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Course Reflection #10

I really enjoyed taking Design 200 this quarter. I would actually say it was one of my top favorite classes so far this year coming in second to my photo course.

The whole course was structured nicely and Gabe was a fantastic instructor. Expanding on that idea a bit, I think that Gabe was a key part in my liking of the course. I'm a big believer in the notion that an instructor sets the tone for a class and Gabe really set a fun, creative, open, creative atmosphere for Design 200. He is funny, relatable, helpful, amongst other things. With him as an instructor, it removed some of that teacher-student tension and I felt comfortable and excited to attend class.

The blogging aspect was something I also really enjoyed. Maybe this is my internet addiction speaking too loudly, but I think it's a fantastic idea. I spend countless numbers of hours tapping away at my laptop, on the internet. It seems like a flawless idea to integrate that aspect of my life into my schoolwork. Honestly, doing blog posts felt less like homework when I had to give my opinion in blog form. That may just be my sole little opinion, but I would venture to say that other students felt a similar way. If not, I'm sure we'd all agree that blogging is way better than exams any day.

One thing that I did have an issue with was the Design: A Short Introduction book we had to read. The course could really do without it. I was certainly not a fan, as my reading reflections of the book would show. It was an odd read and hardly kept my attention despite it being the shortest book I've read in a long time. My suggestions: just pitch it or replace it. The reading reflections for that book were not fun or intellectually stimulating by any means.

I did enjoy Cradle to Cradle though. I think all majors, all people should read that book. It still think about the arguments brought up in that book 'til this day and I'm sure I'll continue to.

Another thing I will say is that though the lectures were great and informative, it felt like there was no resolve with them once the course ended. It seems as though the final project should bring all those concepts together, but failed to do so. Perhaps that was just my expectation, but I wish there had better a more direct incorporation of what we learned during the lectures because at the end it all feels like useful information that's just hanging in the balance.

Design 200 was a great course. I would highly recommend it and recommend Gabe to anyone interested in design. I will say that I wish it touched on more Visual Communication aspects, but overall, I think it was a great intro to design. It definitely has me more interested in exploring the topic more, though I won't be pursing a design degree (maybe a minor). Once again, course and instructor highly recommended! :D

#CR10

Coleman Documentation J10

Previous Coleman Documentation posts: J09 and J08

My partners for A05 were:

Jenny Wheat

Steve Goslin

Tiffany Tse

Olivia Justice

Matt Derkach

Sarah Congleton

Though my last post coincided with the presenting of our project and thus, the conclusion of it altogether, I'm going to reflect on the experience of the project as a whole.

I keep saying this, but I probably couldn't have been placed in a better team for the Coleman project. So many of my teammates were talented and creative thinkers. It made the process not only easy, but exciting as well. As far as how the group operated, we would all kind of throw out ideas and concepts, expand or alter them, or throw them out. Specific tasks were left to certain people. For instance, Matt was delegated to construct the rendering of our product since he had the skills to do it. Jenny knew her way around Sketch Up well, so she was in charge of virtually constructing the kiosk along with Olivia.

I think part of our success came from Steve being a great facilitator. He really helped give direction to our group, came up with great ideas, did a wonderful job of connecting everyone outside of class, and his enthusiasm made me excited to work.

I really wish I had been more hands-on with this project. When presented with this task, I became really unsure of myself because it seemed so project design intensive and I don't have much interest in that field of design. I wanted to work more with visuals, but we had Tiffany who knew Photoshop well, so she reworked the Coleman logo and did packaging design. I wish I had a little more involvement in that area, but seeing as I have very little experience with computer programs, my help was limited.

My work came into play with documenting the issue. I got to break out my photography background and photograph situations that our product would be solving. Having that part of the project really encouraged me. Also, just giving my experiences as someone a part of the target audience felt nice too because my concerns were being worked into our product.

Overall, this project was a success. My team created a clean product and presentation and I'm quite proud of all the accomplishments. My teammates were wonderful and fun to work with. I wish the best with all their future endeavors.

#A05 J10

Coleman Documentation J09

My partners for A05 are:

Jenny Wheat

Steve Goslin

Tiffany Tse

Olivia Justice

Matt Derkach

Sarah Congleton

Since the last time I updated on our project, we've mainly been working on wrapping the project up and making finalizations. Luckily, today was the day we presented, so everything has come to a close and I must say that I'm really happy about how the project went.

As far as what happened while we were working over the last few days, we worked on the kiosk and packaging, as well as constructing the presentation itself.

I've mainly been working with adding input about different aspects of the project here and there. As far as highly specific things, they were left to the people who were delegated with the specific tasks in the beginning. I did take some photos documenting the problem we were addressing in my dorm.

Here are photos of what we were up to:

Kiosk Packaging Issue Documentation

Now that the project is over, I wanna say that I feel incredibly grateful for the team I was grouped with. Everyone was so talented and enthusiastic about working together, so it made the process enjoyable and easy. I just wish I brought some better things to offer to the table. Nevertheless, I had a great time working with my group.

#J09 #A05

Design: A Short Intro Reflection #4

Last week we returned to Design: A Short Intro to wrap up the final chapters 9 and 10.

First, I have to say that taking that break from the book has definitely estranged me from any lingering interest I once had in the book, which was lacking to begin with.

I'm happy that we've finally put this book to a close for good.

I'll be honest, neither of the final chapters peaked my interest much and I'm not sure what to attribute that to.

Either way, I found chapter 9: Contexts relatively interesting. I found the coverage on how design is focused in individual companies pretty noteworthy. The difference of some business that choose to keep their design specific and recognizable as opposed to others that allow the design to be branched out seemed like something interesting to acknowledge.

I also enjoyed the analyzation of a company's design compared to others and how distinguishability comes into play.

#RR08

Coleman Documentation J08

My partners for A05 are:

Jenny Wheat

Steve Goslin

Tiffany Tse

Olivia Justice

Matt Derkach

Sarah Congleton

So far, I've been very happy about how our group has been working. We all seem enthusiastic to tackle this challenge and get really involved. As of the last meeting, we've narrowed down who our target consumer is, what our product will be and we've delegated people for different aspects of the project. Our progress so far has come from collective discussions throwing out ideas randomly and just building off of each others' ideas and energies. It's been pretty exciting.

Luckily, I was placed in a team where a few individuals already had strong design skills. For example, Matt can do rendering, Tiffany knows Photoshop well, and Jenny has some solid architecture background. Sometimes, I feel like I have little to contribute compared to the more skilled members of my group. All I've been doing is offering suggestions and I wish there was an area I could lead, but I don't have the specific skills. What I've basically been doing is support, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I just wish I could have skills to really contribute to this project. Maybe a leadership position will arise eventually. In the meantime, I'm really thankful and grateful to my partners who have really carried this project.

As far as specific contributions, I've been offering some of my experiences while living in a dorm on campus and how we can address these problems with our product. In the later phases of the project, hopefully I'll be assisting with the packaging and kiosk designs.

Our product design people (Matt, Steve, Sarah) have been hard at work creating our actual product. Over the weekend, Matt made a fantastic rendering:

I'm not sure if that's divulging too much of our plan, but it's a little peak into what we've been up to so far.

In addition to this, there has been a lot of in class communication happening, as well as email. Also, Steve has been amazing at sending out information and ideas to everyone and maintaining a really open platform for discussion and production of ideas.

Other plans have been in the making as far as the presentation and the kiosk, but we'll move forward with those when we reconvene this week.

#A05 J08

Cradle to Cradle Reflection #3

This week we wrap up Cradle to Cradle with chapters 4-6.

Overall, I think this book moved me by loosely taking an approach we use in one of my student groups called AHUY:

A - aggitate

H - hope

U - unity

Y - you

It works by grabbing people's attention by informing them about something shocking, telling them there's a solution, urging them to unite with others, then helping them believe that they can make a difference with their actions. I think that that Cradle to Cradle did a good job at emphasizing the U and Y components, especially during the final chapter: "Putting Eco-Effectiveness Into Practice." The steps were a great way to end the book with a call to action:

Get "free of" known culprits

Follow informed personal preferences

Creating a "passive positive" list

Active the positive list

Reinvent

I found it to be a good launching pad for designers who reached the end of the book and thought, "Now what?"

My favorite step of all would definitely be #5: Reinvent with the example of a car emitting positive emissions. I found it to be a way that tied the "Why Being Less Bad is No Good" and "Waste Equals Food" sections together nicely. The idea serves to reverse the notion of choosing "better" products in place of ones that are actually helpful and have byproducts that could be useful for other things, like the cherry tree example in "Eco-Effectiveness."

In all, I definitely feel more inspired to assist in reforming how things are made. I actually wish I had power in creating some form of change. After reading the first few chapters I often found myself despising the fact that I create trash that will end up in a landfill and (almost) wouldn't be able to help it.

Now, the task is to take this info and do something with it. I'm not sure what it will be yet, but in the meantime, I must say I'm happy I've been informed about the dangers of the cradle to grave cycle and that I have the opportunity to stop it.

#RR07

Online Scavenger Hunt

Outdoor camping/recreation products links:

www.dickssportinggoods.com

www.gandermountain.com

www.outdooroutlet.com

www.theoutdoorsource.com

www.campmor.com

Outdoor camping/Recreation Trade show booth photos:

Home Goods Retailers:

www.ikea.com

www.greenhome.com

www.crateandbarrel.com

www.homegoods.com

www.marketplace.apartmenttherapy.com

Indoor Home Goods Trade Show Photos:

Home Goods Examples:

My definition of a home good: any product that helps to accessorize, furnish or helps organize or clean the home

#J07

Course Reflection #7

Last week in class we had a presentation from guest speakers Cobego on Monday and watched a few Charles and Ray Eames films on Thursday.

I enjoyed Monday particularly because of the marshmallow activity we did before the presentation. The task was to build the highest structure using spaghetti, a yard of tape, and string, with a marshmallow placed at the very top in 15 minutes.

This was my team's effort:

Initially, I was pretty skeptical about the task mainly because it required group effort and that always makes me hesitant. We all know how group projects go: one or two people take the lead, deciding they know best about the strategy, others are forced to follow, despite potentially having worthy input to contribute, and sometimes there's that one person who doesn't care at all and would prefer to do anything else besides a group project.

I was lucky this time. In my group everyone was friendly and had worthy ideas to contribute. We started off knowing we needed a foundation and took off from there. Everything after that became experimental, seeing what would work best. As the clock wound down though, we rushed to reinforce the structure, forgot about what would work best and focused on keeping it upright, with the marshmallow attached.

In the end, what we found more difficult than anything working with the materials. The tape wasn't very sticky and the spaghetti was more fragile than some anticipated. Overall, I'm glad that our structure remained standing, even if it wasn't the tallest.

Whenever it comes to group projects, though I dislike them, I'm always interested in having insight about how group dynamics work. This task helped me see that in a different setting. Also, it helped me see how there can always be improvements when working in groups.

What I generally feel works when it comes to group work is when people equally feel invested in the task they're working at. That way, a lot of the apathy is eliminated. Also, when all members are allowed to contribute it makes for better environment for ideas to be formed. When one person takes charge, it leaves others afraid to speak out, leaving good ideas going unspoken. If the environment is set up so that at any stage in the process, people can add input no matter what position they've taken, I believe that's best, mainly because I often am that person forced to going along with the ride silently.

So, overall, this activity helped me a lot to see how collaborations can go smoothly. Hopefully, this task can assist me with any other group work I do in the future.

#CR07

Tumblr would only allow me to add 10 photos, so here are the other two:

#A04

Media Reviews

For my media reviews, I've chosen to focus on color and design. I've actually been anticipating this point in Design 200 where we talk about color specifically. I can't exactly pinpoint why; I've just always found it fascinating. What draws me in is how influential color is, mainly how one can think they're perceiving something neutrally, but color can actually be dictating their mood. I'm fascinated by how this can be manipulated to evoke some kind of emotional association with a brand, or product, or space. I highlighted some of my interests in the first half of Course Reflection #5.

Color Psychology in Web Design

This video is more or less a plug for the poster's website, but it offers some good points. What I was mainly interested in, besides its web design focus, is its alternative emotional correspondents with color offered in lecture (like cool colors evoking sadness). Also, its point of balancing words with colors and backgrounds. It's a basic video that could be a selection for beginners of web design.

Color Symbolism Chart by Culture

I found this source to be helpful in describing how color translates across different cultures. In lecture we mainly focused on how color is perceived in western countries, but we all know those interpretations don't hold true for every society. Not only is it fascinating just in itself, but its also a useful tool for designers who are considering designing for international audiences as well (there are some interesting ones like white symbolizing death in Japan).

Babies See Pure Color, but Adults Peer Through Prism of Language

This article examines the differences in how infants and adults perceive and classify colors. It demonstrates that babies mainly process color in the pre-linguistic sections of their brains, as compared to adults where that process takes place in the linguistic section. This suggests that adults perceive colors through the filter of language we've constructed them. This can be very useful in thinking of ways to design for babies, and also color and language association.

Color Coding for the Color Blind

During this whole discussion of color, we've neglected to address issues facing a segment of the population who perceive color completely different than the majority of us, the color blind. This article covers the system Miguel Neiva has created to assist those with color blindness to navigate our often color coded world. It uses symbols to represent many colors most people see. They can be used in conjunction with colors so people with color blindness will have the same understanding of color symbolism as the majority of the population.

Magenta Isn't a Real Color?

Finally, I was interested to find this article that questions magenta as an actual color since it is a product combined from both ends of the light spectrum. It also has no wavelength itself. This in turn makes me question what exactly we define color as. A color must have a wavelength associated with it to be considered a color? Magenta is still distinctive from other colors, though, so maybe the technicalities don't matter? Nevertheless, I don't have a direct way to relate this to design, but I considered it complimentary to the basic understanding of how colors works.

#J06

Cradle to Cradle Reflection #2

This week, we continue reading Cradle to Cradle with chapters 1-3.

In general, I would just like to point out how this book has created such a sense of urgency within me. It's actually kind of frightening.

It seems that at every turn, McDonough highlights the specific issues with our current environmental depletion/harm solutions.

I was on board with the his points in "Why Being 'Less Bad" is No Good." There he presents arguments that I've also held for a while, namely: creating a smaller amounts of environmental problems still causes problems, just over a longer amount of time. Also, that taking this approach isn't very helpful at all.

However, when addressing current solutions that start at the root, at the point of creating a product, McDonough made me feel disheartened, particularly with the example of creating an eco-friendly book in "Eco-Effectiveness." It seemed as though every option proposed was destructive in an inevitable way. I wondered if there was a real way to make it happen.

Granted, McDonough goes on to describe a better approach that deviates from past concepts of books, one that not only is eco-friendly, but also has many other practical bonuses (like waterproof pages).

I suppose, however, that this is the point. McDonough isn't trying to make the reader feel down and out, or helpless; he's presenting facts. And the fact of the matter is that we're just not in a good place when it comes to our creation, consumption, and waste, and our popular solutions for those problems. It can't be denied.

Luckily, by the end of our selected chapters my mood picked up, mainly because I was envisioning an office space like a cherry tree that McDonough proposed. Lots of light and food. I definitely would never turn down that design approach.

#RR06

Course Reflection #6

In class this week, we discussed the topic of legal issues of design and watched Rip!: A Remix Manifesto.

The issue of copyright infringement and things of that matter have interested me for a while now. I even recall writing a paper during my sophomore year of high school about file sharing and how the criminalization of it by large corporations is just ridiculous.

To me, this all mainly boils down to the notion that money is the ultimate compensation of any kind of work, which is a dangerous belief to have, especially when held by those who don't have the right to feel that way.

Here, we have the heads of corporations telling us that the material they release under their name cannot be touched or distributed without their permission. Otherwise, one may have a hefty fine to pay as consequence.

Funny thing is, none of these big heads actually worked their hands at making the material, yet, they consider it their property.

I would like to think (but, I'll try not to speak for them) that the artists who produce music, movies, photos, whatever, aren't solely looking for a paycheck when creating a piece of work (though, I'm sure they wouldn't turn one down). They're doing what they love for people who love what they do. This enables their work to be enjoyed, built upon, and integrated into society whether the impact is large or small.

Contribution to culture is compensation enough.

Same goes for designers. When coming upon a fantastic discovery, invention, design, there's no need to lock it up, and only allow admission to it upon some kind of payment.

It should be released, so it can be embraced by all. But also, credit should also be given where credit is due.

I am happy to see that out of this situation we're seeing a reform of how copyright works. The sliding scale offered by the Creative Commons seems like a great solution so far for the dilemma.

Nevertheless, it's funny to hear corporations talk about how forms of filing sharing and things like it will be the demise of the music/film industries. Sure, maybe some corporate industries will crumble and some giants will have to step down, but this doesn't mean that culture will stop. Of anything, this is an opportunity to try something new. It's a chance to spread information and ideas like never before. If the giants don't like it, then too bad, their loss, really.

#CR06

50 Things About Going to the Grocery Store

Make a grocery list

Decide which store you want to go to

Think about proximity of each store

Consider the typical price range of each store

Take into account your price range

Make transportation arrangements for the decided store

Go to cota.com

Type in your address

Type in destination

Make sure it says PM! (or AM, if your into that...)

Write down the stop

Go to bus stop

Wait at the stop for 5-15 minutes (hopefully it's not late!)

Show appropriate ID or pay

Take a seat

Wait for the duration of the bus ride

Get off at correct stop

Walk toward the store

While approaching, notice: parking lot

Many cars

Walking families and individuals

While entering, notice: Shopping carts

Carrying baskets

Pick up the appropriate grocery holding device

Start at produce (usually in the front)

Notice fruit immediately

Pick out apples and oranges

Next, notice vegetables

Pick out celery and carrots

Head to the bakery

Pick up a loaf of bread

Pick up a batch of frosted cookies

Go to the dairy section

Grab milk and cheddar cheese

Head to snack isle

Grab plain potato chips and dip

Go to the laundry isle

Pick up small container of detergent

Go to make-up/hair isle

Find shampoo and conditioner

Compare prices of generic and name brands

Decide on generic brand

Walk toward check out

Choose self check out or normal check out

Scan items

Pay with cash or credit

Grab bags with loaded groceries

Return to bus stop and wait

Board toward the front of the bus to set groceries down

Return home

#J05

Cradle to Cradle Reading Response #1

Last week, we got started reading Cradle to Cradle by William McDonough and Michael Braungart.

It's been pretty interesting because I've been notified by a couple people that it's a really good book by passerby who notice I'm reading it. So far, I'd have to say I agree with them.

We've only made it through the introduction, but I have to say that I'm excited to see what points, discoveries, and solutions McDonough and Braungart will bring up in the coming chapters.

Even now, only through the introduction, I can say that I've really started to think about creation and life span of productions we interact with everyday.

Aside from all the background info, I have to say that one point in particular caught my attention. The example of the carpet made of recycled soda bottles really stood out because despite the good intentions to save resources by using materials that already exist, the carpet will still make its way to the landfill, as McDonough notes.

I enjoyed this point because it appears that most environmental improvements are too localized with this type of thinking. I know that personally, when I would see a product that could be/was recycled, it took away all the environmental harm in my mind. Like, "ding!" The problem was solved. However, I wasn't thinking far enough. I wasn't thinking about where that recycled product would end up eventually. Sure, it's changed forms, and is now something new, but that's only (probably) a pit stop to it's final resting place, the landfill.

So, I'm happy this point was brought to my attention. Now I know that improving the way we design things and use resources in an environmentally friendly way doesn't begin when the product has already been made. It starts before creation, before we've caused environmental harm and we are suck with the product and thus, the decision to either reuse it or toss it.

I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the book and learning ways I can apply the knowledge not only to design, but to my personal life and consumer decisions as well.

#RR05

Course Reflection #5

The topics covered in last week's lecture were Color and Environmental Design.

From both lectures I discovered fascinating things and concepts in the design world.

One of the things that I'm constantly being surprised by as I continue my education is how humans believe their perceptions of the world as being whole and accurate. However, in fact, many of our perceptions are influenced, altered, and filled in by some of our internal processes. In turn, what we think we're seeing or feeling doesn't actual reflect what's really happening.

I got my first taste I this in psychology, while learning about visual perception and optical illusions.

Here's an example from class of your brain trying to correct what you're seeing based on what it believes is correct.

I was interested to see similar concepts come up in the Color lecture, like with the Bezold Effect:

The image on the left appears to be smaller simply because it's underneath the white bars, as opposed to the one on the right, covered by the black bars, though they are the same color.

It doesn't just end there, though. Color can affect mood and our perception of space, amongst other things. So, when you believe your emotions are pure, coming strictly from within and that your environment is neutral, think again. Color may be influencing how you feel and what you think you're seeing. This can definitely be used to your advantage (or perhaps work against you) as a designer of any sort. Fascinating stuff!

From the Environmental Design lecture, I found the Janine Benyus TED talk about Biomimicry fascinating and beautiful. Biomimicry is a design approach that seeks out processes in nature so that they can be copied and adapted to solve human problems.

To me, I questioned why humans didn't look to nature first. It seems so natural, right? It seems like such a simple concept. Luckily, this movement is happening now, and I have hope that designers will create beautiful, and environmentally friendly products and systems from it.

Lastly, I was happy to see the Embrace incubator designed by Jane Chen. This touched me because I was a premature baby, born at 6 months. Considering how tiny, fragile, and premature I was, I'm lucky I survived, much less grew up with no physical or mental issues. Part of this could be contributed to the fact that I was born with technology that could assure I was able to maintain my small life, mainly in the form of an expensive incubator. However, not all babies have that luxury, so I'm happy the people of Embrace created this low cost, environmentally friendly, universally suitable option for those who simply don't have access to expensive incubators. Hopefully, this continues to save more babies lives.

#CR05

Designer Scavenger Hunt

For this project, I worked with Jenny W. and Sarah C.

Clue 01: The Barcelona Chair by Mies van der Roher. It was originally designed for the king and queen of Spain.

Clue 02: RAR Rocker Chair by Charles and Ray Eames. The Chair was the first plastic chair to be mass produced. The magazine is Azure.

Clue 03: The Wexner Center by Peter Eisenman. The budget for constructing the building was $49,696,978.

Clue 04: The Science and Engineering Library by Philip Johnson. Interesting detail: the archways.

Clue 05: The Thompson Library (renovated) by Acock and Associates. The renovation of the library cost $108.7 million.

#A03

Found Faces

(This was actually a lot harder than it seemed, especially since I didn't have a camera for part of the week).

*Not too sure if my Oscar the Grouch cup works, but it's a cup with a face. Cups don't usually need faces, right?

#J04

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