OUGD502 - SB01 - Evaluation

OUGD502

SB01

Evaluation

This brief has really pushed me outside of my comfort zone. At first I was nervous about the prospect of approaching an industry professional, especially as I had nothing to other them in return apart from my thanks. 

I began by researching appropriate questions to ask my interviewee. This in its self was helpful as I discovered designers through TedTalks and Podcasts and have learnt from the advice they gave while giving these interviews. I also relied heavily on a website called The Design Kids, which helps graduates find jobs. I think it is really helpful to be aware of sites like these as they can offer guidance in the future.

 I decided the best way to conduct an interview was over email. This way I could ask the questions without being flustered and the content would not have to be written up after the fact. It also meant that I didn’t have to consider time zones when approaching designers from different parts of the world.

In the beginning I wasn’t expecting any responses. I thought that designers must receive hundreds of emails a day and surely they wouldn’t have the time to reply to me. To my surprise, 3 out of 4 of the designers I emailed replied. All three provided some great snippets of advice and I think it is really helpful to understand how other people entered the industry. I think that the interview I conducted with Ryan Rhodes from Land was the most insightful. He had an interesting view of the industry. He seemed almost frustrated but at the same time very positive. My favourite quote of his was ‘The world needs originality, not repetition.’

I was keen to get in touch with Chris McClean as I am such a fan of the magazine that he is involved with, Backwash. He was the most difficult to get hold of. It took a couple of months, but I was consistent and I was happy he gave me some of his time, I know from his social media that he is very busy.

Finally, I was amazed when Joshua Noom replied to me. He is a real design hero of mine and I have been following him for years, even before I decided to study graphics. It encouraging to know that people you look up to are willing to offer advice.

This brief has been a great help and has definitely changed the way I perceive the industry. I now know how others entered the industry, and this understanding makes it seem less daunting. The brief also forced me to make contacts and network with people. If left to my own devices I’m not sure it would have been something I would have been brave enough to do.