Overall, I have found this module quite challenging but also really enjoyable.
For Studio Brief 01, I think my final design is really effective and represents the disco house genre really well.The play on words adds a fun, almost humorous element - they are the visual representation of ‘disco pants’. However, I wasn’t completely happy with the finished product - how I pictured it to look in my head was slightly different to how it materialized in reality. I had lots of technical issues, the main one being how the pants dried once the gems were attached with glue. They hardened and the pants became stiff, and they were bending and creasing in ways I didn’t want them to. I do feel this effected the professionalism of the final outcome. The project was quite out of my comfort zone and was quite far away from the work I am used to producing so it was quite a challenge, however I did enjoy creating something out of the ordinary. I do feel like the finished product represents the disco house genre in the best way it possibly can, and it looks very visually effective.
For Studio Brief 02, I think my final wayfinding system design works really well and is very appropriate for the audience.
A large, substantial amount of research was undertaken at the beginning to allow for a fully informed and educated design process. There were many factors taken into consideration whilst designing the wayfinding system in order to best adhere to the needs of dementia and alzheimers sufferers. The typeface, colour palette and overall design of the system were all based on the best functionality for a dementia audience.
The main purpose of the system was not to be the most contemporary, sleek, gorgeous wayfinding system that it could be. It was based on functionality and appropriateness for residents of the care home who are suffering from dementia, alzheimers or any other age-related visual impairment.
What I struggled with most during this project was the balance between good design and functionality. Naturally I wanted to produce something that looked sleek, unique and contemporary - a gorgeous piece of graphic design. However, that was simply not the purpose of this project. The purpose of this project was to create something that would improve a dementia sufferer’s sense of place, reduce their confusion and make them feel most at ease.
Good design and functionality don’t have to be mutually exclusive. Tiny strings of letter-spaced type can be attractive design elements, but if they can’t be read by your target audience, they’re useless. Instead, the challenge was to create something visually pleasing whilst being completely functional for residents of the home. Whilst I found this a struggle, accommodating the needs, physical challenges and comfort level of an aging population was the main priority over creating a stunning wayfinding system.
I found this project really interesting and I definitely feel it has pushed me out of my comfort zone in terms of designing on a ‘function before form’ basis - but I feel I have created a successful and appropriate system that answers the brief extremely well.
In general I think I have really challenged myself with this module and I have learnt a lot about myself and the way I work - the things I like, the things I don't like, etc. It has made a nice change to do something that I wouldn't ever normally choose to do.