Speaking from Experience: Feedback and Response Research.

A couple of responses in regards to a question I posted on the LCA BAGD facebook group.

Responses and feedback aren't always, unfortunately, easy to source- particularly from members in the group- often busy with our own projects and managing time, but often there are the few odd people who are kind enough to help out...and I try and do my best to be considerate and do the same for others. 

Considering this project is directly about our course and experience of it, it's great to hear back from the course members in response to how their diets have been effected in the first year- and responses which positively effect my brief direction. 

Hopefully, my design work could create a resolve for this problem- in advising people on their diets they could form a structure to meals, feeling happy that their diets are well-catered to the demands of the course, with good balance with other key nutrients and food groups.

Speaking from Experience: Google Maps directions, walking distances.

One of the most important factors in my brief is that of time- the students will be tired for a variety of reasons- one of the main being that they will find briefs and projects difficult to juggle, with long working hours often resulting in little sleep. Because of the work load, time is restricted, and I want to ensure that the food and drink stockists I advise suit this narrow time frame in the day when you can take breaks from your work. Of course, money and cost is also a factor in student living, this is a changable variable, and prices will not always be accurate from now until September.

After sourcing the food and drink in the stores, I have gone to Google Maps- typing in the postcodes from the Bleinheim Walk Uni building (LS2 9AQ) to the store locations- finding out the distance in miles, and how long it will take to walk- a clear and simple guide which the students can use to find food and drink appropriate to their time frame- if they have a free afternoon, they might be able to take a leisurely walk, but with a deadline approaching, perhaps only ten minutes. These are the maps I have sourced so far, in accordance to the shops I have visited...

Uni-Holland and Barrett

Uni- Waitrose

Uni-Sainsburys Local

Uni-Sainsburys

Uni-Morrisons

Google Maps is a great source for directions- really clear and up-to-date...this would be a great way to introduce a new student to the area of Leeds (if unfamiliar with the area, which is highly likely)...It's given me the idea to perhaps expand my design work onto mapping (another particular interest which I originally stated in the concept generation stage- see older posts on this blog for more details!)...letting the students know not only WHERE to find the foods, but how to get there too- avoiding risks of getting lost, which could, of course, take up valuable time. 

I think that this mapping idea would work quite well in a hot dog fold booklet style- being the flip-side of the original image- either an image map or written directions...good potential for experimentation that I look forward to testing!

Speaking from Experience: Sourcing food and drink products in the local area.

Beginning to search around the local area for shops which store the twenty-four key energy-rich food and drinks in their stores (I may reduce the number of items according to my results at a later stage). Due to Bank Holiday opening hours, not as many shops are open as I would have liked to look around, but will continue with my research tomorrow morning also. These are the results I have found thus far...

Research so far from five of the largest food and drink outlets in Leeds: 

-Sainsburys Local

-Holland and Barrett

-Sainsburys

-Morrisons

-Waitrose

Although these shops were clearly well-stocked, being established and national (if not global!) brands, I would really like to focus on the smaller shops around the university building- the sandwich and smoothie independent shops that depend so heavily upon the student population- a quick and easy source of food, literally just popping over the road. I will hopefully have more chance to develop research from these places tomorrow before my afternoon workshop session.

Speaking from Experience: Photographing food items.

Beginning to source food and drink items from the energy-boosting list...unfortunately I haven't yet been able to gather all items (i am a student on a budget after all!)...but a good basis to develop my design work from, to gain ideas on composition and perspective of my images when photographing, colour schemes, etc...

Fortunately the second series of pictures was a lot more colourful! Here is just a small sample of the food and drinks from the list of energy-boosting products that I have begun to research (see my design context blog, www.s-wilson1013-dc.blogpsot.com for more details!) it was quite fun photographing the products- getting a good sense of their shape and texture which will be a good basis to develop illustrations and three-dimensional structures from.

Speaking From Experience: Primary Research- Sourcing Foodstuffs.

Creating a simple check-list and primary research form to generate information about stockists of the particular energy-rich foods in the local-to-University-area. I have decided, for the moment, to focus upon the locations found and the distance of these shops to University. Whilst I think cost is also an important factor- this is a changabable variable and costs are likely to differ between now and September...also, many of the items aren't specific enough. For example, salmon could be found in sandwiches, fillets, whole fish items...I am going to attempt to source the items in as natural their form as possible, but as long as they are a main feature ingredient within a food or drink item- they will be recorded.

I will start my sourcing tomorrow morning, having printed fifteen check-lists (I will probably focus on the top 10 closest to the building), but being a bank holiday (May day), many of the smaller, independent sandwich and smoothie shops around the university building will be closed until Tuesday...where I shall hopefully conclude the sourcing in the morning before my type and grid workshop session in the afternoon.

Speaking from Experience: Concept, Content and Method of Delivery- Preperation and Ideas for Design Boards.

CONCEPT: HOW TO SURVIVE WITH A LACK OF SLEEP

/HOW TO SURVIVE A TIRING LIFESTYLE

Originally, my brief concept was 'how to survive with a lack of sleep', however, I felt that this was a little too vauge and wanted to develop my ideas a little further, or to re-word the phrase to be more appropriate for my dietary direction, choosing 'how to survive a tiring lifestyle'.

Graphic Design o'clock is always o'clock, and with long days and even longer nights, there is often little consideration for taking care of yourself- until you get ill, and then the damage is done. Many students, when first coming to University fall into a pattern of take-away diets and snack foods- because it's a quick taste fix, it fills a void quickly and convinently...and their Mum's aren't around  to tell them off.

CONTENT:

I plan to create designs to inspire people to treat themselves right from the start, with a guide of "grub to make you feel good"...a list of the best food and drinks to restore energy and where you can find them within a short distance to the university, considering the tight deadlines and demands of the course.

METHOD OF DELIVERY:

I will create a range designs in the form of a stop motion animation, photographic poster series, leaflets, hot dog fold booklets and postcards which can either be delivered to the new students via postal delivery, sent a link via email, or presented to on the first day through USB or DVD hand-outs.

Speaking from Experience: Points to consider.

At this early design stage, I feel it is important to remind myself of certain key points so as not to get distracted or misdirected from the important fundamentals of the brief...

AUDIENCE: New first year BAGD students. May be varied in age/culture/gender. Don't make specific to any one of these groups- colour schemes neutral/balanced, no "in jokes" specific to any generation/nation.

TONE OF VOICE: Humorous, light-hearted and friendly- don't want to risk alienation or intimidating the first years. Graphic Design is supposed to be FUN...not absolutely terrifying.

AESTHETIC: Eye-catch...bright colours...clear and legible typefaces- Want to gauge an automatic response- you first respond visually, not on deeply-thought concepts which are hard to read.

METHOD OF DELIVERY(S): Animation (stop motion), Posters, Hot Dog Fold Booklets, Leaflets, Postcards, DVD animation, USB.

-At any time I feel a little lost or "going off on a tangent" throughout this project, I will come back to this page and hopefully gain a more level head, and understanding of the direction of which my project needs to be lead-