15.05.2023 - 01.07.2023 / Week 7 - Week 13
Yung Siew Weng / 0339847
Design Research Dissertation /
Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media
Project 2 / Visual Design Final Dissertation
LECTURES
#WEEK 7
DRD LECTURES #7 : Visual Design Final Dissertation Briefing
#Important Notes :
1. Visual Design Preparation
➜ Read the copy, understand the topic you are about to design.
➜ Prepare your template
➜ Plan on your outline
➜ Make sure the images that taken from web is free copyright.
2. Navigation
➜ make sure the dissertation publication is navigable. There are some elements that showed be included in the publication so that your reader will not getting lose :
- Page Number
- Chapter / Section Titles at the top of pages
- Table of contents
- Add in a full spread
- Consistent colour schemes and patterns, make sure you working in CYMK
3. Typography
➜ Your main header font is the only font that you want to use a creative/ artistic font for. Beware of Papyrus and Comic Sans as a clean font such as san serif like Arial, Helvetica, Avenir Next, or IBM Plex Sans or classic font like Garamond, Georgia, and Sabon Nextis are recommended.
➜ Font Size :
- Large Headers (30 pt or above)
- Primary Headers (16 - 24 pt)
- Sub-headers (12 pt, Bold)
- Body copy (10 - 12 pt, Regular)
- Footnote/ Page Count (8 pt)
#WEEK 8
#WEEK 9 - 11
Project 2: Visual Design & Final Dissertation
MODULE INFORMATION
Design Research Dissertation - Project 2: Visual Design & Final Dissertation
INSTRUCTION
We, students are required to design the publication of the dissertation. The concept of the publication must be relevant to the research topic. Since the e-publication format is expected, page layout, publication size, font, font size, are predetermined by the lecturer. Best to keep at A5 size in case the programme requires printing them in hardcopy format for any future audit or MQA accreditation process purpose. Other design considerations are to be made by the student, guided by the lecturer during tutorials.
The dissertation cover should have the title of the research, along with the student's name. The following must be found behind the title page:
• Student's full name (as appear in the registry)
• Student number
• The Design School at Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
• Design Research Dissertation (DIS60304)
• Bachelor of Design Creative Media
• Semester intake
• Date of submission
EXPLORATION
After completing the draft dissertation, I embarked on the exploration of the visual design concept. Due to time constraints, I found myself creating the mood board at the last minute. Fortunately, I had the opportunity to visit and gather inspiration from Eslite Spectrum, The Starhill, during my visit last month. Upon reviewing the images I captured, I was able to finalise a new design ideation that aligns well with my research study.
Fig 1.1 Visual Exploration (week 3/ 19.04.2023)
For the visual design of my dissertation, I have defined the following elements:
#Typography: a roundish, e-commerce font for the overall text, complemented by a handwritten typeface for table diagrams. This combination adds a unique touch to the design while maintaining readability.
#Style: a minimalist and simple visual style. This approach ensures a clean and uncluttered presentation of the content, allowing readers to focus on the key information.
#Color Scheme: Orangey tones, white and black. The similar colour of both Amazon and Shopee is within orange.
#Graphics Concept: Wireframe to high-fidelity e-commerce icons/ UI elements to effectively represent the ideation of UI/UX design.
Fig 1.2 Visual Design Moodboard (week 8/ 28.05.2023)
Feedback _ week 9 / 29.05.2023
General Feedback :
1. It is recommended to interpret the traditional publication layouts, it is common to have a transition page following the cover page that maintains a consistent visual theme or elements from the cover.
2. It is recommended to have 3-4 different fonts with different varieties of type family to interpret in the full context.
1. It is recommended to interpret the traditional publication layouts, it is common to have a transition page following the cover page that maintains a consistent visual theme or elements from the cover.
2. It is recommended to have 3-4 different fonts with different varieties of type family to interpret in the full context.
Specific Feedback :
1. For the article title, you can play around with the hierarchy. First with UI/UX, 2nd line with e-commerce, 3rd line might be Shopee and Amazon.
2. Sometimes it is boring when your design is too consistent, so for your idea, you may interpret both static and 3D versions into your design concept.
3. When deciding on text alignment, ensure there is a clear reason behind your choice.
4. Explore different fonts, sizes, and styles to find the best combination that aligns with your visual concept and enhances the overall appeal of your article.
After brainstorming and conceptualising the visual design for my cover book, I began working on bringing my ideas to life using Adobe Illustrator (AI). However, I faced some challenges in translating my wireframe and 3D concepts into the actual book cover design. I took a few days to seek inspiration and stumbled upon a Shopee delivery box that I had received. This sparked an idea to incorporate the company logo using the box, but I felt that it might be too plain to just have a box on the cover.
To gain further insights into the design concepts of both Shopee and Amazon, I turned to Instagram and explored their official pages to examine their designs. During my search, I came across a post by Amazon featuring a text popping out from a box. This discovery inspired me to create a box on the cover with various icons, including sketched, wireframe, flat design, and 3D icons, popping out from it.
Instead of the box idea, I took inspiration from an image from Dribbble, and thinking of creating the book cover with multiple icon grouping together.
Fig 1.3 Coverpage Design Ideation (week 10/ 07.06.2023)
After finalizing the book cover design, I decided to create some content pages in Adobe Illustrator (AI) first instead of directly using InDesign, prior to seeking approval. For the table of contents page, I initially drew inspiration from a user journey map concept I found on Pinterest. However, upon considering the length of the text in my context, I realized that this concept wouldn't work effectively. Therefore, I spent some time exploring ideas and eventually came up with the concept of using the pen tool to create a hand-drawn effect for the numbers, giving it a more designed and randomly sketched appearance.
Furthermore, while initially planning to use the DM Sans type family for both the headings and body text, I felt that it might become monotonous throughout the book. As a result, I decided to introduce my current favorite handwritten typeface, Bakso Sapi, for the headings while still using DM Sans for the body text. This choice might able to add a touch of variation and visual interest to the typography within the book.
Fig 1.3 Coverpage Design Ideation (week 10/ 07.06.2023)
Feedback _ week 10 / 09.06.2023
General Feedback :
2. Having the copyright page with Taylor’s University Press.
3. Page numbers only occurred from the introduction page.
4. Keep the words in the table smaller than the body text.
Specific Feedback :
1.
2. Be careful with the typography; if you don’t do the justified alignment, make sure the curve outline is effective.
3. Don’t do everything in Illustrator; make sure you do the design in Adobe InDesign.
After receiving feedback and certification on the visual design, I embarked on the development phase using Adobe InDesign. However, my progress was slightly slower this week due to the need to re-familiarize myself with the software. I hadn't used Adobe InDesign since my Advanced Typography class in December.
I dedicated some time to refreshing my knowledge and skills in constructing layouts within the software. It dawned on me that I had duplicated my efforts by recreating the layout sketch in Adobe Illustrator instead of utilizing InDesign from the start. Despite this setback, I made the best of the situation and focused on completing as much as possible. So far, I have only managed to complete the first page of the introduction section.
Fig 1.4 Visual Design Development #W10 (week 11/ 12.06.2023)
Feedback _ week 11 / 12.06.2023
General Feedback :
Specific Feedback :
1.
2. Sometimes you need to play around with the text and leading especially for the single column arrangements.
3. Ensure you have relevant keywords listed under the abstract section.
4. Avoid the hyphens in justified alignment.
5.You don't have to strictly alternate between one orange and one white page. You can use variations of off-white or even grey.
After receiving feedback, I proceeded with my development in Adobe InDesign. Recognizing that I had more content to work on compared to others, I aimed to increase my productivity to avoid falling behind. However, I encountered some unforeseen issues that consumed a significant amount of my time and even affected my sleep schedule, resulting in a sleepless day. Unfortunately, these unexpected challenges prevented me from achieving my goal of completing Section 5 by the end of the week as initially planned.
Fig 1.5 Visual Design Development #W11 (week 12/ 19.06.2023)
Feedback _ week 12 / 19.06.2023
General Feedback :
1. For people who exceed 100 pages, may consider changing the “section” to “chapter".
Specific Feedback :
1.
2. You can consider including the barcode on the back cover of the book.
For Section 1.3 of the final dissertation, based on the feedback received, I made further amendments to address the comments provided. However, I encountered challenges during this week (week 12) due to increased stress and limited time. As a result, I faced difficulties in accelerating the overall progress of completing my visual design publication.
Fig 1.6 Final Dissertation _ Amendment (week 12/ 25.06.2023)
Fig 1.7 Visual Design Development #W12 (week 13/ 26.06.2023)
During the week 13 class session, we received feedback on our Final Dissertation :
Feedback _ week 13 / 26.06.2023
Specific Feedback :
1.
2. Ensure consistency in language, whether British English or American English.
3. Add RO and RQ behind Section 1.3, Research Objectives and Research Questions.
4. Remove the methodology part from the research conceptual framework.
5. Your literature review is clear and easy to understand.
6. Add the phrase "qualitative data" below the headings in all sections of Section 3.1, and "quantitative data" below the headings in all sections of Section 3.2.
7. Use alphabetical numbering instead of numerical for the percentages.
8. Enlarge the figure to improve readability.
9. Include subheadings to indicate the appendices.
10. Interpret the data findings.
After received the feedback from Dr. Hayati, I proceed my journey to make necessary amendments based on the feedback and finalise all the information in order to submit into Turnitin.
Fig 1.8 Final Dissertation (week 13/ 26.06.2023)
Fig 1.9 Final Dissertation, Word Count (week 13/ 26.06.2023)
After all the data and contexts were completed and finalised, double-check for any errors, inconsistencies or formatting issues, I proceed to the Turnitin Submission )) THIS IS VERY EXCITING BUT NERVOUS - due to the fact it's finally a rap, but will be under "deep hole" if the index similarities had passed 15%.
Fig 1.10 Final Dissertation _ Turnitin Report (week 13/ 27.06.2023)
After the Turnitin Report had resulted, I was glad and distressed (a bit) that my index similarities was not hitting the point. Also, from my preview, I think of the 5% similarities was only about the "common phrases" that might be used in general dissertation or paper. After the happiness of the report, I continued to my "snow-balling" visual design publication. As part of the amendment process, I had to reconstruct the structure of my document in Adobe InDesign. This was necessary to accommodate the additional content and add-ons specifically related to the Data Findings and Analysis section (section 3.0) of the dissertation.
Fig 1.11 Final Visual Design Publication, PDF (week 13/ 01.07.2023)
Fig 1.12 Visual Design Publication, FlipHTML5 (week 13/ 01.07.2023)
FlipHTML5 Link : https://online.fliphtml5.com/kcdkr/ltmw/
FEEDBACK
Week 9 / 29.05.2023 @ Visual Design Moodboard
General Feedback :
1. It is recommended to interpret the traditional publication layouts, it is common to have a transition page following the cover page that maintains a consistent visual theme or elements from the cover.
2. It is recommended to have 3-4 different fonts with different varieties of type family to interpret in the full context.
1. It is recommended to interpret the traditional publication layouts, it is common to have a transition page following the cover page that maintains a consistent visual theme or elements from the cover.
2. It is recommended to have 3-4 different fonts with different varieties of type family to interpret in the full context.
Specific Feedback :
1. For the article title, you can play around with the hierarchy. First with UI/UX, 2nd line with e-commerce, 3rd line might be Shopee and Amazon.
2. Sometimes it is boring when your design is too consistent, so for your idea, you may interpret both static and 3D versions into your design concept.
3. When deciding on text alignment, ensure there is a clear reason behind your choice.
4. Explore different fonts, sizes, and styles to find the best combination that aligns with your visual concept and enhances the overall appeal of your article.
Week 10 / 09.06.2023 @ Draft Visual Design
General Feedback :
2. Having the copyright page with Taylor’s University Press.
3. Page numbers only occurred from the introduction page.
4. Keep the words in the table smaller than the body text.
Specific Feedback :
1.
2. Be careful with the typography; if you don’t do the justified alignment, make sure the curve outline is effective.
3. Don’t do everything in Illustrator; make sure you do the design in Adobe InDesign.
Week 11 / 12.06.2023 @ Visual Design
General Feedback :
Specific Feedback :
1.
2. Sometimes you need to play around with the text and leading especially for the single column arrangements.
3. Ensure you have relevant keywords listed under the abstract section.
4. Avoid the hyphens in justified alignment.
5.You don't have to strictly alternate between one orange and one white page. You can use variations of off-white or even grey.
Week 12 / 19.06.2023 @ Visual Design + Final Dissertation
General Feedback :
Specific Feedback :
1.
2. You can consider including the barcode on the back cover of the book.
Week 13 / 26.06.2023 @ Final Dissertation
Specific Feedback :
1.
2. Ensure consistency in language, whether British English or American English.
3. Add RO and RQ behind Section 1.3, Research Objectives and Research Questions.
4. Remove the methodology part from the research conceptual framework.
5. Your literature review is clear and easy to understand.
6. Add the phrase "qualitative data" below the headings in all sections of Section 3.1, and "quantitative data" below the headings in all sections of Section 3.2.
7. Use alphabetical numbering instead of numerical for the percentages.
8. Enlarge the figure to improve readability.
9. Include subheadings to indicate the appendices.
10. Interpret the data findings.
REFLECTION
Week 9
During this week, my main focus was on developing the cover book design, as I believed that finalising the concept for the cover would be a crucial step in furthering my overall progress. Throughout the development process, I faced both challenges and moments of inspiration. Initially, I struggled with translating my conceptual ideas into tangible designs. However, I was fortunate to find inspiration when I received a delivery box from Shopee.
By exploring real-world objects and studying the designs of other companies, I was able to gather inspiration and find creative solutions. This allowed me to refine my concepts and make progress. Overall, the key takeaway from this week is the importance of conducting research to generate new ideas. Sometimes, ideas may feel stuck, but with perseverance and exploration, inspiration can be found.
Week 10
During this week, my progress was slightly slower than expected as I focused on the task of importing elements from Illustrator to InDesign. This process proved to be a bit time-consuming as it felt like doing double the work. Additionally, I realized the importance of paying attention to the alignment and typography aspects, which required careful consideration and adjustments.
Week 11
Reflecting on my progression for the visual design of my dissertation this week, I really planned to commit a whole weekend to relentless work on my visual design as my edition seemed to be double or triple than the others. Unfortunately, the presence of a team from other modules proved to be a hindrance, causing a significant slowdown in progress. I found myself spending an entire day rectifying the troubles and shouldering people’s responsibilities, resulting in a failure to complete my own dissertation visual design as originally planned. It was frustrating to experience this man-made issue, as it disrupted the flow of my work and had continuously led to the snowballing effect.
Week 12
For this week, I had experienced high levels of stress and panic due to the overwhelming number of assignments. This semester has proven to be exceptionally demanding, leaving me feeling overwhelmed and stretched thin. I find myself surviving on a mere 2-3 hours of sleep each night, pushing myself to remain energetic and productive despite the exhaustion. Unfortunately, this week has been particularly challenging as I have once again fallen victim to the snowball effect caused by my time limitations. The constant influx of tasks and deadlines has left me feeling like I am constantly playing catch-up, with no end in sight. It's as if there simply aren't enough hours in a day to tackle everything that needs to be done. Gosh.. I wish I had 48 hours per day or 10 days per week :)
Week 13
This week, after receiving feedback and completing the Turnitin submission, I can finally take a breath of relief. Seeing that my index similarities were below 15% in the Turnitin report allows me to relax a bit, knowing that the process will be smoother from here on out. I had been worried about the possibility of exceeding the similarity requirement, as I had put in my full efforts into creating this dissertation paper. Being someone who dislikes reading lengthy texts, the entire journey from the design research methodology to the current stage has been a challenge for me. I was anxious about the outcome, fearing that it might not meet expectations.
Fortunately, despite the excitement and pressure of having only one attempt for the Turnitin submission, I passed without any major issues in the index similarity. The similarities that were detected were likely common phrases or other contextual elements. I am grateful that the outcome turned out well, and I also received praise from Dr. Hayati for my dissertation writing. It was unexpected as I myself was unsure of what I was writing about. The entire process felt like a blur, as most of my work was done during late-night hours. It almost feels like a different personality was writing this dissertation paper. Even now, I can hardly believe that I have successfully completed a 32,000-word dissertation. Yet, I am really proud of myself and I raise a toast to my achievement. CHEERS! (OK, for this, I can brag for one year. HAHA 😈)
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