laurinwaters-blog

[laurinwaters-blog]

Final Thoughts

This journey has pushed me as a budding media designer. I have become much more confident in the work that I produce. I have also begun to stretch my horizons to think of designs as a part of a product and not just about my capabilities. I have started to search for answers instead of searching for what feels comfortable. I have grown from a budding designer to a designer. I am someone who can connect, synthesize, and transform a project. I am someone who knows the process it takes to solve problems. I am someone who knows how to reject ideas based on commonality and use innovative thinking to find unique solutions. I am someone who has acquired technical, problem-solving, design research, and academic research skills. From the beginning class, Mastery: Personal Development and Leadership, to the thesis class, Thesis: Presentation of Design Solution and this course, Professional Practice, each class was designed to build a foundation for success through critique, following a design process, research, and presentation skills. As graduation approaches, I can say, “I am a media designer!” 

Takeaways

1 Mastery: Personal Development and Leadership- Triumph was learning about my life’s task and wondering what I wanted to be a master of. This class was important because I was honestly just going through the motions of thinking, “my other school was terrible, I started a graduate degree, I want to finish with one.”

2 Defining Client Needs- Creating a Facebook group for students to interact. The group has been really impressive for all of to talk to each other openly and freely. Learning to use Illustrator was a great resource in the end.

3 Brand Development- Triumph was creating a brand identity for Rainy Day Toys. I have never done anything like this project, and it turned out really well.

4 Effective Copywriting- Learning to appeal to different audiences through writing, creating a story for a brand. I ended up creating two campaigns for the assignment.

5 Design Research- It was hard for me to do the mood board. Mood boards in interior design are different than mood boards in graphic designer. So, I had to buckle down and change my mindset. Also, creating the website comp was exciting. I was also suggested for the enrichment program.

6 Organization Structures- Creating a logo animation was challenging. I did not know how to use animation or create a video and when researching, it was hard to find exactly what I needed. This was my first time in this program, and I was able to complete the animation and video to replicate the brand attributes for the website.

7 Design Strategies and Motivation- No personal highs because I did have a week off due to the eclipse.

8 Design Integration, 9 Multi-Delivery Platform, 10 Measuring Design Effectiveness- This month was one of my best. I believe I did my best work with Tree Top Inn. I was able to create an amazing and thorough project. I did all of the project in Photoshop, which I did not know how to use before.

11 Thesis: Presentation of Design Solution- My triumph for this class is just getting through it.

12 Professional Practice- I am really proud of the experience map I created. I wanted it to reflect my environment in Idaho because where I live is a part of me.

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Thesis: Presentation

Reflection

This course required an online presentation of design works completed throughout the media design program.

 The course outcome:

Organize Content for a professional quality online presentation

Study and apply methods for designing an online thesis presentation.

Organize and present projects in a clear, persuasive, and engaging way.

Demonstrate proficiency in communicating design process and solutions.

Identify and evaluate different medias for communicating information.

Articulate solutions through visual and verbal descriptions.

Connect solutions from projects to intended learning outcomes,

Process and implement input from viewer responses.

Evaluate and determine constructive feedback.

 These outcomes are important as a media designer because it teaches critical thinking, self-evaluation, and the ability to make clear and persuasive presentations. These skills teach designers to effectively process and implement critique from peers and superiors backed up by research. This course gave me the opportunity to apply knowledge and creativity in design solutions.

Thesis Presentation

Link: https://lwatersmfa.wixsite.com/thesis-presentation

The Degree Learning Outcomes was the basis for the entire program.The Degree Learning Outcomes are as followed:

Connecting, Synthesizing, Transforming: Make connections between the instructional materials and the solutions. The project was developed, synthesized, and transformed into new forms, elevating the project.

Solving Problems: Project documentation demonstrates that multiple approaches were considered. Less acceptable approaches were rejected with evidence of reason.

Innovative Thinking: Created a unique solution, without drawing from existing ideas or examples that exceeds project expectations.

Acquiring Competencies: Created a new, unique, and improved solution while meeting the design criteria at an expert level of technical skill.

For this project I used both City Harvest campaigns. Both City Harvest campigns were created to reach different target audiences based on target audience research and research that said direct advertising and print is the most effective.

For Solving Problems, Summer Adventure was a great project that rejected many moodboards before the project was started. In addition, the project explains why previous ideas were rejected and Summer Adventure was chosen as the design solution.

For Innovative Thinking, Tree Top Inn project went above and beyond with its design by conducting research in the following areas: target audience, competitors near and far, and what people look for in a vacation.

In Acquring Competencies, the work that was chosen was Rainy Day Toys because it was one of the first technically challenging assignsments for me. Then, Summer Adventure motion graphic was chosen. That assignment lead me to reach out to members on social media to teach me the skills required.

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Measuring Design Effectiveness  Reflection

For this month, I was able to explore various ways to measure the success of design solutions and gain a better understanding of how design work is perceived and interpreted by audiences. Several topics introduced were:

Marketing Research Tactics––Formulating questions about design attributes.

Prototypes and User Testing––Create a questionnaire for the target audience.

Metrics of Design Effectiveness––Collecting and processing information from a questionnaire.

Refining Presentation Skills––Reporting on the results of the questionnaire.

Course Objectives and Outcomes, Knowledge Gained

Collect data from the target audience for a media design project

Determine areas of focus in writing a questionnaire

Write questions that solicit usable data in measuring design effectiveness

Support question choices with rationale based on reference materials

Conduct a survey

Determine an accurate sampling of the intended target audience

Solicit responses from the target market

Collect the responses from a questionnaire

Report on collected data

Explore quantitative vs. qualitative methods in assessing responses

Define areas of subjectivity and the relevancy of feedback

Articulate design revisions going forward

Practice methods for iteration using feedback

Revisit and reflect upon previous research and speculations

Evaluate and determine when to incorporate feedback from instructors and peers

Implement and evaluate changes to solutions

Questionnaire Strategy

The process of the questionnaire was designed to determine the effectiveness of the design communicating Tree Top Inn’s message. Each question was used to determine design decisions that were used to create the most effective branding campaign. A sample of the questions and reasoning are (see Behance/Laurin Waters for the full Design Survey and Questions.).

Is the design aesthetically appealing, authentic, and unique? This question helps me to know if the website stands apart from others. If other websites look the same or the website does not feel authentic, then it will not grab the audience’s attention.

Does the design of Tree Top Inn stand the test of time? Will this design still be effective in 2? 5? 10 years? Society, consumers, and products are all changing radically––and with them the nature and scope of the design (Best, 2006, p. 168). If the design is not effective today, will it be effective in 2 years or even 10 years from now? It is important to create a timeless and classic design to keep the branding consistent.

From the branding project, how likely are you to visit Tree Top Inn? Best (2006) says, “Values can be measured by looking at the impact on the value of the brand through customer perception,” (p. 170). If people do not want to book their vacation at Tree Top Inn then how effective is the website, especially if they continue looking?

If you googled ‘zip lining’ and this website came up, would you think you are in the right place? If not, would you leave immediately or continue reading? Closed questions are useful in obtaining factual information––it is used to determine behavior and preferences (Collins, 2006, p. 130 & Colosi, 2006, p. 1). While being unique, is it important to know if the website images and copy convey that Tree Top Inn is an inn for outdoor enthusiasts who want to zip line.

If the anticipated response is positive, then it shows that the designer and the design has engaged the audience. Surveyors have asked the designer if Tree Top Inn is real. This proves to the designer that every design decision is cohesive, it is the inviting, it is a place for generations to come to experience outdoor activities. The client’s need has successfully been executed. 

Results

Which responses did you anticipate? I anticipated all of the feedback. I was confident that I did a good job with the branding package for Tree Top Inn. The survey reflects that because all of the responses were positive. Even when a person thought that they were not on the correct website for zip lining, they were still interested in the website because of how it looked.

Which responses were unanticipated? I actually was expecting more people to say that they thought they were on the wrong website, but they continued to explore because of ziplining. If I had to rethink my project, I would add more ziplining aspect to the cover page.

What was the overall impression of your project by your target audience? The over impression was great. I have had people take the test and then ask me if the place was real because they were ready to go. That was an amazing feeling and people were impressed that I did the project.

Looking Forward:

Moving forward, I am excited that the end is near, but I am nervous for the thesis. I am concerned that I cannot dedicate enough time to it with a 9:00am-6:00pm (and sometimes later) job. I am concerned with how many people that do not do well on their thesis and most of the students in this program are professionals.

Resources Used During this Month

Association for Challenge Course Technology. (n.d.) Canopy Zipline Tours. Retrieved from http://www.acctinfo.org/?110

Best, K. (2006). Measuring the Success of Design. Design Management (170-173). Retrieved from http://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/-/9782940439782.

Colosi, L. 2006. Designing an affective questionnaire. Cornell University Corporate Extension. Retrieved from https://www.human.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/PAM/Parenting/professional%20pages/Designing-20an-20Effective-20Questionnaire.pdf.

Collins, H. (2010). Questionnaires. Creative Research (128-131). Retrieved from http://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/design/9782940439676.

O’Grady, J. & O’Grady, K. (2009). Tactic: Surveys and Questionnaires. A designer’s research manual: Succeed in design by knowing your clients and what they really need (48-49). Retrieved from http://ce.safaribooksonline.com/9781592535576.

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Tree Top Inn

Surrounded by the last remaining wilds of Florida and based in Kissimmee, Florida, the Tree Top Inn is an up-and-coming development that incorporates the wilds and natural landscape of Florida in with its hospitality. The Tree Top Inn is an inn that will be built in and among the tree tops of the Florida landscape. This rustic cabin experience puts visitors in the heart of 225 acres filled with Florida wildlife. Tree Top Inn is a place for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Families, friends, and individuals are involved in healthy outdoor activities, building strength, endurance, and confidence. They provide an opportunity for everyone to enjoy the outdoors and the beauty of nature. Visitors’ main mode of transportation is the zip line that can be used to roam the territory and will also take you to the main inn dining hall. Tree Top Inn contains platforms that are connected by different types of zip line bridges so guests can swing into action. Tree Top Inn operates with virtually little environmental impact and the trees are well cared for and protected. It is a ritual that will happily be passed on from generation to generation.

Tree Top Inn Moodboard.

Tree Top Inn Scrolling Website. A Scrolling website adds differentiation from others and allows easy access to information.

Tree Top Inn Stationery Packet. Packet includes a welcome letter, and side 1 and side 2 of a business card.

Tree Top Inn Rack Card. Rack cards are great promotional items that can be placed in restaurants, bars, grocery stores, train stations, bus stations, etc. Made on recycling paper.

Tree Top Inn Billboard 1. Billboiard shows a 3-D tree and cabin that will be at Tree Top Inn. 3-D billboard can compete with other bills near Orlando, Florida.

Tree Top Inn Billboard 2. 3-D billboard shown on the highway.

Tree Top Inn Billboard 3. 2-D signange that can be seen on a drive through a winding road.

Tree Top Inn Guest Gifta. These gifgts are a great promotional tool for people to bring home and constantly be reminded of their time at Tree Top Inn. In addition, it is passive promotion for when others visit that person’s home. The gift goes great with the idea of forest and nature, and is environmentally friendly. The logo is chiseled on and then hand painted to add a special touch.

Tree Top Inn Guest Decor. 

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Multi-Delivery Platform

Reflect on your experiences in this course and state where you plan to go from here. Post your reflection in your Mastery Journal. Include relevant screenshots from this month’s projects with short written captions for each. Post the link to your Mastery Journal on the 9.4.1 Project on the FSO platform before the deadline.

In this course, Multi-Delivery Platform, I developed a plan for creating professional-quality deliverables from the research and exploration completed in the previous course. Emphasis was placed on designing for a variety of possible platforms with the goal of developing a unified multi-media campaign. The work has been critiqued and refined through iteration in preparation for its presentation.

I have continued to work on Tree Top Inn. In the previous course, the project plan, logo, and mood boards were created. During this month, I worked on creating wireframes for a website, website comps, stationary packet and guerilla marketing––promotional items such as a rack card, guest’s gifts, and a billboard.

In the next course, I will continue to better my research skills and design skills. This branding challenge was great because I had a chance to explore and learn new things in photoshop.

Course Resources used for this course were:

A Designer’s Research Manual by O’Grady and O’Grady

MTIV: Process, Inspiration and Practice for the New Media Designer by Hillman Curtis

Hillman Curtis: On Reinvention and Taking the Courageous Path by Cook

Creative Inspirations: Margo Chase, Graphic Designer [Lynda.com] by Chase

An Exploration of Design Students’ Inspiration and Emerging Design Concepts [Full Sail University Library] by Halskov and Dalsgaard

Cultivating Your Creative Life: Exercises, Activities, and Inspiration for Finding Balance, Beauty, and Success As An Artist [Safari Books Online] by Hennessy

Visual Design Solutions: Principles and Creative Inspiration for Learning Professionals [Safari Books Online] by Malamed.

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Design Integration

During this month, I chose to work on the enrichment assignment, Tree Top Inn. In this course, research, critical thinking, discussion and critque was used to create new projects. 

Course objectives were:

Design with a client and target market in mind

Make effective presentations

Aerticulate criteria for peer review through collaboration

Practice methods for iteration using feedback

Books, Articles and Videos used were:

A Designer’s Research Manual by O’Grady and O’Grady 

Designing Brand Identity by Alina Wheeler

Elements of Iconic Design by David Airey

Tree Top Inn

Project Overview

Surrounded by the last remaining wilds of Florida and based in Kissimmee, Florida, the Tree Top Inn is an up-and-coming development that incorporates the wilds and natural landscape of Florida in with its hospitality. The Tree Top Inn is an inn that will be built in and among the tree tops of the Florida Landscape. This rustic cabin experience puts visitors in the heart of 225 acres filled with Florida wildlife. Tree Top Inn is a place for outdoor enthusiasts of all ages. Families, friends, and individuals are involved in healthy outdoor activities, building strength, endurance, and confidence. They provide an opportunity for everyone to enjoy the outdoors and the beauty of nature. Visitors’ main mode of transportation is the zip line that can be used to roam the territory and will also take you to the main inn dining hall. Tree Top Inn contains platforms that are connected by different types of zip line bridges so guests can swing into action. Tree Top Inn operates with virtually little environmental impact and the trees are well cared for and protected. It is a ritual that will happily be passed on from generation to generation.

 Research

Location

Kissimmee, Florida’s motto is “A community of neighborhoods for families.” Kissimmee is often defined by its proximity to Orlando, Florida, home to Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld, Walt Disney World Resort, and Lake Buena Vista/Bay Lake.

 Target Audience

The intended target audience is for ages 7+ who are outdoor enthusiasts.

People ages 7+

48-inches or taller

Typically under 275-pounds.

Parents, Teens

Medical: Good health, free of back or neck injuries, cannot be pregnant.

Middle Class ($50,000+)

Residents of Eastern United States 

Direct Competitors 1st Tier

Direct competitors are those with similar themes, adventures, and overnight stay similar to Tree Top Inn. The 1st tier competitors are not in Florida, but offer almost the exact adventure.

Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, Tucson, Arizona – Within minutes of leaving the resort, guests can hike in 100% American wilderness. The resort is known for its namesake canyon in the foothills of Santa Catalina Mountains.

Ventana Big Sur, Big Sur, California – Ventana Big Sur sits on 200 acres of California coast. This resort offers views of the Pacific and offers access to 300 miles of hiking trails.

Granite Park Chalet, Glacier National Park, Montana – This resort is surrounded by wildflowers, glacier mountains, and hanging valleys. The resort is home to four trails that guests can enjoy including a community kitchen where guests can take turn cooking.

Greer Lodge, Greer, Arizona – Nestled along Little Colorado River, guests at this resort enjoys fly fishing, kayaking, mountain biking, and hiking.

 Direct Competitors 2nd Tier

Direct competitors are those with similar themes, adventures, and but lack overnight stay or zip lining similar to Tree Top Inn. The 2nd tier competitors are in Florida.

Thrilling Zip Orlando – One of the highest, longest, double-decker tours in Florida. Boasts of a new tour that offers the longest, fastest, and highest zip lines in Florida. Lacks overnight stay.

Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park – Offers 97 aerial games (aerial park) filled with obstacle courses for people to complete. Does not offer overnight stay.

Zoom Air Adventure Park – Aerial courses in tree tops and features a zoo for younger kids. Does not offer overnight stay.

Forever Florida – Offers zip lining, horseback riding, a nature coach tour, and camping site. Claims to be the biggest and safest zip line trail in Florida consisting of 7 zips and 3 sky bridges. Offers overnight stay, but you camp in a tent, not in the trees.

Zip the Canyons – Advertises 9 zip lines, 2 rope bridges, and a rappel. The location also offers horseback riding and a scenery in the canyons. Boasts to be the longest, highest, and fastest zips in the state. Does not offer overnight stay.

Disney Saratoga Springs Treehouse Villas – Bordered by a golf course and a waterway. The villas stand on 10-feet stilts off the ground (wheelchair accessible) and are surrounded by densely wooded landscape. Offers theme park adventures, but not zip lining and not actually in a forest.

 Indirect Competitors 1st Tier

Indirect competitors are those who offer family friendly friend, but a different adventure.

Universal Orlando Resort – A theme park resort based on films. The park is targeted at making guests feel like they are on a movie set with rides, show, and attractions.

Sea World – This resort is an animal themed park and rehabilitation center that features thrill rides and animal shows.

Disney World Resort –  A division of Walt Disney World Company, this resort features theme parks, water parks, themed resort hotels, a camping resort, and golf courses. Walt Disney World is the most visited vacation resort in the world, with an average annual attendance of over 52 million.

 Differentiation

The tree Top Inn will be the only tree house resort in the southeast United States where guests can travel via zip lines. Tree Top Inn provides a unique ability for people to connect with the past, themselves, each other, and nature. Tree Top Inn reminds people how important it is to experience a connection. In addition, Tree Top Inn is attractive because it caters to guests who want to have fun without the hassles (high cost, over crowded, and waiting).

Onliness Statement: Tree Top Inn is the only nature resort that provides zip lining adventure for outdoor enthusiast in the southeast United States who want to return to the wilds and natural landscape of Florida in an era of social media and technology frenzy.

Voice and Tone

Tree Top Inn’s philosophy is ‘a return to nature.’  The tone of voice for Tree Top Inn is casual, warm, lively, and inspiring. The voice of Tree Top Inn is simple, fun, warm, and relaxed. When the brand speaks, people should feel relaxed, they should feel as if they are having a conversation with a good-friend. Tree Top Inn is about relaxing and escaping the everyday life. It is about inspiring people to try new things and to return to the joys of exploring in their childhood.

 Brand attributes

Nature      

Family      

Exploring

Wildlife

Organic

Freedom

Adventure

Return to childhood

Each design met the needs of the project by incorporating the tone, voice, and brand attributes into the design.

Tree Top Inn Logo

Tree Top Inn Moodboard that will be used to move forward with the website.

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Design Strategies & Motivation Reflection

This course was one of the easier ones for me. During this course, students developed a plan to improve their work from previous courses with milestones for completion, based on the review they received from the Design Committee and peers. The work assessed was taken my portfolio on Behance at https://www.behance.net/laurinwaters. The review from the committee is below.

 Next, I had to create a ten-week timeline. The timeline included projects I planned on working on and what revisions I would make. The timeline is posted below.

I chose to work on my project, Imperfect Food, Perfectly Nutritious. I edited the background of the images to be white to match the background of the poster. Next, I edited the poster to make it simpler by 1) editing the leading between the first copy sentence and the body copy because it breaks up the space and allows the eye to follow easier and 2) editing the copy because it makes it more enticing to read.

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Organizational Structures Reflection

During this class, I had a broader sense of different media used to communicate brand identity. I learned how to organize, process, and evaluate information obtained from research. By creating an animated logo and promotional video for Summer Adventure (See previous blog entry for website comps), I was able to create more than one source for the brand. Emphasis was placed on creativity, innovation, and bringing work to a professional level of execution. In the future, I learned about working on a project in its entirety––from ideation to wireframes to website comps to logo design to logo animation to promotional video to sound engineering. This allows me to think about the brand holistically––not just in parts. I will no longer think about static design, but incorporates ways that elevate my ideas. From here, I plan to move onto Design Strategies and Motivation.

Learning outcomes for this month:

Identify the advantages in communicating information and brand attributes using motion.

Demonstrate how a logo communicates a brand’s identity.

Translate logo pencil sketches to completed vector files.

Communicate a concept and brand essence through the use of time, sequence, and motion.

Articulate the rational for each aspect of the design solution using research.

Explain how the appropriate use of motion and sound attributes to the communication of information established brand ideals.

Communicate information that engages audiences through storytelling

Communicate the brand essence through motion and sound while maintaining visual.

Construct project proposals.

Produce an audio identity for a brand. 

Resources used for this course:

Creative Inspirations by Rick Morris [Lynda.com]

Design Essentials for the Motion Artist by Angie Taylor [Safari Books]

Logo Design Love by David Airey [Safari Books]

Drawing Vector Graphics by Von Glitschka [Lynda.com]

After Effects CC Essentials by Wiley [Safari Books]

12 Basic Principles of Animation in Motion Design by James Pannafino

Motion Graphics by Chermayeff, Geismar, & Haviv [www.cghnyc.com]

Introduction to Video Editing by Ashley Kennedy

5 Types of Brand Videos by Justin Park

5 Best Practices for Creating Viral Branded Videos by Mashable

5 Types of Brand Videos by Justin Park

Why Videos Go Viral by Kevin Allocca [TED]

Building Brand Value Through the Strategic Use of Sound by Noel Franus

Sound Design, Jingles, and Sound Branding––The Impact of Audio by Evan Buist

Categories of Film Sound by Texas Tech University

Sound Design for Visual Media by Sound on Sound

Logo Sketches

The three attributes for the event is activism, adventure, nature. These attributes were chosen for the brand identity because the purpose of the assignment was to create a charity concert for sea turtle conservancy. The three attributes translate to the iconography because I focused on natural elements such as palm trees, turtles, the sun, water, and air–– all things in a turtle’s environment and the location of the annual Summer Adventure sea turtle benefit event.

Final Logo

The logo follows David Airey’s Seven Elements of Iconic Design:

Keep it simple – By using lighter lines, the designers can transfer to be used across a wide range of media such as billboard, pin badges, website, t-shirts, tattoos.

Make it relevant – Logos are appropriate for target audience and use symbols related to the industry–sea turtles, the sun, and ocean (water).

Incorporate tradition – All of the logos show longevity and can be changed over time without losing the essential parts of the designs.

Aim for distinction – Each logo is easily recognized by elements that are universally known.

Commit to memory – The logos are quick to take a glance at and you will know it whether in black or white or color.

Think small – Drawing the logos on paper using a limited space, I can see how the logos look on a smaller 1” square space.

Focus on one thing – From each logo, people can easily remember the sun or the water drop with a sea turtle or the boho sea turtle.

Animated Logo / Promotional Video

Please see this link to view the animate logo and promotional video for this assignment. https://www.behance.net/gallery/55241583/Summer-Adventure-Promotional-Content

[laurinwaters-blog]

Design Research Reflection

Web Developer Job Description

A web designer is responsible for the design, layout, and coding of a website. Web designers are involved with how a website looks and how it works. They can also be involved with the maintenance and update of an existing website. Web designers are familiar with color theory, graphic design, and information flow.

Duties for a web designer varies from company to company. Generally, web designer’s duties include:

Meet with stakeholders or clients to discuss objectives for internet and other online projects.

Provide expert creative guidance on the overall look, feel, and functionality of web design projects.

Create concepts in design programs such as Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

Known languages such as HTML and JavaScript.

Create compelling artwork and layouts that are appealing and user-friendly.

Conduct quality assurance work to identify possible problems before launch.

Commit to staying current with software developments and web trends.

Reflect on experiences in this course. Where do I plan to go from this class?

For this course, I had to think outside of the box. When told to design a mood board, I designed mine using a white background, like I was taught when I do Interior Architecture. However, for web design, a mood board is different. In order to create a mood board for the website, I thought about it as a flyer. The flyer idea worked well for me and I was able to create a creative mood board for the website. This course has been helpful in that I learned basic skills for Photoshop and illustrator. In addition, I learned that I do not need to know how to code to be a website developer. This is exciting news as I hope to find a career path that I can fulfill at home.  As I look through the job description of a website designer, I realize that I already have several skills needed to perform the job––discussing things with clients and being creative.

Resources used for this course were:

Mapping the Modern Web Design Process by Morten Rand-Hendriksen (Lynda.com)

The Principles of Beautiful Web Design, 3rd Edition by Jason Beaird & James George A Beginner’s Guide to Wireframing by Winnie Lim

A Designer’s Research Manual: Succeed in Design by Knowing Your Clients and What They Really Need by Jennifer Visocky O’Grady & Ken O’Grady

What is Information Architecture by Iain Barker

Beyond Usability and Design: The Narrative Web by Mark Bernstein

Tie Your Website Together with a Strong Narrative by Creative Bloq

Don’t Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability by Steve Krug

10 Web Design Trends You Can Expect to See in 2017 by Amber Leigh Turner

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Summer Adventure

Held on the white sands of Fort Lauderdale Beach Park, Summer Adventure is a 3-day arts + music festival featuring a collection of popular artists in rock, independent, electronic dance, hip-hop, rap, and pop music. Summer Adventure brings like-minded fans for an unforgettable beach weekend experience that pairs music with meaning to raise awareness for sea turtle conservation by increasing public awareness of the issues impacting the world’s oceans and to support scientific research, education, and ocean conservation initiatives. Over $800,000 has been collected in ticket sales alone.

Mood Board

Name of Event: Summer Adventure. Target Audience: 18-35. Music Genre: A collection of popular artist each day with a featured headliner––Rock, Independent, Electronic Dance, Hip Hop, Rap, Pop.

Website Comps

Home Page. People will stay engaged because as soon as they land on the ‘home’ page, they are drawn to the images and videos of previous concerts to entice them to go to the 2017 concert. 

About Page. The about page gives information about the purpose of the festival and why we as humans, should care about the declining sea turtle population. The ‘about’ page features a sea turtle swimming in its natural habitat. The 3-D motion of the sea turtle makes it visible and more real. A synopsis of the problem will be given with bullet points facts that are easy to read and not too overwhelming.

Artists Page. On the ‘artist’ page, an image of the headliner is used to draw in visitors. People will get excited to see their artist perform. The larger ‘image’ on the page serves as an intro video for the artist. The artist will encourage people to donate and buy a ticket, talk about their part in helping to save sea turtles, and give a snippet of their music. For a three-day concert, simplicity and ease of access are always best. If people do not want to stay the entire weekend, it is easy for them to look at the day to see what artists are performing by downloading the music schedule.

Tickets Page. The ticket page includes different passes for people to buy. In addition, it features travel accommodations. People are more willing ti participate in the 3-day festival because all of the work has been figured out for them.

Information Page. The information page gives information about the different vendors that will be available at the festival. In addition, it features a video and images of past Summer Adventure festivals.

[laurinwaters-blog]

Effective Copywriting Reflection

George Felton (2013) states, "Creative skills, like any others, improve with practice, and creativity follows, however idiosyncratically, a method," (p. 186). Felton (2013) suggests twelve steps toward exercise one's creativity.  The twelve steps are: create a routine, let the assignment set boundaries, start with basic thinking techniques, suspend judgment, use lateral and vertical thinking, imitate, find more than one solution, put yourself into the writing, hang tough, lower your standards, let the client solve the problem, and lastly, read and stay curious.

Many of the skills Felton suggest, I have already taken into practice. My routine includes several of Felton's steps that have been personalized to suit me. Whenever there are creative assignments to tackle, I begin step three, start with basic thinking techniques, of Felton's process.  My favorite method is to create a list. I start by stating the assignment, the issues, the end goal, and other information I may find useful. By setting up a list, I hope to 'establish foundational concepts through identifying the core values of the project' (Smallish, 2013). For example, for the Rainy Day Toys ad copy, information that was unique to the assignment included me knowing Family Circle magazine's demographics and then comparing to Rainy Day Toys demographics. I became aware that the demographic overlap was middle-class women, ages 25–55. One takeaway that I will carry with me in the future is Felton's (2013) advice for making several different lists: benefits delivered, problems solved, items associated with your client's product, objections to the product, human truths that surround the brand or product (p. 188).  By extending the list, it gives me a closer look at my solutions. If I am not able to fully list why my design is beneficial and how it solves the problem, then the design may need reconsideration. Lists help me to process my thoughts and begin to understand the direction that my project needs to go in to be successful.

Next, I follow step six, imitate, and step nine, hang tough. Step six is about finding inspiration from other sources of copy. Step nine suggests never giving up when you cannot think of a solution. I continually keep my motivation going by finding sources of inspiration through the city and be becoming an avid Pinterest-er. I have several boards created to typography, graphic design references, interior design references, and architecture to name a few. A key takeaway is to continue finding inspiration everywhere. It is important to find inspiration from innovations, technology, the environment, and people. Felton (2013) says, "In short, how you think through an advertising problem comes from the nature of the project. It will lead you in certain directions—and give you ideas. The cool thing about working on something is that you don’t have to be a genius. Just start trying to solve the problem, and ideas will arrive," (p. 187). Whenever I feel stuck, I walk away from the problem for a few moments, take a deep breath, look through Pinterest, go on a walk, or focus my attention elsewhere. My mind is relaxed; it can breathe, it is better able to function.

Third, I follow step seven, consider multiple points of view. Step seven suggests not only thinking about the consumer but think about other key players involves.  For example, when creating the City Harvest advertising campaign, I created two solutions that work great for the non-profit organization. The first ad, We are City Harvest, targeted three audiences, the consumer, volunteer, and the donor or funder. The ads used the same testimonial from three donors in different businesses, recipients, and a volunteer. With each person, the testimony gains a different meaning. For example, the donor declaration invites people to volunteer, but the recipient testimonial encourages people to donate. By using a different point of view, I was able to create a second ad campaign, Imperfect Food, Perfectly Nutritious. This campaign does not use City Harvest's target audience. Instead, it uses City Harvest's groceries, food. Food is how the conversation began with the creation of City Harvest.  The ad is creative and insightful because it is a less-than-obvious approach to connecting with the target audience. It is important to explore all possibilities. The final takeaway is just because you do not like an idea now, it does not mean that it will not work in five minutes with some reimagining. 

Note: Examples of work below.

Resources:

Felton, George. Advertising: Concept and Copy (Third Edition),  3rd Edition. W. W. Norton & Company, 20130805. VitalBook file.

Smallish, C. (16 August 2013). Developing ideas and design concepts [Lynda.com online course]. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/Design-Business-tutorials/Developing-Ideas-Design-Concepts/126121-2.html?org=fullsailold.edu

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Imperfect Food, Perfectly Nutritious Campaign

Produced for Effective Copywriting

Weeks 3, 4: Imperfect Food, Perfectly Nutritious Advertisements. The challenge was to create posters for City Harvest, a non-profit organization. Each ad features City Harvest's target audience— clients or customers, volunteers, and donors or funders.

About City Harvest

City Harvest is a non-profit organization in New York City that has pioneered practical usage of excess food since 1982. Their bold goal is to end hunger in communities throughout New York City utilizing creative approaches such as food rescue, distribution, and education. Many people simply do not have access to food. Additionally, access to healthy and affordable food is a struggle that many New Yorkers experience on a consistent basis. In New York City, nearly 1.4 Million people struggle to put food on their table all the while there are 55 million pounds of excess pounds of excess food each year (City Harvest, n.d.). 

City Harvest seeks to alleviate the immediate and long-term needs for those who do not have access to healthy and affordable food by providing fruits and vegetables in their Mobile Market, providing free pick-up and delivery of excess food donations to the local soup kitchens, in addition to working with vendors and food retailers to help increase their ability to provide and sell healthy food to their consumers. City Harvest also provides educational services about the basics of nutrition and how to shop for and prepare healthy meals on a budget. By providing food, product, resources, and education, City Harvest reduces the environmental impact that is created by having excess food go to waste. 

Design Considerations

Tagline: City Harvest. Honoring Food + People.

This tagline is character driven and functional. It speaks to City Harvest’s mission: “City Harvest exists to end hunger in communities throughout NYC. We do this through food rescue and distribution, education, and other practical, innovative solutions,” (City Harvest).

Headline: Cochin Bold | Subhead: Cochin Regular | Copy: Minion Pro Medium

For the Imperfect Food, Perfectly Nutritious campaign, the food was used as the spokesperson. This campaign speaks to anyone who can donate and also to everyday consumers who buy food. The campaign is saying that just because something does not look appealing, it does not mean that the food needs to be thrown away. For example, a spoiled, browned banana, may not be edible by hand, but it is great to use to make banana pancakes or banana bread. An over ripened orange may not be good to eat by hand, but it makes great orange juice. Food also lives up to a beauty standard, which leads to food being wasted. Every year, seventy-two billion pounds of food is lost each year, not including waste at home (Feeding America, n.d.). Generation One (2013) estimates that seventy-two billion pounds of food equal to sixty billion meals being wasted (as cited in National FFA Organization). Sixty billion meals, assuming the average person eats three meals is a day, is twenty billion people not receiving meals. This ad campaign is letting people see food in a new way.

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We are City Harvest Campaign

Produced for Effective Copywriting

Weeks 2, 3, 4: We are City Harvest Advertisements. The challenge was to create posters for City Harvest, a non-profit organization. Each ad features City Harvest's target audience— clients or customers, volunteers, and donors or funders.

About City Harvest

City Harvest is a non-profit organization in New York City that has pioneered practical usage of excess food since 1982. Their bold goal is to end hunger in communities throughout New York City utilizing creative approaches such as food rescue, distribution, and education. Many people simply do not have access to food. Additionally, access to healthy and affordable food is a struggle that many New Yorkers experience on a consistent basis. In New York City, nearly 1.4 Million people struggle to put food on their table all the while there are 55 million pounds of excess pounds of excess food each year (City Harvest, n.d.). 

City Harvest seeks to alleviate the immediate and long-term needs for those who do not have access to healthy and affordable food by providing fruits and vegetables in their Mobile Market, providing free pick-up and delivery of excess food donations to the local soup kitchens, in addition to working with vendors and food retailers to help increase their ability to provide and sell healthy food to their consumers. City Harvest also provides educational services about the basics of nutrition and how to shop for and prepare healthy meals on a budget. By providing food, product, resources, and education, City Harvest reduces the environmental impact that is created by having excess food go to waste. 

Design Considerations

Tagline: City Harvest. Honoring Food + People.

This tagline is character driven and functional. It speaks to City Harvest’s mission: “City Harvest exists to end hunger in communities throughout NYC. We do this through food rescue and distribution, education, and other practical, innovative solutions,” (City Harvest).

Headline: Cochin Bold | Subhead: Cochin Regular | Copy: Minion Pro Medium

Donor: The image of the chef is being used because the chef is interacting with City Harvest recipients through donation and volunteering to teach nutritional classes. In addition, the chef also serves on City Harvest’s Food Council. A chef in the campaign can reach out to other food industry chefs and owners and encourage donation.

Donor: A local juice bar owner is also used as a donor to show that even small businesses can have a large impact on helping, the donation is not limited to larger restaurants or grocery stores. 

Donor: All of our foods starts with farmers. Farmers, commercial or personal, have food that they cannot cosmetically sell or they have an abundance. Farmers can also participate and donate. The donors add shows that anyone can be a donor. 

Recipient: The campaign involves mother and daughter recipients of City Harvest. Using images of a mother and daughter shows people exactly who they are helping and helps to gather compassion for those reading the ad. By using recipients who say they live in the neighborhood City Harvest is helping, then people are more willing to realize that City Harvest truly cares about them and can relate to their stories and struggles. In a way, City Harvest also becomes more transparent to donors because they know it is everyday people doing good deeds and not a corporation that takes half of the profits. 

Volunteer: The volunteer is explaining that they are dedicated to the cost because they see the work that is being. The image of a firefighter was used because a firefighter is someone people in the community could see as a ‘hero.’ 

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Rainy Day Toys Ad

Produced for Effective Copywriting

Week 1: Write a full-page print ad for Rainy Days Toys that will run in Family Circle magazine.

Copy Brief

Product / Description: Rainy Day Toys Company / Rainy Day Toys is an independently owned retail store in Madison, Wisconsin. They specialize in wooden toys and books for preschool children ages 1-4.Rainy Day Toys Demographics: Middle to Upper-Class parents and grandparents.Family Circle Demographics: Women 25-54, middle class.

Design Considerations

Headline: Unna Regular, Nazeefa Script | Subhead: Unna Regular | Copy: Avenir Roman | Call to Action: Nazeefa Script

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Brand Development Reflection

Explain the need for experienced design directors to join senior management teams in overseeing and building a brand.

Experience design directors are joining senior management teams to oversee and build the brand, manage the design group, and identify specialists needed (Wheeler, 2013, p. 114). Companies undervalue design as a core competency, and their marketing and communications are not as successful as it could be. Design directors can bridge the gap between management, operations, IT, sales and marketing, customer service, Human Resources, legal, and finance. By using a collaborative approach, the brand has a unified voice and can think

Explain how the Maturity Model for Design Management (Wheeler, p. 15) applies to Margo Chase’s relationship with Starbuck’s internal design department.

The maturity model for design management developed by Cohen Miller Consulting applies to Margo Chase’s relationship with Starbucks internal design department because Chase serves as a strategist for Starbucks. As a strategist-relationship, Starbucks, uses an external agency, Chase Design Group, to develop brand standards. Then, Starbuck’s internal design department helps to set company priorities and leads efforts based on brand knowledge. Chase Design Group produced art and assets that can be used in many mediums and applied many different ways.  Chase (2008) says, “What we are making is essentially a style guide that includes a lot of assets that are prints and patterns and icons and sort of some rules for how to use those things.”

Reflect on the course by listing three main takeaways and explaining why they are important to you as a media designer.

During Brand Development, I was able to explore the history and processes of brand development in media design through case studies, and I learned how to utilize basic tools used in the marketing profession.

My Personal Brand

The first insight I gained from the class was how people view me. 

From Wheeler (2013), I learned about what brand ideals I related to well and how each of my attributes, skills, strengths, and weaknesses play a significant role in how people view my brand. 

Second, I learned how to design my zag by Marty Neumeier (2006). Through Neumeier’s 17-checkpoint system, I have already begun the process of developing my brand without knowing it. I believe my purpose, my mission, is to improve the relationship between people and place through creative and sustainable (economic, social, environment) practices that improve the quality of life. 

Next, I was told to write my onliness statement. This was the hardest part of the exercise because now Neumeier is asking you to separate yourself from the other possible 30,000 designers out there. My statement is the only interior designer that creates an environment that embodies the attributes of a brand into the design process for all persons throughout the Seattle-Metro who wants an authentic place that reflects them in an era of Pinterest-worthy design. I also bring uniqueness to my brand because I think more globally. I was born in Jamaica, raised in Connecticut, went to college in Pittsburgh, currently living in Idaho, and transplanting my way to Seattle. Cultural awareness and traveling give me the abilities to be aware of and meet the needs of clients.

Business Branding and Process

What I learned about branding was how to differentiate between different brands (Wheeler, 2009); how to define brand ideals and branding attributes (Wheeler, 2009); learning graphic design terminology - difference between logo, monogram, wordmark, etc (Adams, 2015).

In addition, I learned about design research and the design process. 3  takeaways are:

Put your important concepts first – someone may not always take the time to go through your work so you want to make sure they have the most important information first (Adams, 2015)

Using a SWOT analysis from research to learn more about competitors. SWOT can include company history, finances, products, markets, personal, and brand positioning (O’Grady & O’Grady, 2009, p. 22-23)

Design process: discovery, strategy (concept and sketches), design (fleshing out strategies), build and translate (Giudice, 2009). If one of these phases are flawed, you will know and can start over.

Presentation and Technology

I learned how to create a brand proposal (Adams, 2015). I also learned new technology using Illustrator, Photoshop and Keynote. I taught myself how to create a logo, edit images, piece different vectors together to create what I want, how to use keynote, and add images on to a 3-D surface. I had to become comfortable with explaining my ideas and hearing myself speak.

Work Produced for Brand Development

Mastery Project: Create a visual identity that connects with and supports the guiding attributes and brand ideals of the company.

To watch the full video, click the link below.

https://www.behance.net/gallery/52084621/Rainy-Day-Toys-Rebranding-Proposal

Rainy Day Toys is a small, independently owned start-up retail store in Madison, Wisconsin. It specializes in wooden toys and books for preschool children ages 1-4. This is a request for a proposal to develop a visual identity for Rainy Day Toys.

Week 1: Gain a better understanding of how to evaluate what is at the core of brand’s makeup, and how you can use words and images to effectively communicate a brand image while analyzing the aspects of your own personal and professional brand.

Week 2: Gain an understanding of differentiation and how to apply it to developing a brand. In addition, a case study of a current brand company and two competitors.

Week 3: Use methods that are standard in the industry for researching and analyzing current brands.

Competitive Analysis

SWOT Analysis for Current Brand

Week 4: Complete a recommendation and action plan for the development of a brand.

Brand Strategy Recommendation and Action Plan

References Adams, S. (2015, March 26) Foundations of Banding for Designers. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/Design-Color-tutorials/Why-bother/363131/380165-4.html?org=fullsail.edu#tab.

Chase, M. (2008, September 04). Style guides. Retrieved April 30, 2017, from https://www.lynda.com/Design-Documentaries-tutorials/Style-guides/685/38839-4.html#tab

Guidice, M. (2009, February 27).Creative inspirations: hot studio, experience design. Retrieved April 10, 2017, fromhttps://www.lynda.com/Creative-Inspirations-tutorials/hotstudioexperiencedesign/767-2.html?org=fullsailold.edu

Neumeier, M. (2006). Zag: The number-one strategy of high-performance brands (p. 47-117). Berkley, CA: New Riders. O’Grady, J., & O’Grady, K. (2009).A designer’s research manual: Succeed in design by knowing your clients and what they really need(pp. 22-23). Retrieved fromhttp://ce.safaribooksonline.com/book/graphic-design/9781592535576

Wheeler, A. (2013). Designing brand identity: An essential guide for the whole branding team (p. 28-47). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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Defining Client Needs Reflection

During the class, Defining Client Needs, I was able to learn about graphic design basics while exploring the designer-client relationship. In addition, I was able to investigate research strategies and methods for developing an effective design. 

The Art of Typography

Typography can sometimes be the difference between good design and bad design. Ina Saltz (2013), Foundations of Typography, explains type classifications, how type is measured, sized, organized, and how spacing and alignment affect your design. Saltz also explains how to use kerning, tracking, leading, line length, and covers the history, and current trends in typography (Saltz, 2013). The course taught me about the principles of legibility, readability, compatibility, and how each different element are considered when you are selecting a type. Using the right typeface is just as important as the use of graphics, color, and images in graphic design. Typography, when used effectively, can evoke a particular emotion, deliver a message, and influence an audience. Good typography adds value to any design. For a person like myself that does not have a graphic design background, this lesson on typography laid down the foundation for me to becoming a professional.

 Layout and Composition

Sean Adams (2013), Foundations of Layout and Composition, states, “Layout and composition are the building blocks of graphic design. A strong composition will attract, clarify understanding, and engage the viewer whether the project is a print or screen-based project, a still or motion graphic, a 3D or 2D graphic.” His course explains the elements, principles, and tools that are needed to create a strong composition and layout (Adams, 2013). Composition includes topics such as balance, contrast, the grid system, the golden ratio, scale, hierarchy. Layout and composition are important because it is the way content is arranged visually. A strong composition will reach the intended audience and execute the purpose behind the design. Understanding layout and composition will help me as a designer to create an attention-grabbing design.

 Back to Basics: Research and Sketch

In A Designer’s Research Manual: Succeed in Design by Knowing Your Clients and What They Really Need (O’Grady & O’Grady, 2009) states, “Cultivating an environment conducive to research investigations in an important step in every designer’s professional development (p. 89).” Nigel French, Designing a Poster (2009), explores the creative process to create different designed. He says, “Making thumbnails can help you weed out bad ideas from those that have some merit, and it is only these potentially good ideas that you need to pursue when you sit down with computer and software (French, 2009).”  It is important that designers learn to sketch. While sketching, it allows your mind to continuously flow with new ideas because you do not have to manipulate the computer to do what you want. Sketching is quick, easy, and helps to separates concepts and details. From my background in interior architecture, sketching is something that I am used to. The only difference is, I am learning to sketch more than straight lines. Sketching also allows, for research to become a part of the creative process. Sketching is a chance to see how your research applies to the designs.

Images of Work

Week 1: Learning to make type pop using color, contrast, and scale. Create Shakespeare Play Announcement using no color and images to focus on the properties of type itself to create hierarchy and navigation.

Week 2: Create posters for Romeo and Juliet based on Nigel French’s examples in his video Designing a Poster paying attention to typography, hierarchy, contrast, legibility, navigation, and appropriateness.

Week 3: Design event posters for a specific client and target audience while exploring the creative process through a variety of approaches. Target audience for each poster (left to right): 15+, 25+, and ages 17-30.

References

Adams, S. (2010, October 31). Foundations of layout and composition. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/Design-tutorials/Foundations-Layout-Composition/135095-2.html?org=fullsail.edu.

French, N. (2009, March 3). Designing a poster. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/Illustrator-tutorials/designing-an-event-poster-hands-on-workshop/741-2.html?org=fullsail.edu.

 O’Grady, J.V., & O’Grady, K. (2009). A designer’s research manual: succeed in design by knowing your clients and what they really need. Beverly, MA: Rockport Publishers.

 Saltz, I. (2013, November 25). Foundations of Typography. Retrieved from https://www.lynda.com/Graphic-Design-tutorials/Foundations-Typography/106698-2.html?org=fullsail.edu.

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My book for the month of March. Make Design Matter by David Carlson. The Seven Stepping Stones to Make Design Matter are: 1) Think transdisciplinary 2) Take a cultural approach 3) Act responsibly 4) Make it different 5) Share knowledge 6) Be intuitive 7) Dare to Fail.