Back on track

Overall, I feel gratified with the results of my first assignment and enthusiastic that the new one can only be better now I have established a benchmark. To summarise the feedback I received yesterday, it was identified that:

• Supplementary written analysis was required on the hosting comparisons;
• My submission should have been in the correct order, (production schedule and timesheet’s behind the budget statement);
• A Domain name with authenticity was a requirement;
• Visual aids could have been used more effectively to represent type size options;
• C.G.I and JavaScript should have been identified as assets;
• I should have kept to just four robust goals;
• The Blogger should not include personal details.

Until yesterday, I had only created a proposed production schedule, organised my personal website and associated email. I felt cheated last week due to the incidental sympathetic, yet sombre atmosphere that followed the results, which implicated directly on my lack of focus on the new assignment. As a result of these unforeseen circumstances, I am now a week behind schedule. I feel that by re-aligning a schedule to focus on at least five explanations of computer terminology a day should bring me back on track.

These are my targets for the week ahead:

1. To research at least five terminologies a day - Recording all notes in sketchbook and summarise findings into 50 words;
2. Post comments on fellow students bloggers (4 minimum), before midnight Friday;
3. Research silver surfer statistics and chosen a couple of sites to start my competitive analysis;
4. Collect images relating to some of the terminologies with full copyright permissions.

The following quotes will inspire me to achieve my future goals:

Lord Chesterfield
“Aim at perfection in everything, though in most things it is unattainable. However, they who aim at it, and persevere, will come much nearer to it than those whose laziness and despondency make them give it up as unattainable”.

The British Army adage “the 6 Ps”
Prior Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance

The day of reflection

Prior to my presentation about yellow, I introduced myself to fellow students. I found this a great opportunity to put actual people to the bloggers I had read. Although the presentation went well, I would have preferred to present it to the whole class.

From the jovial atmosphere in the morning the afternoon seemed quite sombre after receiving the results from the “That’s the Plan” assignment. If I were an HND student, I would have been referred, however I passed at Merit level. Whilst I am pleased with the result, my thoughts are with those who have been referred.

Today has been a stressful experience more than the anticipation of the results from yesterday, as I had to take my son to Sheffield Children’s Hospital for his MAG3 Scan. Unfortunately this incurred my son being radioactive and therefore my pregnant wife was unable to assist in caring for him. I had planned for an interview at the agency The Book, in Leeds, rather than rescheduling the appointment, I enlisted the help of parents who were more than happy to assist much to my appreciation. The interview went well, and the agency will forward my details to respective employers.

Reading Week

First thing on Monday, I emailed Steve to identify the reading week task. In response he revealed, my reading task would be to research the colour ‘Yellow’. Through the means of a short presentation, I am required to communicate the cultural affects, psychologies interpretations and symbolism associated with the colour yellow.

I feel all colours have both positive and negative meanings that are subjective to personal interpretation. Identifying several interpretations should allow me to generate facts for the handouts and presentation. Since I am not sure what version of PowerPoint is on the computers at college, I will avoid incompatibility issues and create a pdf from Adobe InDesign instead. Designing my handouts around the objects associated with the colour will hopefully create a fun memorable experience. I am really looking forward to learning about the other colours from my fellow students.

In conclusion, my tasks this week include:

1. Researching my chosen colour
2. Preparing a pdf presentation with associated handouts
3. Practising my presentation against the clock, start and finish strong, speak clearly, make eye contact
4. Implementing communication guidelines to all future journals
5. Get hosting set-up and working
6. Printing off production schedule and copy the new assignment for Monday

Dig for Fire

This week, I utilised the Internet to research a company called “Dig for Fire” and quizzed Emma Thomson, Freelance Specialist, at The Book in preparation for today’s interview. The Book is a recruitment company that exclusively deals with creative jobs. In conclusion, “Dig for Fire” are an amalgamation of two established companies, Scope Creative and Paradigm, under the umbrella of Digital Marketing Group plc. Dig for Fire are now the largest direct marketing agency operating out of London, with an extensive blue chip client list.

Initially, I was interviewing the interviewer, not a good thing, however it probably demonstrated confidence. I felt it went well and that I answered the questions to a satisfactory level, although you can never tell as the interviewer always smiles politely. The Interviewer “Richard Waite (The Creative Group Head), confirmed that he would honour my personal development and encourage me to continue the college course. Brilliant!.

Hopefully, I will be asked back for a further interview and be offered the job. I should hear from Emma, in the next few days. Meanwhile, I now have two results to wait for:

1. Will I pass the unit?
2. Will I be asked to attend a second interview?

Only time will tell. I will keep you posted.

Good news comes in threes

Firstly, I hope you have all completed the unit on time and enjoy your break. Don’t worry about the result, we are all in it together and it is our first attempt therefore we can only improve.

This week
Tuesday of this week was a satisfying occasion; a feeling of fulfilment and elation empowered my body when I submitted my first assignment, leaving the college with a beaming smile. Now a few days later I have been short-listed for an interview at a design agency in Sheffield. It is said, “good news comes in threes”, and so I am hoping that I have passed the unit. Glad that I have got a break away from college work this week but eager to start the next assignment. In the meantime I need to get my portfolio in order and wait in anticipation of the forthcoming result.

Looking back
Prior to starting this course, I felt disappointed that I knew nothing about web design and the associated technology, to a point this is still true. In the creation of this unit, I now appreciate how usability and accessibility affects the users experiences, a vital consideration of web development. Furthermore, I now value all the methods we have used to record the progress and evidence our learning through the use of these electronic journals, sketchbooks and written reports. On first impressions, I admit I felt a little bewildered by this obsessive behaviour and did not feel at all comfortable presenting a sketchbook that didn’t have a logical order. Over time, I have managed to become less anally retentive over the methodical presentation of the sketchbook and now feel lost without it.

Points to consider next time

1. To keep a record of the Internet sites I visit and catalogue them against each element of the unit
2. Set achievable weekly targets after each tutorial and review my progress in the blogger
3. Make sure I have an adequate amount of printer consumables, since I keep running out of paper
4. Avoid the distraction of unnecessary research
5. Keep study periods within sociable hours
6. More engagement in other peoples blogs

Still deliberating over the design

Setting myself a list of targets to complete every week, I am on track to getting the unit completed for Saturday. Allowing myself one day of checking before submitting on Monday. Feeling quite apprehensive at the moment, I seem to be consistently adding bits to my web plan or tinkering with the screen design. I just need to leave everything alone and complete the evaluation report.

After carefully considering everyone comments, find below the current screen designs.

My main target audience is a 68 year old retired naval officer, originally from New Zealand. Diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis a few years ago, it has affected his co-ordination and now he has Deutanopia colour blindness; subsequently due to his condition, simple tasks like controlling the mouse or viewing information can be difficult if not on a contrasting background.

At the Library, he uses a PC with a broadband connection and is on-line communicating with other people with the same condition or gathering research about maritime history. At home, he’s on a 56k modem, he is frustrated when poor navigation sends him down the wrong path and similar to a teenager would rather visit another site than wait for a site to download.

Bearing in mind the target audience, please could you think of any suggested improvements?.

What are your thoughts about this design?

With still plenty to do, it is important for me to stick to the production chart. Recent modification should allow me to avoid getting distracted, by learning about usability issues that are not necessarily related to the assessment criteria and focus my effort to completing the unit. To complete the unit, I will need to cross reference my work against the assessment criteria and finalise my web plan and evaluation report.

It was gratifying this week to receive some feedback from other learners about my blogs, especially comments to support my sketches. Taking much longer than original expected, please see below my version 6 – screen design with feedback form.



What are your thoughts about this design?
Prompt constructive responses would be very much appreciated.