Design Studies: Summer Reading Material & Other Plans

Part of our last assignment for the year with regards to Design Studies is to identify 5 books I will read as a result of this module, 5 things I want to do to my blog etc. and 5 people I will make contact with.

These include (and have already purchased some):

- Blink - a book by Malcolm Gladwell, the author of first semesters read "The Tipping Point".

- Semiotics: A Graphic Guide by Paul Cobley, as I found semiotics very interesting.

- Designing Infographics by Eric Meyer, I have become increasingly interested in infographics and data visualisations as a result of several paths during Design Studies and would like to learn how to incorporate this clean presentation style into my future projects.

- I plan on investing in several of the books in the series for my course anyway, however Basics Design offer one called Design Thinking, which is something I need to consider more deeply, namely the user and the effect a design can have on it's surroundings as often we get caught up on the aesthetics only (stemming from reading about ethnography).

- Wordpress for Dummies by Lisa Sabin-Wilson. This sort of leads me into my next top 5 catagory of what I plan to do over summer, and as you tell, regards moving over to Wordpress very slowly but surely.

All of these are available on www.amazon.co.uk.

The 5 things I plan to do over summer are:

As I am already an avid blogger and tweeter, I have not added these to my list as it is something I already regularly do.

- I do plan however, to move from Blogger to Wordpress over summer, and archive my posts.

- Finances permitting, I'd also like to take a short trip to The Netherlands to visit, along with visiting Norway (which is already booked), allowing me to visit their Architecture & Design Museum, as well as possibly visiting a Jewellery exhibition as I plan to travel with JMD student(s).

- Complete my LinkedIn profile and begin to use this more thoroughly.

- Organise my Flickr account into a more manageable system, along with updating it with recent albums.

- And finally, StumbleUpon more things every day - and as a result try to blog about a new find at least once weekly.

Finally, 5 people I would like to make contact with:

- HKU Utrecht if I am lucky enough to be invited to apply directly to them for an exchange opportunity.

- Continue to follow people on Twitter, while always looking for new companies and designers to follow. (I currently already follow most guest lecturers from this year's lectures etc.)

- Although it would not be a new connection, I plan on staying in contact with our current 4th years, keeping up to date with their job prospects and life as IED graduates, hopefully giving me an insight into life after DJCAD.

- Aim to get published by finding an amateur online design magazine, and make contact about perhaps submitting an article.

- Get, and start using Skype - as suggested by Lauren Currie (@RedJotter) some weeks ago.

Thank You, and Goodnight!

I hope!

I'd just like to take the opportunity to say a huge thanks to Jonathan Baldwin for this years Design Studies programme.

Although we joked about the annoyances of the assignments throughout and perhaps praised guest speakers more openly - I for one have highly enjoyed the module as a whole. The lectures were far from boring (ok, I maybe nodded off during one, but for JB's sake I'll say I was out the night before), and his innovative teaching methods kept us amused like toddlers at the Zoo.

The reading material (apart from the recent excerpt from Bourdieu) has been interesting to say the least - albeit perhaps not what I would have expected. In fact, I have gone on to purchase more from Malcolm Gladwell as a result.

I suppose I'm just trying to say I'm glad I had the chance to attend this module, and think it's a great shame that the changes leave a questionable future for these specific lectures. In that respect, I feel very lucky to have been part of it.

Hopefully what I've learnt this year will set me up with the skills I need to tackle the forthcoming monstrosity that is 3rd and 4th year.

Thanks again JB (and to all the speakers that have accompanied him throughout) - you the man!

although this perhaps might be too far come graduation,
well, unless I get a 1st!

Design Studies: Through The Keyhole

As part of our second semester coursework for Design Studies, we are required to select a variety of photographs of either ourselves over the past 10 years, or our homes. I couldn't find enough pictures of me ranging through that period so have decided to put my soul on the line and expose my life and home to the digital realm of the internet.

I have a sneaky suspicion that it is to do with our set text "Snoop" by Sam Gosling - which is coincidently mentioned in the other book I'm reading at the moment as well; Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell. Snooping about my belongings apparently tells those who do not know me a lot about my personality traits. Not surprising really. 

Cue Loyd Grossman's irritating mid atlantic accent:


"So, who lives in a house like this?" - well, me. Obviously.

Ding Dong, My Books Are Here!

Malcolm Gladwell - Genius! (In my metaphorical book, anyway)

Well, I have been having a busy week indeed. 

Several things seem to have been slowed up by what appears to be almost no snow, but alas there is not much I can do about it. 

a book aiming to convince industry
to convert to an eco alternative 

Included in the slowed progress was the delivery of several items I bought online - 5 of which were books for class. We were required to purchase Snoop by Sam Gosling, Change By Design by Tim Brown, and The Back of the Napkin by Dan Roam, the latter of which was an optional read. I also ordered Cradle to Cradle by Michael Braungart and William McDonough, and another Malcolm Gladwell book - entitled Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking. Finally the remaining 4 were delivered today, awakening me from my deep slumber after a hard shift on the bar in our Student's Union. God, do students make a mess/drink a lot/are generally unpleasant! But, I must not wallow in self pity - I have books to read and things to do.

Aside from trying to keep on top of class related things, I have received permission from my landlord to paint/decorate my flat - what a silly, silly, thing to allow me to do! They will regret this I'm sure. I enlisted the help of Kirsty, a jewellery student, on the promise of pizza and a pint after work (the aforementioned hell hole of endless intoxicated students). 
Currently, I am sitting writing this post while looking at a wall that calls itself "Intensely Olive". It's not as bad as it sounds, I swear. The hall however, is purple. And when I say purple I don't mean lilac, or like purple heather, it's purple. E4 purple. Barney purple. PURPLE PURPLE, and I love it! 

In the purple hall, there will be baroque style frames all along the wall, finishing it off nicely, I hope. Finally, a house that's exactly how I want it. Not a grubby student flat, no dishes piled up and pizza boxes, no unclaimed socks in the living room, no mess, and no non-matching furniture. I may sound like a freak, but I have waited so long for this! 

I am nothing short of a real Monica Geller. And, in true Monica style, my work is never complete, so I am off to my Cath Kidston themed bathroom to continue painting! Concrete grey is next on my list for the kitchen, and lastly "Palm Springs" as a feature wall in my bedroom - that's just a fancy title for turquoise. 

All the above has just made me realise that when I read Snoop, I'm sure I will discover something about myself - as it's about as the name suggests, snooping around peoples houses to determine things about them! 

maybe it was Amazonian kittykats that caused teh book delays?