~ Statement of intent - OUGD603 ~

This is a brief statement outlining what i hope to achieve within my 10 extended practice briefs this year. 

There's many themes I wish to explore within my design practice this year. Particularly themes that surround social/political issues, as I am passionate about making change and promoting positivity. I am really open to accepting any briefs and challenges in this area that arise as I want to work in the moment (for example create work surrounding current issues rather than pre-meditating the subject matter).

I want to find a new focus and dedicate more time to my research process; finding new ways of conducting research will make this easier for me. In previous years, I've been very reliant on visual research to inspire my designs. Within these 10 briefs I will aim to only use visual research to identify issues and needs. Instead I will use contextual research to identify key elements and inform my design decisions. I will ensure that I take reference from theoretical and contextual elements to enable well considered and rounded concepts. 

I aim to document and record all of my findings as I go along, whether that be on my blog or in note format. As long as I have these references explained with simplicity at hand when going into the design experiment stage it should run smoothly. Often in the past, key information has been lost due to a lack of documentation or having written 'too much'. I aim to keep things concise and simple to navigate in order for me to get the most out of this recording process. 

This year it's key that the visual quality of my work is higher than ever before, as these are the briefs I will display in my portfolio when looking for work. In order to ensure my final portfolio demonstrates my skills in all areas, this year I want to vary my practical development and production methods. For example I'd really like to learn to animate; I think it demonstrates a drive to go beyond a brief and expand things as much as possible. I want to explore different methods within each brief so the final outcome reflects a large range of skills - Digital design, animation, hand-rendered design, illustration, traditional print etc, rather than relying solely on my core skills and slotting myself into one particular category. Exploring different outcomes in this way will also help me understand what my strengths and weakness are and what I enjoy most.

I aim to reflect upon each brief I have done upon finishing and allow this to influence what briefs I choose to take on. If I don't enjoy a brief for some reason I will consciously avoid doing similar ones in the future and adapt my approach. In order to fully understand what I've learnt, what I've enjoyed and how I can benefit from each brief, I will evaluate as I finish each one. This ensures I won't waste my time taking on briefs that I don't find engaging or briefs that don't allow me any creative freedom.

This year I do want to take part in some collaborative briefs as I need to demonstrate that I can work within a team. However, I do want to take the role of project manager. My style and personality means I dont enjoy being sent down design routes that aren't coherent with my own personal visions. I will try to engage with collaborations as a project manager rather than just a member of a team. Due to this desire to express my individuality and abilities, I want to engage with as many live briefs as possible. This will teach me how to engage and communicate effectively with clients, making sure I get the most out of direct feedback and a sense of how my designs will work within a real world context.