craft workshop, when we did the mark-making exercise by arranging stickers, stepping back from my fixed point of view and looking at the bigger picture helped me to ask myself questions and made changes. That’s when I felt how important critical thinking is.

Collaborative skills were used a lot in studio class research frameworks and also in the Data Space class. In research frameworks, we gathered the information the team needed and combined what each person found to make a big mind map. This process showed how collaborative skills work. In Data Space, we moved things together and shared our opinions. We discussed how we could create a better visual outcome. 

Emotional intelligence was important when we did craft collage portraits to express emotions. It was really hard to express feelings like sadness or happiness not just as simple words, but through colour, texture, and atmosphere using pieces of paper.

Assertion and conflict resolution was used especially often in CTS because there were many group activities. It’s a useful skill when giving opinions and also when receiving them. This skill helped to reduce trouble between people and to bring different ideas together into one outcome.

In Photography class, a growth mindset was definitely necessary. It needed creativity more than I expected. It was similar in craft workshops too. To break out of my fixed mindset and create more interesting outcomes, I really needed a growth mindset.

Facts, Reliable Sources & Filing Them is essential for CTS MLA essay. CTS needs references. Also, studio CPJ artist research. We have to refer only to works that have proper citations and clear sources.

Digital Media was a skill I needed when I made the poster in digital skills. Many poster references are on the internet, but we have to be careful when we refer. Plagiarism is something we must never do.

(327 words)

reference : “Identify Reliable Sources of Information.” UNHCR Czechia, help.unhcr.org/czech/safe-online/information/. Accessed 17 Nov. 2025. 

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CTS A | Week 11 Summative Assessment Compulsory Question 1

I think the process of making a cake is very similar to critical thinking. Before making a cake, reading the recipe and sharing ideas with each other to balance the opinions about the recipe is important . This process is like assertion and conflict resolution. Then, the process of picking and accurately measuring the ingredients represents facts and reliable sources. When mixing all the ingredients into one dough and putting it in the oven, then baking at the optimum temperature is like emotional intelligence because it is also about control. 

Baking is more fun and effective when you are with many people, not alone. It shows collaborative skills, and efficient processing using only the necessary tools is similar to digital media. The process of tasting, evaluating, and improving the recipe after the cake is completed is like what is critical thinking. If the cake fails, a growth mindset can turn failure into a learning opportunity.

 Our group also chose rockets as visual metaphors. A rocket is a complex machine that can be launched only when multiple parts are perfectly engaged. This was a reminder that critical thinking requires multiple techniques to be harmonised. As Paul and Elder said, critical thinking is "self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective." Problem solving, analysis, creative thinking, interpretation, evaluation, and reasoning all must work together. 

In Week 2 Collaborative skills, it was impressive to make a paper moment with classmates. At first, it felt awkward to work with people I didn’t know well, but sharing opinions, dividing roles, and using limited materials creatively made me very proud to see the final result as different ideas were combined to bring up new ideas. 

Week 5 Growth mindset, sketching the logo with non-dominant hands was hard to add details when using non-dominant hands. My logos would be better by adding details and colours if I had more time

(316 words)

References:

“ What Is Critical Thinking?” YouTube, Macat, 2 Feb. 2016, youtu.be/HnJ1bqXUnIM?si=EdMhYKgfbIlCH4-V. 

Defining Critical Thinking, the foundation for critical thinking, www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766. Accessed 27 Sept. 2025.

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CTS A | Week 9 Digital Media

When we started this activity, choosing a theme was the hardest part for our team. As young artists, it wasn’t easy to come up with a topic that represented our generation. We should have thought more about expressing both the artistic side and the identity of our generation, but I think our team focused more on representing our generation than the artistic aspect. In the end, we chose the daily routine, music, food we dislike, and fashion.

One standout point of our generation’s daily life is how much time we spend with digital. Instead of paper books or newspapers, we are more familiar with digital screens such as Netflix and social media. After technology improved, everyone can easily access music and nowadays it’s become an essential part of young generation people’s routines. Recent songs have fascinating melodies and beats but inappropriate words are included in every song. Nevertheless, people just follow singing without thinking of the meaning of the words.

After creating these theme clusters, I realised how seriously our generation is exposed to media. If I could add one more category, it would be social media. As a TEDx talk once said, “The impacts of social media, both negative and positive, are influenced by how intentional we are when we use the platforms.” I completely agree. We can get inspiration and motivation from social media, but it can also lead to comparison and isolation. As Pew research shows, 95% of teenagers use social media almost constantly, proving how much it shapes our generation’s mindset.

(253 words)

References :

“Conscious Click: Mindfulness and Social Media | Brit Heiring | TEDxCSU.” YouTube, youtu.be/AWyQPIH6uhA?si=CMW5OOAT8CmIrTjZ. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.

Faverio, Michelle. “Teens, Social Media and Technology 2024.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 12 Dec. 2024, www.pewresearch.org/internet/2024/12/12/teens-social-media-and-technology-2024/?utm_source=chatgpt.com. 

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CTS A | Week 3 Emotional Intelligence

Kendra Cherry defines emotional intelligence as the ability to express and manage emotions, as well as understand and respond to them. Before taking this Critical Thinking class, I thought emotional intelligence was just about empathising with others. However, I realised it's also about recognising and managing your own emotions, and also understanding others' feelings.

I used to think my strongest point was self-management, but now I know the previous way I approached releasing my emotions wasn’t ideal. In the past, I suppressed my emotions because there was one time I lost a friend after expressing my own emotion too strongly. From that point, I started to hide my emotions to keep my people by my side.

After the lesson, I learned how to confront my feelings, accept them, and question why I feel this way. When I reflect on myself, I realise that it is just a minor issue, and I change negative thoughts and let them go out of my mind. Daniel Goleman describes “Self-management as managing emotions and impulses, and behaving to fit the situation.” I find myself managing myself with what he described in mind nowadays. 

Even though I have learned to handle my emotions, sometimes, I still struggle with verbally empathising with others. I understand how and why they are feeling that way , but I can't empathise by speaking to them. I know I need to put more effort into expressing my thoughts to say them out loud to others.

(246 words)

References :

Kendra Cherry, MSEd. “3 Simple Steps to Increase Your Emotional Intelligence.” Verywell Mind, Verywell Mind, 31 Jan. 2024, www.verywellmind.com/what-is-emotional-intelligence-2795423. 

Emotional-Intelligence-Daniel-Goleman.Pdf, donainfo.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/emotional-intelligence-daniel-goleman.pdf. Accessed 28 Sept. 2025. 

“8 Science Backed Ways to Develop High Emotional Intelligence.” Mind Help, 22 May 2025, mind.help/topic/emotional-intelligence/improving-ei/. 

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CTS A | Week 2 Collaborative Skills

Collaboration is creating good synergy by collecting various ideas with our strengths and capabilities and combining them well (Moseley, Corey “What Is Collaboration? Why It’s Important, Examples and Tips"). In this process, I think the important part is to accept and respect each other's opinions. Even though we work for the same goal, people think differently. So the way we share and embrace different ideas might determine the smoothness of the teamwork.

As a collaborator, one of my strengths is that I listen to others without judgment. I lived with various ages and personalities of people in Malaysia for five years. It helped me become flexible and understanding in relationships which is one of the important parts of the collaboration. Therefore, I’m good at resolving conflicts and maintaining peaceful teamwork. Also, I like sketching mind maps to expand and organise the ideas. Nevertheless, one of my weaknesses is that I think too much, so it always delays the work. When I have to work in a group with limited time, my quality of work is not good enough at first, so I need to keep correcting my work, which can make others feel frustrated.

During this activity, it went smoothly, perhaps because we didn’t have enough time and materials to really show our strengths and weaknesses. We shared ideas quickly using a mind map and built our monument with paper. If we had more time, I would redesign the monument with a tree stump which I was inspired by from The Giving Tree ending story, to show the tree’s sacrifice. I would also use the texture from Brodie Neill’s furniture piece and change the material to metal.

(268 words)

References :

Moseley, Corey. “What Is Collaboration? Why It’s Important, Examples and Tips.” Jostle Blog, blog.jostle.me/blog/why-collaboration-is-important. Accessed 22 Sept. 2025. 

Slack. “10 Must-Haves for Successful Team Collaboration.” Slack, slack.com/intl/en-gb/blog/collaboration/10-tips-for-successful-team-collaboration. Accessed 22 Sept. 2025. 

“Altitude, 2022.” Brodie Neill, 12 May 2022, brodieneill.com/altitude-2022/. 

Pinchuk, Eugene. “The Psychology of Metal in Design: How Custom Metal Features Influence Mood and Atmosphere.” MNR Custom Metal Inc., 12 Nov. 2024, mnrcustommetal.com/blog/the-psychology-of-metal-in-design-how-custom-metal-features-influence-mood-and-atmosphere/. 

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CTS A | Week 1 What is Critical Thinking?

Critical thinking means looking carefully at ideas and facts before making a choice. Paul and Elder describe it as "Self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrective thinking" This means being able to analyse your thoughts and evaluate them to improve how you think and make decisions. (“Critical Thinking,” Foundation for Critical Thinking). I agree because design work is always about asking questions and improving what I make.

When I had my first craft workshop lesson, we learned about mark making using the idea of a “point.” We walked around the campus and took pictures of things shaped like dots. Then we proceeded to the next activity using coloured dot stickers in different sizes to show rhythm, balance, emphasis, contrast, and white space.

While I was placing the stickers, I kept checking if the layout looked balanced. I moved pieces a few times until it felt right. By doing this I noticed small changes and made the final design better. Mindfulness helped me think more clearly. Jon Kabat-Zinn explains mindfulness as “Paying attention in the present moment, on purpose” (Wherever You Go, There You Are, p. 4).

Before adjusting the stickers, even though it was not a big deal to stick them on the paper, I paused and took a slow breath. It calmed me and gave me time to look again. Now I use the same habit when I choose colours, textures, layout for a poster or make small daily decisions. Asking questions, observing, and taking my time makes both my design work and everyday life clearer.

(260 words)

References :

Defining Critical Thinking, the foundation for critical thinking, www.criticalthinking.org/pages/defining-critical-thinking/766. Accessed 27 Sept. 2025. 

Kabat-Zinn, Jon. Wherever You Go, There You Are. Hyperion, 1994.