Jyni Ong's Workshop
What makes a good story?
Our course began with Jyni, our first guide, who started the module in a cool and different way. She told us to think about our own stories, which was a bit scary for me at first. It was my first time doing exercises about my own creative process.
Jyni wanted us to pick a piece of writing that meant a lot to us, like a journal entry or something typed. The catch was that it had to be from a time in our lives that felt important. We had to figure out the feelings tied to it and then come up with an idea to tell a story about those emotions and that part of our life.
I chose something I wrote in my journal after breaking up with my ex-girlfriend. It was a tough time, but looking back, I don't regret it. That experience shaped who I am today. Going through a breakup taught me to be more understanding and caring because everyone goes through tough breakups at least once. It becomes a part of who you are.
The emptiness I felt after the breakup didn't need someone else to fill it. It needed more of me. This tough time made me open up and learn more about myself, be better, and gave me hope. Jyni's exercise made me see that overcoming challenges isn't about what others think but understanding myself better.
In short, Jyni got us to step out of our comfort zones and explore our feelings for personal growth through storytelling. It reminded us that in our own stories, we find the pieces that make us who we are.
What if?
What if I had said something different? What if I had done something different?
these are some of the questions that we ponder over at various point in our lives.
In a workshop on effective storytelling, I gained insights into the key components that make a narrative compelling. The workshop emphasized the importance of structuring a story with a clear Beginning, Middle, and End. The process involves initiating the narrative with an Unexpected Change, creating an Info-Gap, and introducing a Threat of Change in the beginning. The middle section focuses on maintaining momentum through moments of change, such as those seen in stories like Snow White. This phase also incorporates Light and Shade moments, diverse directions of travel, and a continuous build-up of interest. The workshop highlighted the significance of a plot twist, a dark moment, and an emotional epiphany in the concluding part. Endings should encompass elements like a could-have-changed but didn't scenario, a dead end, a comingling of happy and sad emotions, and leave ample room for interpretation, ultimately culminating in the 'right' ending.
Week 2: Autoethnographic Research and Design Briefing
In the second week of our communication design module, we delved into autoethnographic research, exploring the interplay of personal and interpersonal experiences. This included discerning patterns of cultural expression through personal links to topics, a crucial element in understanding the researcher's influence. We discovered that all design solutions carry explicit or implicit biases and considered the role of typography and illustrations in conveying messages.
Design Thinking Process: Discover > Spark
We initiated our design projects by drawing up comprehensive briefs, addressing elements such as background, aims, objectives, target audience, single message, timeline, budget, and deliverables. The process encouraged us to frame our briefs as questions, fostering a deeper connection with our target audience and openness to diverse perspectives. We explored various design ideas, analyzing past designs on similar topics to understand different perspectives.
October 3, 2023: Design Research Journal
We transitioned into the practical aspects of our communication design master's program by creating a Design Research Journal. This ongoing documentation is a comprehensive record of our experiences, learnings, and projects throughout the module. It focuses on reporting, reflecting, and reviewing, building critical and contextual skills. The journal utilizes engaging forms such as reportage, text, video, photography, or sound.
Organizing the Journal:
I utilize Notion as a platform to record insights, incorporating texts, links, and images. The goal is to eventually integrate this design journal into my portfolio website, maintaining a minimalistic and precise aesthetic.
Readings and Critical Engagement
We read about the human condition, especially Martin Hosken's views on self and perception, storytelling, research methods, agility at work, and visuality. After reading, we had to share our thoughts by either agreeing, disagreeing, or both. This helps us add to or challenge what others have said.
George Orwell's Politics and English Language
Sophie’s World by Jostein Gaarder
A Smile In Mind by Beryl McAlhone and Greg Quinton
How to Have Great Ideas : A Guide to Creative Thinking by John Ingledew
Living Without a Goal by James Ogilvyl
The nature and art of workmanship by David Pye
WRITE WITHOUT FEAR EDIT WITHOUT MERCY
Week 3: Spark to Resolve and Project Ideas
Week 3 centred on sparking creativity to resolve design challenges. We discussed talking through ideas and overcoming creative blocks, emphasizing prototyping and recapping previous project phases. Project ideas emerged, focusing on mental health applications, graphic novels, non-profit campaigns, and the importance of playfulness in design.
Main Values:
Mental Health Awareness
Witty Approach
Playfulness in Design
Sharing Your Thoughts
When you respond, you need to either build on what someone said, disagree with them and explain why, or agree but with a difference. This isn't just about saying "yes" or "no"; you have to explain why you feel that way. This helps us learn more and create new ideas.
Expressing Your Ideas
After engaging with others' ideas, you should come up with your thoughts. This is important because it gives us a unique way of looking at things. You need to explain why your thoughts matter and what new things you bring to the discussion. Make it clear why your ideas are important, and use this to transition to the next part of your argument.
Writing Tips
Task and Timetable
Using Critical Theory as a Lens
The Literature Review
Outline for Writing a Paper
In our initial module, Martin tasked us with conducting a comprehensive literature review on George Orwell's seminal work, "Politics and the English Language." This exercise was strategically designed to serve as a practical method for honing our writing skills throughout the course. The intention behind this undertaking is to cultivate proficiency in academic writing, ensuring that we develop the necessary skills to produce essays of a high scholarly standard. This approach aligns with our goal of fostering excellence in our written expression as we progress through the curriculum.
Week 4: Articulating Ideas and Approaching Self
The fourth week was all about expressing ideas effectively and dealing with creative challenges. The focus shifted towards a more imaginative and unconventional approach, drawing inspiration from childhood creativity. The key takeaway was the importance of maintaining a playful and childlike perspective in the world of corporate design.
The journal for this week documented a personal exploration, incorporating concepts like "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain," understanding the difference between feelings and emotions, and insights from "The Century of Self" by Adam Curtis. A consistent theme was the commitment to avoiding rigid beliefs and finding a balance between creativity and corporate requirements.
During this week, I explored various project ideas. Initially, I was enthusiastic about creating a paper model of an object integral to my creative process. However, I discarded this idea as it didn't align well with the project outline. Then, I considered crafting a stop-motion animation wallpaper for my laptop. However, I realized that since I change my background weekly, I wanted a project that would consistently contribute to my creative process rather than being a one-time endeavor.
After some contemplation, I decided to document myself working, focusing on my glasses as a noteworthy element in my creative process. Although my glasses appeared mundane and lacked playfulness, Bryan found this idea intriguing, and we both agreed to pursue it. Despite its appeal, the project presented challenges, particularly in ensuring that the glasses remained comfortable to wear throughout the process.
This ongoing journey in the communication design master's program reflects a dynamic combination of theory, practice, and personal growth. It's shaping a well-rounded understanding of the field.
A really disappointing lunch to be honest
Classmate's first lunch together
A souvenir from the swanpool beach
The first part of my course wasn't just about learning new design things. It brought a bunch of fresh challenges and a chance to check out a different city in a whole new country. I strolled around Falmouth, trying out different things and having all sorts of adventures, like testing out the local food (which, honestly, wasn't too impressive). I usually enjoy meals with lots of spices and flavours, but I found the local food to be a bit plain. Above are a few of the interesting things I discovered while exploring Falmouth town.
