Reflection

 

Influence from past

Previously followed courses that influenced the way I worked during my Final Bachelor Project (FBP) most are project 2 design and project 3 research. Project 2 design was my first time working in the Crafting Everyday Soft Things squad which opened my eyes to exploratory making. Project 3 design was a hands on lesson in user testing on sensitive or emotional subjects.

 

Competency Development

During the Final Bachelor Project (FBP) my focus was on developing the expertise areas ‘Creativity and Aesthetics’ and ‘User and Society’. Other expertise areas were also implemented.

 

Creativity and Aesthetics

Though this was already extensively explored in previous projects, my FBP has shown me the importance of pushing through and making things in times of doubt. Using basic household materials and ideating on how they could be used is an amazing way to spark new ideas. The project has taught me that it is not necessary to have access to professional machinery or materials in order to create interesting and surprising designs. Furthermore I learned the importance of using different design perspectives. The project was mostly done using a first person perspective but co-design and research were also used where appropriate.

 

User and Society

Initially I was worried about doing user tests in a socially distanced world.

 

 

 

 

However, I feel that the disconnect forced me to create online user testing methods that felt warm and welcoming to participants in order to receive similar results as I would in real life settings. I developed skills that I did not have yet instead of relying on regular communication cues.

 

Professional Skills development

A goal of mine was to increase my remote communication skills. Through digital interviews, surveys and social media I have been able to go through the design process as I usually would without too many compromises. Furthermore I learned to be proactive in directing my learning, in organizing and planning and in finding outside parties to interact with for my project. The people I contacted had a different perspective on the project that helped me make it more well-rounded.

 

Design Vision and Professional Identity

Throughout the project it became increasingly clear how important an exploratory making approach is to me as a designer. The project has further enabled me to define my identity and vision and connect them to each other. In order to make meaningful products it is important to have a deep understanding of the user which is only possible through observing and empathizing with them. The project helped me see what it is that really drives me: making beautiful, dynamic and surprising textiles.