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This talk was one in which I gained a new perspective for the uses of design. I always had a linear plan when it came to a career in design. Study - Job - and that was sort of it! When introduced to some really simple but effective projects surrounding conscience I realised that changing the world wasn’t as impossible as it sounds. The project which hit me hardest was one created by designers and developers to hop over the firewall China has pushed onto its’ citizens. It uses clever design to avoid the cyber police and utilises code to allow the Chinese people to access a VPN which will bypass the firewall which blocks so many pieces of content from the rest of the world. The project was so smart in its’ outreach, using areas such as airports to reach the people of China without actually being in the country. But the general concept was so simple. Use design to get past authority - be a bit naughty! I think that would be the takeaway from this talk in general.

I also think it was important to talk about violence and the internet, especially when it came to radicalisation. Instagram for example, has an algorithm which is not actively shutting down organisations based on radicalisation, and hearing facts such as that made me realise that the average person (such as a designer), sometimes has to be the one to encourage change.

I realised that I didn’t NEED anything to insight change I want to see, I have creativity and that is all. Hearing about projects made by students allowed me to dream a little bigger when it came to being a conscious designer. I always assumed I’d be trapped behind massive corporate companies but actually, feeling the freedom of being a designer made me realise they need me, not visa versa!

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This talk was one in which I did not know what to expect. The three speakers all had such different paths within the industry and it was interesting to hear about their points of view.

I don’t think I considered the need for context and experiences as much as I do now. As a designer I can get caught up in trying to create X, Y and Z without looking further into a concept. These people stepped back, away from their projects and workplace and did things that inspired them, jumping into ideas that had no guarantee of working. This ranged from volunteering to setting up groups for likeminded people. I found it pretty inspiring to hear from people who started off with nothing and simply followed what they wanted to do instead of what they felt they needed to.

I also appreciated the points made about the industry and its’ potential for toxic working environments and the pressure to work ridiculous hours. Going into this career I knew I would encounter issues like this, and as someone who is currently working from home I heard what they said. This allowed me to reflect on the way I work and how I can improve this. Writing this now I am sitting in a different environment, taking me away from the desk I spend most of my day at! It has been a nice change so far. I also saw the points when it came to bosses, I work for an American company meaning I spend my late evenings speaking to them, as they have only just woken up. I realised that the time I would usually spend winding down for bed is now spent working, removing a vital part of my day. When I recognised that during this talk, I decided to take more responsibility and only work appropriate hours, being more stern about that with my employers. Sometimes we need time to relax! This talk showed me that focussing on studio life 24/7 wont produce inspired and interesting work, it will do the opposite! I was really happy to reflect on this and apply it to my real world situation.

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This talk was probably the closest topic to my course (Advertising and Brand Design), out of the 3 I attended. I really liked gaining an insight into the future thinking side of the industry. I wasn’t sure how companies decided what trends they would set and follow. That was where WGSN came in for me!

They gave me time to think about the products I interact with as an individual and this pushed me to form a sort of hierarchy when it came to these items. I found it funny that I forgot to write down my phone and Ipad initially! (Two things I NEVER put down).  I really liked the fact that the talk simplified the idea of trend forecasting down into a few basic concepts. WGSN specifically look two years down the line when it comes to their clients and this shocked me. I always looked at trends as ‘now’ not the future.

As well as working with clients, the massive collection of free vector and 3D graphics that WGSN provide was astonishing to a student like me (Who cant pay 100 dollars for a 3D model!). This spoke volumes about the future of visualisation and I could tell that this brand really wanted the future trend forecasters to have access to assets to allow them to do their job. It was definitely a discovery of a priceless resource for me as an ABD student.

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Unhealthy Structures Within The Industry

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Unhealthy Structures Within The Industry

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Dont start a studio start a … : Breakdown!

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Dont start a studio start a … : Breakdown!