Collaborative Design Practice - Task 1: Insight to Action

25 Sept 2024 - 09 Oct 2024 (Week 1 - Week 4)
Vincent Lee // 0359386
Collaborative Design Practice // Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media // Taylor's University
Task 1: Insight to Action

Instructions

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Task 1: Insight to Action

Week 1 - 25 Sept 2024
As is customary in our first class of the week, we received the module briefing. Shortly after, we were assigned to form groups to collaborate with Taylor's Business School on three different brands. In our groups, we will be working on a product called FOLD, which is a 2-in-1 pocket tissue. For more details, click here.

Without further delay, we promptly scheduled a meeting with our clients. Prior to this, I conducted some research on the product and the materials used in tissue production, as illustrated in (Fig 1.1). The meeting was casual and productive, although we encountered some minor setbacks; the clients lacked a clear brand story, objectives, target market, and purpose for our project. Fortunately, they provided this information later that night (Fig 1.3). Despite these challenges, we were able to gather valuable insights and ideas (Fig 1.2) from them, including their expectations for the final deliverables at the end of our 12 weeks of collaboration.

The things that we hope from you guys, as our collaborators, are:
1.⁠ ⁠Redesign our logo. Suggest 5 new logo based on our current one w the backstory.
2.⁠ ⁠Creating a brand guideline for us with the theme: Scandinavian, Modern Minimalist, Playful
3.⁠ ⁠In charge of our social media acc; IG (post & reel) & create a website for our business
4.⁠ ⁠Presenting a content posting timeline
5.⁠ ⁠List out types of content for our social presence.


Figure 1.1 - Research Ideas (individual), Week 1 (25 Sept 2024)

Figure 1.2 - FOLD Brand Overview, Week 1 (01 Oct 2024)

Figure 1.3 - FOLD Brand Concept Document, Week 1 (01 Oct 2024)



Week 2 - 02 Oct 2024
Group consultation. After consulting with Ms. Li Lian and receiving her feedback, we distributed Task 1 among the team members as follows:

Divided into 3 groups:
  • Questionnaire: Rachel Madeline Purwanto and Agnes Fadhyllah
Figure 1.4 - Questionnaire: Research on Reusable Food Wares, Week 2 (03 Oct 2024)

Figure 1.5 - Survey Analysis, Week 2 (08 Oct 2024)

  • Problem Statement, Empathy Map and User Personas: Vincent Lee and Benjamin Ng Chii Wen
Figure 1.6 - progression, Week 2 (05 Oct 2024)

Figure 1.7 - Task 1 Project Document, Week 3 (08 Oct 2024)

  • Slides and Compilation: Joan Chiam Zi Woei and Sim Jian Xiong
Figure 1.8 - Compilation and Slides Preparation, Week 3 (08 Oct 2024) 



Task 1 Submission
We completed and presented Task 1, receiving valuable feedback on both its strengths and areas for improvement. Once submitted, we will transition to the next project.
Figure 1.9 - Task 1 Project Document, Week 3 (09 Oct 2024)

Presentation Slides: Link
Task 1 Project Document Submission: Link


Feedback

Week 2
Rebranding Insights:
When rebranding a physical product, it’s crucial to conduct thorough research and competitor analysis. Focus on key areas such as market trends, consumer preferences, packaging designs, pricing strategies, and brand positioning to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the landscape.

- Client Collaboration:
It's important not to let clients create the mood board themselves. As creative professionals, we should guide them based on our expertise to avoid unrealistic expectations and ensure a clear vision for the project.

- Target Audience Clarity:
While the target audience may seem to encompass a broad age range, it generally consists of just two main generations. Understanding this can help us tailor our designs and messaging more effectively.

- Task Completion: 
Aim to complete Task 1 by our next class to stay on track with the project timeline.


Week 3
- Task 1 Proposal Feedback:
The proposal for Task 1 was well-received, covering all the necessary requirements effectively. This feedback encourages us to maintain our focus and quality in future tasks.

- Client Communication on Website Importance:
The decision regarding the necessity of a website will ultimately depend on how well we persuade the clients of its importance. While we can present the benefits and advantages, the final choice will rest with them. It’s vital to communicate effectively to ensure they understand the potential value it could bring to their brand.


Reflection

Week 1
Since the product information from our client is still limited, we conducted research on the materials used and reviewed the current logo and website design. Based on our findings, we've created a set of questions to ask the client during our first meeting next week. These questions will help clarify the product details and ensure that our design process aligns with the business concept and values, allowing us to effectively reflect these in the final product and outcomes. 


Week 2
After a thorough discussion on the brand concepts and values with the client, we finally gained direction for the entire project. It was both fun and challenging. The client was polite and nice but lacked a clear concept for their products, so we ended up guiding them with examples from our previous work. This helped ease the design process and gave them a clearer picture of how to proceed.

The discussion with Ms. Lilian was also a turning point. We learned that we shouldn't expect the client to create a mood board for us. Although our intention was to include their preferences, it became clear that asking them to do so might lead to unrealistic expectations and dissatisfaction if we couldn't meet those expectations. Ms. Lilian helped clarify that creating a mood board is part of our job as creatives. We also cleared up concerns about the target audience, which seemed broad initially. However, it turned out to be more specific—focused on two generations, including working women, students, and housewives.

On a personal note, wow! It feels a bit intense already, and it's only week two. There's so much to do, but luckily, the design part wasn't included in the first submission. Still, I'm nervous about the website and social media content design because these are things I’ve been doing for a while. I should be good at them, but what if things don't go as planned, and I mess it up? Hmm... 🤔


Week 3
This week was hectic, with tasks, roles, and time management becoming critical. We were rushing to complete everything right up until 5 minutes before our presentation with Ms. Lilian. Thankfully, we nailed it! Ms. Lilian even praised our proposal, calling it well-covered, which was a huge relief.

Moving forward, we had our Task 2 consultation with Ms. Lilian. We didn’t have any real progress to show yet, but we used the session to clarify our thoughts and get better direction by asking questions.

Even though specific roles weren’t assigned to each team member, as the only UI/UX designer, I took the lead by working on the things I’d done in my minor project. I planned content, analyzed the current website, and gathered references for the mood board and art direction. It’s essential to communicate and align well with the graphic designers because these elements—art direction, mood boards, and overall branding—play a huge role in whether the brand is developed successfully and can be trusted by the public.

Other team members focused on exploring and ideating on typography, logos, animations, and social media content. We all collaborated on graphic and animation ideas. In one of our meetings, Joan and I debated whether to include a mascot for the brand. Initially, we weren’t convinced, as it seemed uncommon for brands to use mascots on their packaging. But since we’re still in the ideation phase, we decided to experiment with the idea and see if it works before making any final decisions.


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