OUGD401 Context of Practice 1 Evaluation

BA (Hons.) GRAPHIC DESIGN		LEVEL	04
Module Code	OUGD401
Module Title	Context of Practice 1

END OF MODULE SELF-EVALUATION

NAME	Beth Taylor

1.  What skills have you developed through this module and how effectively do you think you have applied them? Although I didn’t actually use any of the production methods I research on the publication, I used my knowledge of letterpress to create the content of the book. This is what enabled me to create the chase designs for the letterpress, so I like to think that when it comes to using letterpress I will be that much less inept. I have, however, made use of my book binding production methods to produce the book. The result is really pleasing and I think I have managed to apply this production method very effectively.
2. What approaches to/methods of design production have you developed and how have they informed your design development process? As has been previously mentioned the content of the publication was all based around letterpress as a production method and the time, skill and craftsmanship that is required to do it properly. So, in a way these production methods have shapes every aspect of my design development, as the content of any publication would. The concertina format was chosen to demonstrate the bed and chase when it is locked and the finished product on the other side. Apart from this I have lacked a real exploration of different production methods myself, purely because it was impractical to manage in the time and when I was at home. Next time I hope to organise further in advance and really get my hands dirty with as many different options as possible, as long as they are relevant to the content.
3. What strengths can you identify in your work and how have/will you capitalise on these? There is a strong and thoughtful link between the content of my essay and the publication I have created. This has allowed me to make my publication very straight to the point and assertive, without the need for much writing and justification. The image heavy content is testament to this and makes it feel much more professional. My approach to research has always been thorough and this time I didn’t stop until I felt certain I understood the letterpress process. This allowed me to feel confident when creating the chase designs for the different print designs and hopefuly create something od a high calibre. I have a strong grasp and understanding of words and how to use and manipulate them. To start with I used this to try and produce the best possible essay I could and I feel I have been successful in this respect, but could have done better. However, I also used this in the naming of my publication and the straight to the point engaging and assertive intro and blurb of the publication.
4. What weaknesses can you identify in your work and how will you address these in the future? Although I am really happy with my publication I do wish that I could have communicated more of the craft and time that goes into letterpress. I wanted to do this by making some aspect of the book interactive, like a jigsaw of one of the chase designs, to try and get people to understand the complexity of the work in a more effective manner than simply showing them. Because of the time restriction this was simply not possible. This brings me to my next point, which would be to spend more time experimenting with production methods and ideas. To do this I need to work on my time management. I have already started to use a dairy but I am going to really commit to using it and try to stay on top of all the different things that need my attention.
5. Identify five things that you will do differently next time and what do you expect to gain from doing these? -Make the design more interactive, I will look at precisely what I want my publication or product to achieve and don’t let anything limit my ideas during ideas development. -When possible make the effort to visit places when they are relevant to my project. There are a lot of presses that could have been useful and I could have learned a lot from a visit. -Push the boundaries of production methods. I found that the word publication instantly restricted the way I though about the brief and so next time I should be aware of how the words of the brief restrict the way I think about it and really use it as a chance to push the boundaries when it comes to production methods. -Talk to more professionals about the subject of my essay and get their thoughts, this could really help illuminate the subject matter. - Create the publication directly after writing the essay. When one informs the other it is hard to get your head back into the complex ideas and thoughts that develop naturally when writing an essay. So, by working on the publication much closer to the essay they could work together in a more cohesive manner.
6.How would you grade yourself on the following areas: (please indicate using an ‘x’)  5= excellent, 4 = very good, 3 = good, 2 = average, 1 = poor
	1	2	3	4	5
Attendance					x
Punctuality					x
Motivation				x
Commitment				x
Quantity of work produced			x
Quality of work produced			x
Contribution to the group				x
The evaluation of your work is an important part of the assessment criteria and represents a percentage of the overall grade. It is essential that you give yourself enough time to complete your written evaluation fully and with appropriate depth and level of self-reflection. If you have any questions relating to the self evaluation process speak to a member of staff as soon as possible.