This was the first week which started with an introduction to the course and then had a short lecture.
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Reflection on class - This was a very short lecture which mostly consisted of getting us to consider what we are looking for in the design industry and should look for in placement. This was handy for getting me to think about what I like and the exercise like the 20-question one helped me understand how lots of jobs can be generalised and that they have differences you just need to know what questions to ask. This exercise was also as great as the first lecture back, as it was light-hearted but still got us to think.
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This exercise was about what we wanted out of our placement. The feedback from this was that most people want a workplace that is welcoming, and supportive and where we can learn and grow. What I want is to be able to explore design with a design studio that can welcome me and support me. I want to feel as good about the design studio as I do about design, a workplace where I can feel passionate about design.
The tips for the CV that we received were not to overcomplicate the CV design or information and to make all the sentences short and snappy. We got tips for the portfolio that were similar to the CV tips, making sure the content was relevant and breaking up each area into small ones that were only about one subject.
I started looking at some of the most popular UX portfolios, they are all great and have a similar layout, and interesting to see how each designer's personality comes through still.
This is someone that I came across, I really like it straightforward. I want mine to be very as clear to understand as this but with my personality. I like the small overview at the top which can be expanded by clicking for more info which is the same for the case studies which have the same limited information and images of the outcome.
This a really effective portfolio that is easy to use and navigate with a limited colour palette that highlights areas for clarity. I really also like the icon she has created j.me, I think it is really nice.
When talking about the design industry we have to consider what the future will look like for design. We can only predict what design will grow to, but we do know that it will grow with people meeting and surpassing their needs. This article I looked at talks about the different areas in design.
Sustainability will be a big area that design will have to grow to meet, we all need to be altering what we create to make it more environmentally friendly. We all have an impact on the planet and as a designer works are seen, held, and touched by how consciously they have been made will have an impact and influence the users. One small way we have started doing this is by designing more and more with the dark mode in mind as there are studies that suggest that it is more environmentally friendly. It will make a difference if the phone is on auto brightness as well as when on dark mode and auto brightness it will only be 3 to 9% saved but if there is no auto brightness it will be up to 47%. The dark mode also has the positive impact of being more accessible overall to people with visual impairments and visual processing disorders who find it easier to understand.
https://www.valtech.com/en-gb/blog/does-dark-mode-win-on-sustainability-and-accessibility/
Augmented reality and virtual reality are also some of the leading areas for the future of design. It can allow designs to be viewed very differently showing how design will fit seamlessly into our lives. An example of this is from Ikea which allows the furniture to be seen through your phone, in your space. This form of augmented reality will be becoming more and more popular, it is already accurate with 98% accuracy in your room.
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Reflection on my research - When it comes to creating my own portfolio a simpler straightforward design will create a really effective portfolio, that can be easily navigated and understood. When looking at future of design small changes will be really important to creating the biggest impact and we will have to adapt to the new technology available.
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