Evaluation and Reflection:

Please find below three sets of evaluation questions to consider at the end of your project and write up in your blog.

You should also check on these throughout the process of your project as this will help you to develop ideas and problem-solve issues before it is too late (ie: the end of the project!)

1) Visual Communication:

In what ways does the visual communication/message of the piece meet the needs of the brief?

This was a live brief therefore we had to make sure we was doing exactly what the brand was asking – they came into the university where we wrote down all the things that we needed to incorporate within the design to meet their brief, for start of the main thing was just to create something that is a mix up of unusual aspects and create 6 boards to showcase that. My entire design portrays the avenues I want to achieve in graphic design and also created a drink with weird flavours that create a story which is exactly what meets their brief. They also say with the boards to create clear designs and mine displayed showcase a prototype of the design so people can really get a feel of the drink and design and the story I am trying to showcase.

In what ways does the visual communication/message of the piece fail to meet the needs of the brief?

Due to it being a live brief meeting the standards meant it was easier for us to meet it and not not meet the brief. When you have a client actually come in and real down the brief it becomes. Lot easier as you’re not just reading it off a screen for pulling things apart ad asking questions. The brief also is not that hard and the briefs that allow me to create my own ideas always are easier as I can be as creative and unique as possible.

What are the strengths of the visual communication? Why?

Within the design I think there is a lot of strengths within each individual design piece as I spent so long on the design. I had the idea in my head and then went with it – I find sometimes going with the first idea works better and developed from their. There are 6 boards that we had to create the design for therefore had to make sure I was creating visual communication that fitted in with that, each board portrays the bottle in different ways and different aspects that they display – out of all of them the bottle design in general front and back is a strong visual communication aspect as it portrays all elements that fit in with the bottle , it allows the reader to understand what the bottle would like when made and how the elements of flavour come together for the bottle design. Another thing that allows the visual communications to be strong, is the advertising platforms I have created to make the design work well and almost create a campaign for the product, I had to make sure each and every design linked with the bottle meaning the same colours and aspects to make it all consistent and thats what overall makes the visual communication strong.

What are the weaknesses of the visual communication? Why?

I personally worked so hard on the visual communication for my design as I wanted to make sure it would portray way to the audience and how it would look at a distance – the only thing I dislike and think could be developed if we had more time, would be to showcase the bottle on different sides for example on the side, and display the right and left side of it. However, the overall display I created almost suggest what it would look like on the side of the bottle design.

In what ways could the piece be mis-read or mis-understood by the audience? Be specific about who the audience is.

Personally speaking I do not think it could be mid red by anyone, I did a lot of research on what needs to be presented on a bottle therefore everything on the bottle relates to the designs out there. I also think that the poster speaks to audience well, and without the little icons of the watermelon and the seaweed this potentially create a mis-read or understood poster for the audience.

In what practical ways could the piece be developed or improved?

I would of loved to actually create the bottle on different view points, I displayed the back and the front and obviously they look the same but I do wish I could make more bottles and different angels; however the reason I only chose to showcase one bottle was to showcase the fact that its limited edition so buy it and try it quick. I did spend a while making sure this design was perfect and I did a lot of development to achieve my goal, obviously I would change this if I had more time and would make the bottle appearances more interesting to the audience by show casing it on different scenarios and perspectives. However my design display s the bottle I believe; would be cool to actually print the label and design out and test it on a gin bottle though…

2) Good Design? Evaluation

In what ways did you consider Designing Backwards or application of Systems Thinking to your project?

I think with this project system thinking was a big part of it, as its understanding how things influence one another within a whole, for me it was about creating something thats not already been done but also not adding to the issues that we face today. For the design process and mixing ingredients together I used systems thinking techniques as I had to work out ways that certain flavours can be mixed together but actually work if created in the real gin world therefore had to pick a citrus flavour and a dry flavour to counteract one another. I did design backwards for this project, I was thinking of the end outcome before hand and thinking of the ways I could benefit the world and the issues I would face along the way therefore it helped me when coming towards these issues when designing.

In what other ways have you considered the sustainability of your project process and outcomes?

The climate is slowing dying therefore I did not want to add a product that would harm the environment I made sure it was designed through out to follow the recycling pattern and benefit the climate. I made sure I was creating something with natural ingredients, so seaweed from the beach / shops and watermelon. And then looked into other botanical flavours that are involved. I wanted to create a gin that was recyclable after use, made out of recyclable glass and would benefit the sustainability issues, and thats also why there is the sustainable symbol on the back to showcase my added part to the economy.,

In what ways have you considered the ethical implications of your project process and outcomes?

Within my design ethicals implications have to be considered and that is with all graphic design elements. The main thing with ethics in graphic design, is the audience and how they would perceive it and I think I spent ages trying to work out how to portray a gin for all audiences over 18 years old. Another element of ethics, is following the gin guidelines, for example the amount of units one can drink, the ingredients, and what needs to be displayed on the bottle at the front and the back. If I did not research or add this onto my design it would be a bottle that could not be sold as it didn’t have these implications on them that would fit into the gin market which links to the ethics within thud design.

In sustainability and ethical terms in what ways was your work in this project an improvement or a backward step for you as a socially conscious designer?

I feel as the years are going on and I am reaching the end of my graphic design education, I have learnt so much about sustainability and ethical. Every-time I design I always think how is this benefitting people, its important as designers to understand design for good and as the years go on I am progressing that more and developing ideas that benefit people not add to the issues, and this is defiantly something I would continue through the years.n

What targets can you make at this point for your work in the future as a socially conscious designer?

I want to make sure I always follow rules within designs, by this I mean making sure if I am creating a product research as much as possible and always portray the correct information. Double check everything and make sure I am designing for good not bad.

3) Reflection of own working practices:

Be very honest with yourself in this section. Please feel free to approach a member of staff for help finding ways to develop skills.

How was my time keeping?

I felt like my time keeping was pretty good. I aimed for this to be finished when the first set of deadline was set so Feb 20th. I planned to finish it then and I did. I obviously changed a lot of my work but honestly my blogs were up to date and I never felt rushed with this project unlike some others in the past. When we started FMP my focus was just on FMP not JDO, as other people in the class were still continuing JDO. therefore I do think my time keeping for this project was actually really good.

How was my analysis of the brief?

I think because JDO came in and actually spoke to use it made it so much easier to understand the brief in a deeper understanding. Having them come in and break it down and then me writing notes made me understand it and I never felt like I was confused during the process.

How was my research?

I researched into a lot of gin, gin bottles, gin flavours, gin labels and generally think I would not of created the outcome I did if it was not for research.

How did I draw conclusions from my research?

Conclusions from my research allowed me to understand how to make aspects of the design, and how to make it perfect as if it was a real gin bottle being made. I think that when I researched things it allowed me to generate my own ideas and develop them further.

How did I use research to generate and develop ideas?

An example of this through my process would be the first ever bottle I made with the poster, after doing that and researching into gin adverts it made me entirely change my bottle design. Which show cases best designs come when you research. Without researching my bottle would of stayed the same as the beginning and I would not of developed into what it is today, being able to hold a gin bottle at home also helped so I could understand exactly how the product would eventually visualise like.

How did I use evaluations to help with my ideas generation and development?

When I was actually writing the blogs for my first bottle design it was then I realised I hated it, by evaluating my first attempt allowed me to point out everything wrong with it, compare it to gin bottles out there and from that understand what I needed to do to make it better and more professional.

How did I use experimentation during the project? How can I make this more effective?

I had the idea of the flavour first, but then dive straight into the first mock up I saw; and thats why I did not work, I need to make sure I am experimenting different ideas before concluding to the final one, and yes the idea was 100% but the design wasn’t and I need to continue that. I think I would make more sketches in the future and play around with ideas a bit more before concluding. If I did not experiment with the first bottle though I do not think the final outcome today would be as good as its turned out.n

In what ways did I show that I had achieved the Learning Outcomes? How can I improve this next time?

Due to this being a live brief there was no set out learning outcomes. However, I think just meeting what the client asked for giving your justification of why you designed it the way you did and the reason behind it and showing the 6 boards meets to the brief which is like the learning outcomes.

What parts of the project did I enjoy most? Why was this the case?

I love open brief projects, it allows you to be part of a real client and allows us BA’s to understand what it could be like when entering the graphic industry. I loved the mash up idea and it allowed us as designers to create something that related to use our personality and something we found interesting to mix together.

What parts of the project did I enjoy least? Why was this the case?

I think the timing, I think we should of done this beginning of the year as a big project because it could of been something amazing and developed so much more if I had longer and not other projects coming up.

At what times did I work best? Why might this be the case? How can I ensure that I work well at al times?

I always work my best at home. I am finding university very loud and hard to work in at the moment, the first years always scream and shout and its not fair on us BA’s. Sometimes working st my desk at home makes me work better as I am focused and no distractions surrounding me. Weirdly I work better under pressure so when I had the first set deadline I was so ready to finish it and did a lot better than if I knew we had longer.

What areas inspired me? Why was this the case? How could I follow these up?

I was inspired by the beach. The entire design is based on the beach. I love travelling, the beach and getting that taste of summer and thats whta inspired the drink over all, however I also like gin and recently have had t stop drinking alcohol as a hole, and creating this for someone else to enjoy really made this fun. I think gin designs overall inspired me and labels and the personalities and stories each gin provides, and without looking into gins my final would not be strong. I will follow this up by always looking at exciting work out there as this can benefit my designs on what to do and what not to do.

What areas were challenging or difficult?  Why was this the case?

I did experiment with cinema 4D which would allow me to create a 3D replicate of the design, but I really struggle with numbers and confusing instructions and I just could not get to grips with it. I have more of an interest in the design itself rather than the bottle therefore found it challenging and did not want to continue that. but I knew it was not for me and did not let it get to me as I knew my stronger points were else where and now I know that for certain.

How can I go about developing and improving the parts I found difficult?

I will try in the near future 3D modelling but its all about practicing when I finish university and have more time it may be something I develop more.

Do I need to develop certain skills? Do I need these now? Or later?

I need to keep up with blogs like I did on this project and do not get bored of research. IT HELPS YOU.