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Design Integration Master Journal

Connecting/Synthesizing/Transforming

In week four an article titled How to Write a Good Design Brief, by Veryday was utilized to arrive at my final design. The article discusses what a design brief as and why one is needed. It also states the five main sections of that provide an outline for a good design brief. They are Purpose and Scope, Background and Context, Timeline, Budgets and Deliverables, Organization and Success Factors and It is a Relationship. The author wrote the article with the intent to give a quick guide on how to write a design brief. The author wanted to make sure that they provided as much information in a condensed presentation so that the reader has an easy time accessing the information and in a quick manner. The first page has what a design brief is and why you need one and a list of the Key Components then, the following pages are those key components sectioned out with smaller bits of information in each section. The entire presentation is 10 pages with pretty big font for easy reading. In the article all of the sections seem to work well with each other. It’s pretty straight forward so they all work with each other and the author does not provide any contradictory information. From the article the information that I synthesized were the Key Components. I did not need information on what a design brief was or what it was used for so that information was irrelevant to myself. However, the Key Components contained a slew of useful information with anything from contact details, company background, the purpose statement to the marketing context and brand vision. (Inkbot Design, 2017) The information that I synthesized into the creative brief was the company background. The expected outcome of this was just some basic background information on the company, but the outcome was instead research into the various different sections of BoxPark Sushi, such as from where BoxPark got started to Milwaukee, and how they want to implement a BoxPark in Milwaukee and create a sushi restaurant. It was much more extensive than I expected. 

Problem Solving

Throughout the month the biggest design problem I encountered was layout issues. Not in a technical manner, but how my presentations were meant to be laid out/ in what order. Sometimes putting together a design brief and other presentations require a lot of organization and thinking. Possible solutions to this problem were organizing the information in order of importance and another solution was to research what order information needed to be in for a specific project. For instance for a design brief, researching different ways the information is laid out in other design briefs and organizing your paper from there. Out of the two solutions the last solution was the best for my situation and probably the better of the two in general.

Innovative Thinking

Compared to others in the industry I try to make sure that the layout it is pretty much the same. I want to make sure that the flow of information is formatted in the best way. When I design my briefs I do try to add a lot of what should be included in what is being presented. For instance if there is a client that I am branding that is opening a restaurant I add elements that would be included in the restaurant, anything from the color scheme to the different textures involved. I do believe that others in the industry do this as well, but maybe not as much as I do. My work may not be the most innovative in that I may put too much into it. I do believe it is something I will have to work on in order to make designs more legible with certain fonts and coloring. In the image below there is some weird coloring and thick lines that could be reduced. The font could also be more thick in order to be more legible.

Acquiring Competencies

Throughout this month and the what went into the month I learned a lot about how to improve some of my visuals such as font size including thickness. The color scheme and the font color. I didn’t use any new software, but I did learn to research more and include it in my work. Overall, I learned to be patient with my work, while giving myself time to complete projects so that they can be the best versions.

Reflect

Throughout the month we completed various lessons all which came together to provide us with the best concepts to help us in our school career and further into our Graphic Design career. In week one the assignment Voice & Tone we have to define the voice and tone of BoxPark Sushi. Basically we need to discover the personality of the brand and how the brand wants to be perceived. Week one also included Design Communication Annotated Bibliography. The importance of the bibliography is to get us used to researching information and saving it to show proof when needed in a document that is easily accessible.

In week two we developed a brand vision board. A brand vision board is important to show what design ideas we have to show the client. The point of this assignment was to get us used to showing our ideas to clients. In week 2 there was also another annotated bibliography.

In week three we did a Dynamic Vision Board assignment. A Dynamic Vision Board is a video showing the different textures, fonts, words, photos and overall feel for BoxPark Sushi. This is an important assignment to get us to show our ideas in a different perspective.

Finally, in week four we did the Media Plan and Final Design Brief. This is important for all the reasons above, but to also show the client everything together in one place. Overall, all of the assignments before led up to this and will all be helpful for our future career.

 
 
 

Mastery Reflection

Connecting/Synthesizing/Transforming

All of the research was used in the design of our activities this month. Without the research there would be know no how on how to complete certain aspects of the activities. The research connects to the industry because, it is all related to design and connecting with audiences. It is connected to my work because, it all of our activities and research is training us for working in the real world in Graphic Design. It is connected to the client by offering us information on how to provide great content and how to promote it for them or to them.

BEIMAN, N. (2017). Prepare to board! creating story and characters for animated features and shorts, third edition. Place of publication not identified: CRC Press

This book puts an interesting perceptive on how to create storyboards and how to create them for different formats etc. For instance, the book explains how to create storyboards for animation as compared to live action motion graphics or movies. The topics presented are how to and when to create the different storyboards for the different formats. This book is a resource guide for how to make storyboards and in which way to make them. Its purpose is to provide information on storyboards and all information surrounding storyboards. If this source had to be briefly explained to someone, we would tell them that Prepare to board! Creating story and characters for animated features and shorts is their go to companion for anything relating to storyboards.

The above source is a source exploring communication design and motion graphics. There are many topics in the journal, however this source is specifically helpful for communicating with motion. The topic of motion graphics is in multiple sections which has a tidbit about said title and then moves on to the next. The topics presented are Motion graphics as hybrid, coherent mediated designs and Motion graphics, composting and montage Motion graphics beyond cinema. The topics are being presented to offer the reader facts and opinions on motion graphic and how to apply it. If this source was to be explained to a stranger it could be said that this source is a go to for motion graphics, communicating with motion and other information about motion graphics and communication.

Maher, K. (2019, June 1). Breaking Barriers with Motion Design: How this genre has earned its place in the spotlight. Retrieved from http://web.a.ebscohost.com.oclc.fullsail.edu:81/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=26&sid=e9078c39-fc15-4db3-a2f9-b3f2f2857036@sdc-v-sessmgr03

The source provides a tone appreciative of graphic motion. The idea is that this year particularly graphic motion is getting the much-deserved attention it has always deserved. The topics discussed are Design is Everything and The Evolution of Motion Graphics. These topics are being presented due to the fact that motion graphics are now getting praise for something that has been going on for a long time. It is important that people realize its importance in communicating with motion and graphic design. If this source had to be described to someone it would be described as an outside look on the importance of communicating with motion graphics and how it has had little recognition until now.

French, K. (2017, July 24). 5 Reasons Motion Graphics Help You Connect with People. Retrieved from https://www.columnfivemedia.com/5-reasons-motion-graphics-help-your-brand-tell-a-strong-story

The core ideas of 5 Reasons Motion Graphics Help You Connect with People, is to provide reasonings for how and why motion graphics will help in communication your message. The core idea is introduced by writing a little bit about the background of motion graphics and what exactly it is. The topics presented are they’re emotionally captivating, they distill information for easy comprehension, they’re a passive experience, they can be repurposed and finally they’re great when your short on time. All of these topics include further writing and details within each section. If this source had to be explained to someone it could be said that this article provides you with quite a bit of information on motion design, how to motion graphics and reasonings for why it’s important to do so when communicating with your audience.

Psomadaki, O. I., Dimoulas, C. A., Kalliris, G. M., & Paschalidis, G. (2019). Digital storytelling and audience engagement in cultural heritage management: A collaborative model based on the Digital City of Thessaloniki. Journal of Cultural Heritage, 36, 12–22. https://doi-org.oclc.fullsail.edu/10.1016/j.culher.2018.07.016

The core ideas proposed by this source is the history of cultural and creative industries bringing the digital storytelling strategies used to promote audience engagement in urban culture heritage. The core ideas are introduced by announcing an analysis of the storytelling applications that are in use in the cultural heritage domain. The topics presented are an assessment of a prototype model that fuels audience engagement, and a SWOT analysis. If this source had to be explained to someone it could be said that at the above source is an analysis of digital storytelling strategies used to promote audience engagement in the Digital City of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Lee, E., & Hannafin, M. (2016). A design framework for enhancing engagement in student-centered learning: own it, learn it, and share it. Educational Technology Research & Development, 64(4), 707–734. https://doi-org.oclc.fullsail.edu/10.1007/s11423-015-9422-5

The core idea proposed is enhancing engagement in student-centered learning. The core idea is introduced by examining the theory and research-based evidence for those who seek clear guidelines that support student-centered learning. Being presented are the theories and the studies behind them as well as proposed design framework that encompasses different aspects of learning aimed at the audience beyond the classroom. If this source had to be explained to someone, it would be said that this source is a study of the student-centered learning and the theories and studies behind that.

(2018, April 17). How To Master Audience Engagement When You Present. Retrieved from https://www.duarte.com/presentation-skills-resources/audience-engagement-strategies-presentations/

The core idea behind this source is to teach people how to capture audience and why to do so. The core idea is introduced by stating facts that are associated with audience engagement such as, it’s important to engage the audience within 30 seconds or you probably won’t be able to engage the audience. The topics presented are pretty much step by step ideas and instructions on how to engage your audience in design and through a presentation. If this source had to be explained to someone you would say that the source is a go to for information on how to engage your audience especially when designing and through a presentation.

Problem Solving – The design problems during this month were pretty much decision making ones. For instance what type of activity I should do and how easy or hard it would be for me. I solved the problems by laying out what I knew how to do and what was the best chose for me.

Innovative Thinking – How does your work compare to others in the industry? How did you approach the subject of innovation? How is your work innovative? Compared to others in the industry I like to think of my work as unique, which it should be in this line of work. The idea of innovation this month was interesting. Starting something new can always be scary, but once you complete the task and have a better understanding of it, it’s not so hard after all. The work I have done is innovative because, I created new and improved ways of showcasing our activities. For instance I have never made a storyboard with real pictures let alone a motion storyboard. Overall, it was very interesting and a great way to capture audiences attention.

Acquiring Competencies – Overall, throughout this process I learned how to use current softwares in different ways and used a new software. The skills I gained are now knowing how to create a motion storyboard or a motion and still picture combined for audience engagement.

Reflection –

My experience throughout this month has been pretty unique. I learned to create many things I have not before and found that to be very fun. I also learned a better way to engage customers which will be useful for me in the future.

From here on out I plan to keep practicing these concepts and trying to learn new and improved ways to connect with my audience and or clients. I will also focus on managing my time better.

What my Cinemagraph was made from.


Ideas in Motion Moving Storyboard

 
 
 

4.4.2 Mastery

Creating copy for the testimonial ads this month was not as I expected. Typically when I create something I try to make the ad obviously related to the topic, but also try to do so in a way that is scary or at least in a way that gets people to think. In chapter one of Advertising: Concept and Copy, Felton describes different scenarios for creating copy. He states that when creating an ad that a lot of people will create typically the same thing, for example drinking and driving ads are pretty much telling you not to drink or drive or you could die. Felton states that another and possibly more effective approach is getting the audience to think about what would happen if they were to live after drinking and driving, such as losing your license etc. (Felton, 2013)

After reading this it really got me thinking that I should pay better attention to the company and the message I am trying to convey, because cliches are used often and may not actually get the viewer to pay attention to the message. Instead of a typical approach to a serious manner I tried to use humor to see a way to grab the audiences attention. After reading some of the reviews from my peers this approach may not have been totally affective, but could work in some situations.

So far from my experience when creating copy you need to think outside the box, but also make sure that the message you are trying to convey is stated and is written in terms that the target audience will understand. You also need to make sure that the headline will catch the attention of the audience enough to persuade the audience to read the copy.

According to the lynda.com tutorial Developing Ideas and Design Concepts by Craig Smith in the chapter What is Concepting? When creating concepts designers will typically use a cliché or shock value, which could mean that the designer has lack of interest in the project or not enough time, however it is important to remember that to get the best result from the copy one must truly research and come up with original ideas. (Smallish, 2013)

Target Audience Profiles:

While creating my personas I had to really think about the people who were to be the target audience. There are two people one a female and one a male. I chose them tailored them specifically to the Earth Island institutes beliefs and work. According to the book Advertising: Concept and Copy, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can help you, the designer solve more than one problem at a time when thinking about the consumers behavior and catering your work to those needs. They are in order Physiological needs, Safety needs, Love and belongingness needs, Esteem needs and Self-actualization needs. After creating my personas I went back and viewed these needs and catered my ads to first the Earth Island Institute and second the needs and wants of the personas I have created. (Felton, 2013)

Original Six Sketches:

In my six sketches I used an image of the Earth, Cat and Dog, Sad Shark, Deer, Polar Bear and a Factory. When deciding which three to keep and make into a full blown ad, I had to choose what would be the best way to portray the company. I narrowed it down to the Earth, Sad Shark and the Deer. I chose not to go with the Polar Bear and Factory because they both are somewhat overused. I went against the Cat and Dog, because it doesn’t fully represent the company how I envisioned. In Advertising: Concept and Copy we the designers should keep two things in mind:

  1. Finding a likely candidate is only half the job.

  2. Decide whether you’ll press the truth button or the whimsy button. (Felton, 2013)

I dabbled in the whimsy bit of things. I created characters that don’t really exist, but is a character that the audience could relate with, such as Sad Shark. I got Sad Shark from the currently relevant Baby Shark. I thought that it would be neat to bring up a serious topic about saving the oceans and making it seem as though Sad Shark was upset by the destruction of the ocean.

The First Three Initial Comps:

The original comps were to be honest not that great. I developed them with a headline, body copy and call to action, but there really was no depth in the body copy. It was just one to two sentences with very little information. I did try and make them connect to my audience by ensuring that they were relevant to what the personas believe in and what the company stands for, however they could have been so much better. The headlines I do believe were alright, I did try and make them catchy as it states in Advertising: Concept and Copy page 203 Emphasize Repetition. It states that people like to hear repetition and that alone can make a headline work. (Felton, 2013)

The Three Revised Comps:

When recreating my ads, I thought about everything I had learned in the class as well as the feedback from my three initial ads. I discovered that my headlines weren’t the best they could be and that the body copy needed more depth and facts that would in turn, turn the audience into followers of Earth Island. For the Baby Shark ad I created a body copy that was based more towards saving sharks and the oceans rather than just the ocean. I also recreated the imagery by using photographs instead of clip art. For the Deer ad I changed the headline and the body copy which now includes facts about climate change and it’s affect on forests. I also changed the color scheme a bit. Finally, for the Earth Ad, the main change was the Font at the top of the Page and the Bottom as well as more information in the body copy. Overall, I think that the change made a tremendous positive change in the ads.

What I learned in Effective Copywriting will stay with me for the rest of my career. I learned so much that will be useful to me in the future, however three of the most important takeaways are to always be vigilant in research, to have original ideas and check out the competitors. Having this information will insure that I create more effective and better designed ads and other forms of digital creation.

Resources:

Felton, G. (2013). Advertising: Concept and copy. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.

 
 
 

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