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Looking at where I was at the beginning of this semester to where I am now, I can honestly say that I have never felt more accomplished in this major. During our first class, we wrote down our individual design goals for the semester and also answered questions to see which type of personality we had. At first, I did not think anything of this and saw it as a mere way to introduce the class. However, as the semester has progressed, I have been able to understand why design goals and where our personality fits in as value. On the spectrum, I was the mediator. I tend to want to please everyone and can see both sides of the story. This seems like it would be a great attribute, however, there were times during the semester where I felt my design voice would get lost. There would also be times where being the mediator helped the group move forward.
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As far as my design goals, I wanted to communicate my ideas more clearly, know which direction I want to go in design, and learn rhino. Until now, I have not really thought about these design goals; but I now realize that I have accomplished more in this semester than I realized. I think I have grown as a designer, and learned how to balance my natural “people-pleaser self” with a confident person. This has helped me communicate ideas and let others know of my abilities.
Throughout the course of this semester, one lesson that will remain with me is to constantly design. This process should never have a start or finish, but rather a continuous process. For the first phase of Jenga, I thought too much about the design rather than producing any work leaving a project where final deliverables were rushed and not thought out. This became a decreasing problem as the semester continued. I learned that designing and producing work should happen simultaneously and nothing should be left until last minute.
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My experience with group work has varied through this semester. At first, I did not know how to balance all the many deliverable with the many floating ideas of other peers and produce work on a timely manner, However, my favorite group experience was Jenga 4.0 where we worked in teams of three again. The first iteration of teams of three was successful, but the second time we were more familiar with how each individual worked and able to create a strong design. Teams of six was not as hectic of a transition than thought. We actually produced great work where many of our design voices were seen. However, I felt like my voice was heard more in teams of three. The final phase of Jenga was intense with a team of 12 people. Though, I focused my attention on interior components, I felt the design was never truly accomplished. In teams of 12, it was difficult to please every person, and the design did not move along. In the future, I will remember that teams of three are effective. Teams change and this requires a flexibility from each person to ensure a job well done.
Looking at all the sheets of paper from this semester, there have been many opportunities to grow as a writer. As I have mentioned before, I think writing often gets overlooked and not given as much thought. I think writing is an important aspect of design. Many times our writing clarifies our work. My favorite writing assignment was when we wrote the narrative of our space. This was a whole new process for me but moved my design along. I think brainstorming ideas and writing about design can help it seem more real rather than just a thought.
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As a designer, my skills in presentation have most definitely improved. My digital work has come a long way from the sloppy cardboard models I turned in for Jenga 1.0. Though I am not proud of the work I turned in at the beginning, it is exciting to see how much I can accomplish in the course of one semester. Through critiques and cross training, I have acquired many new skills. I feel confident moving forward in this major as a third year student. I think my design voice still yields to community design, but I am most rewarded by all the valuable knowledge and experiences from this semester. I may have been the one who almost got away but I have grown as a designer and a person.
