OUGD502 PPP2: Session 1

OUGD502

PPP2

SESSION 1

We had a pop session with John this morning we discussed what actually is PPP and how vital it is to our design practice. We discussed what we should be doing to contact studios and how we just need to get involved !

What were your highlights this past year? What made it memorable ? What do you feel that you gained from that experience?

POINTS THAT WERE MADE:

The smallest experience are important in many ways... WHY? Because we build up a database that will be more than useful in years to come.

Because we are visually bias animals , we create an onboard database of information and experiences that gives us a methodology of researching and evaluation information/

There are so many ways to gather data over our lives other than google, Yahoo and wikipedia.

This is where blogs are a new and a 'revisitable' resource we can look back on and see our personal journey of likes comment and changes in what we can see and document.

Experiences in the transition between first and second year and diverse and are mesa used on what you have learned in year one.



Work you have seen , studios you appreciate and have either contacted or are now considering contacting all are part of your PPP journey.


PLANNING WITH A PURPOSE


VISITS

Do visits don't just be desperate for a placement.
Visit the place you might not like it when you get there?


PPP Fundamentals:


The exploration of assumptions concerning personal learning, investigative strategies and the management of self learning through tasks and research
Using effective strategies to facilitate personal and professional development though critical enquiry and problem solving.
The demonstration of evaluation of professional development,through presentation and documentary evidence.
The evaluation of personal developmental needs based on and through the critical reflection of personal growth through reflection of personal work.
VIDEOS FOR INSPIRATION

After the break in Johns session we began to watch some short videos from some designers and there company's it does inspire you to create amazing things and i found the Stefan Sagmeister particularly interesting so i made some points.

Stefan Sagmeister -

Stefan Sagmeister is an Austrian graphic designer living and working in New York City. His talk at the AGI Open 2013 conference in London was entitled "Sagmeister on Happiness", in light of his upcoming documentary The Happy Film.In this interview he discusses the film and its subject of happiness, as well as the broader subject of his work in design. He explains his decision to work as a designer in New York versus Vienna, saying that in New York people are more about "actually doing things" rather than talking about doing things


http://www.designindaba.com/video/stefan-sagmeister-bring-personal-and-human-design



I watched this video a few times and got some good points from what Stefan Sagmeister was talking about:

Do something to bring changes into our life
Big changes need thought
Certain design you can only pursue if you have the proper time frame
Worrying solves nothing
Evolution didn't build us that way that we would reach permanent happiness. If we were built that way they're would be no compass.

OUGD502 PPP2: Presentation videos

OUGD502

PPP2

PRESENTATION VIDEOS

I also like the way some of the designers presented their work, being clear, concise and confident. I remember John said that you have to make a 'show' when delivering your concepts or final idea's because that's what keeps people interested.

OUGD502 PPP2: Study task 2 Methods of contacting creative studios or agencies

OUGD502

PPP2

STUDY TASK 2
METHODS OF CONTACTING

CREATIVE STUDIOS OR AGENCIES

TASK -Investigate list of methods you can employ to contact other creatives studios or agencies - List these on your blog.

EMAIL - To start of my investigation i first thought emailing is a huge way in which you can contact other creatives wether it be a design studio an individual person. Emailing in an appropriate way stating what its about why your contacting them. Its really important to spell EVERYONES name right and and be polite and professional.

WRITING THEM A LETTER - After speaking to John its very important that you we consider all methods of contacting people. When i have recently contacted a design studio i sent them a letter. John said its important because they might not receive the email or not check it but a letter is more formal and there more likely to read it.

RESEARCHING INTO DESIGN STUDIOS - Researching into design studios is important you can find all kinds of other resources from a design studio and meet other people doing your research is beneficial as you don't want to contact the wrong person.

VISIT DESIGN STUDIOS - We are all told to visit design studios and make an effort to get to know people, make your self known! Visiting design studios can open so many doors for you and you can meet a lot of creative individuals. On a visit if you make a good impression there likely to want you to come back. Making contacts is such a vital part of the design industry.

WORK PLACEMENTS - When gaining work placements its a really good foot in the door for young creatives even for example if the work placement you were at isn't where you want to be you can meet people through placements that can introduce you to other young creatives and other studios. If your work placement is really successful chances are they'll ask you to come back and work for them.

FREE LANCE - Doing freelance work for people can boost your reputation as a designer as your work progresses and people see the kinds of design you do more people will want to use you and employ you.

BEHANCE - Behance is a platform to showcase and discover photography, graphic design, illustration, and fashion. It is a product of New York-based company Behance, Inc., which has also created other services meant to organise creative people and support creative careers. Behance is an amazing way to publicise your work and get your self recognised by other designers. If a designer is interested in your work you can get contacted through behance as well as contact other people.

LINKEDIN - LinkedIn is a social networking website for people in professional occupations. Founded in December 2002 and launched on May 5, 2003, it is mainly used for professional networking. As of June 2013, LinkedIn reports more than 225 million acquired users in more than 200 countries and territories.The same as Behance you can contact and be contacted by professionals.

YOUR PEERS- Being in a degree or the work place with like minded creative individuals is such an enriching experience because we learn from one and other and we help and recommend certain orangisations or design studios or people to one and other. This is a great way of gaining contacts.

JOIN MORE PROFESSIONAL ORGANISATIONS - Joining as many professional studios as possible is important because its networking it opens so many doors and gets your work out there and you as a designer.
Joining organisations allows people to contact you and is way for you to interact with studios and other designers.

FOLLOW BLOGS - Following blogs can help you find other creatives blogs and design studios you haven't heard of before or aren't all that well known.

D&AD - Design and Art Direction is a British educational charity which exists to promote excellence in design and advertising. Their logo includes the words "Benchmarking and rewarding great ideas that are well executed and appropriate". D&AD is such a huge organisation and having your work on D&AD if you are successful is a huge recognisable achievement. Collaborating with people will help you to meet other creatives.

COMPETITIONS - Live briefs & competitions are really important to get involved in. If successful it makes you known to other creatives as your work is showcased or exposed. Like most competition websites such as secret 7 you can contact other creatives.

EXHIBITIONS - Exhibitions are a good way of meeting people and being introduced to other creative studios people or agencies.

TRAVEL - Travelling is one of the best things you can do as creative designer there is nothing better than having experience in other countries or places to put on your cv it makes you stand out from other creatives. Travelling is also good if you want to visit a certain studio you can go in person rather than looking at there website and speak to people face to face.

TELEPHONE/SKYPE - Telephoning studios and agencies or skipping is another way of contacting but only once your on a relationship basis as you would first send a letter or an email. Its important to always stay professional.

OUGD502 PPP2: Getting your business ducks in a row

OUGD502

PPP2

GETTING YOUR BUSINESS DUCKS IN A ROW

This afternoon John stayed to do another talk for the third years mainly, however the second years were invited to join too. The talk was on freelance work and general advice, so I thought it would be worthwhile for me to go, especially as I could have done with knowing more about it over Summer. I wrote down a few of the key points he made during this talk:


Get your business ducks in a row - make sure that everything is stated before starting the work
Discuss requirements and deadlines
Quotations are legally binding whereas an estimate is not
Type an estimate including the requirements as well as any additional costs, for example travel expense
Send estimate under the terms
Always let them know by email and let them know if there are any further changes
Invoices need to include a break down of you work
Send it to the accounts department and send an email
Itemise all work
Terms and conditions need to be on the invoice as well as on the estimate
Payment by bank transfer only
I found this really useful and have decided to copy the slides on to this post so that I have a constant reference in the future which I refer back to whenever I need to.