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REPORT

This week, I was mainly getting prepared for my upcoming DES301 assignments; a project proposal presentation and ethics module document. I completed my presentation slides, which also consisted of a mood board to present the aesthetic I am going for with my project, presented to my class and stream lecturer Diana, and completed my ethics module document outlining the ethical considerations I have understood before progressing my research. Moreover, thanks to Roma's suggestions, I cleaned up my Miroboard's visual presentation by making the columns wider and placing borders around my content.

Beyond finishing assignment tasks, I have delved into my inspiration phase by creating interview questions and a Card Sort, consisting of abstract ideas sorted by participants to gather insights on their priorities, which I will conduct with my peers next week (IDEO.org, 2024); I have considered de-identifying their information to minimize any harm to their future personal and professional ambitions. In my spare time, I also decided to write up a participant information sheet (PIS) derived from the Health and Disability Ethics Committees (HDEC) template in case it was required for me to conduct my interviews ethically (Health and Disability Ethics Committees, 2023). 

RESPONDING

I experienced a mix of emotions this week due to the challenges of time pressure. I was unhappy with my mood board because I felt that it didn't convey a vibe to my stream, but at the same time, I'm not sure what kind of vibe my outcome should look like; I am just glad that I managed to create something to present to my class instead of showing up empty-handed. Due to my poor time management skills, I had left myself with an hour before finishing my slides (due on midnight of the 12th of August). Consequently, the aesthetics of my slides had been severely hindered, and this made me feel a sense of imposter syndrome as a final-year design student. 

However, the silver lining to this issue was the relief that I got all my content into my presentation slides. Diana praised me for hitting all the brief points and said I needed to improve the aesthetics and content placement. Furthermore, I am so glad I finished my ethics module document; it was a lot more enjoyable than I thought it would be because I could exercise my academic writing. Thanks to utilizing Notion's note-taking platform and preparation, I completed my ethics writing within a day (Notion, 2024). Additionally, Roma's advice to clean up my Miroboard was constructive because my peers thought it looked much cleaner and more straightforward for marking purposes. Lastly, I enjoyed creating the Card Sort for my project, and purposefully made it more abstract to follow IDEO.org's method of gathering more substantial insights from research participants (IDEO.org, 2024).

RELATING

Firstly, I realise that I tend to leave myself with insufficient time to complete my assignments satisfactorily due to my poor time management skills. This terrible habit, formed since my second year studying at University, is a consequence of my shift in personal discipline and prioritising what I do outside of University, such as part-time work and sporting hobbies. 

Secondly, presenting to my peers and Diana was the first time I felt comfortable explaining my ideas alone. I believe this stems from understanding all the parts of my project, which usually is not the case when I am involved in a group project. Previously, I would struggle with my body language and composure, but I had more faith in my presenting abilities and project, which was able to change that this time. Moreover, the design programme has uplifted my public speaking skills by having each paper consist of at least two presentation assignments.

Thirdly, the ethics writing document helped me revise my academic writing, which I practised thoroughly when primarily taking business papers. The style I wrote in for the assignment made me grateful for my previous experiences, as it provided me with the skills and knowledge for the document of ethics modules. These feelings are the same when writing my blogs, as I incorporate APA 7th referencing and follow a writing structure.
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REASONING

Completing my ethics module document was one of this week's most significant aspects. Academic writing is vital in the design course, especially the capstone papers, as the report, blogs, and assignments require each student to practice writing descriptions and arguments using APA 7th referencing. According to Kriukova (2020), studying academic writing plays a significant role in exchanging educational insights and thoughts between students, lecturers, and researchers. Applying an integrated approach fosters favourable conditions for students to develop their critical thinking and creative abilities, promoting self-expression and self-affirmation. It can be argued that this method is essential for design because the programme relies heavily on each student expressing their ideas through theory to score highly.

Another important aspect of this week was creating my set of interview questions. I have based my questions on a semi-structured interview to gather rich data. Mohamad & Shoozan (2024) believe that reality is based on subjectivity, and therefore, views and perceptions must be explored by researchers through participants' past experiences to create new knowledge. The authors delved into the Interview Protocol Refine (IPR) Framework developed by Castillo-Montoya (2016), which I used as a guide for my questions. The framework focuses on four phases:
 

  1. Ensuring interview questions align with research questions,

     

  2. Constructing an inquiry-based conversation,

  3. Receiving feedback on interview protocols,

  4. Piloting the interview protocol.
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Phases one and two influenced me the most and helped ensure that my questions were relevant to my project. I also learned how to conduct my interview so interviewees feel socially comfortable.

RECONSTRUCTING

​Based on my previous reflection stages, I have learnt that I need to ensure sufficient time to complete my assignments thoroughly, as my mood board and presentation slides suffered due to this. To do this, I will begin working towards my assignments weeks in advance, spreading out the workload so that the final days before the deadlines are not a sprint. This will also require me to cut back on my personal ambitions; I tend to make terrible opportunity cost decisions as I fall into my feelings instead of logic. Once I train in this habit, it will prepare me with better work discipline when I join the workforce. 

REFERENCES

Castillo-Montoya, M. (2016). Preparing for Interview Research: The Interview Protocol Refinement Framework. The         
         Qualitative Report, 21(5), 811-831. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2016.2337
Health and Disability Ethics Committees. (2023). Participant Information Sheet templates.
          https://ethics.health.govt.nz/guides-templates-and-forms/participant-information-sheet-templates
IDEO.org. (2024). Card Sort. Design Kit. https://www.designkit.org/methods/card-sort.html
Kriukova, O. (2020). English - Language Academic Writing in the Context of Academic Mobility. Journal of Danubian
          Studies and Research, 10(1). https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/english-language-academic-writing-
          context/docview/2769616426/se-2
Mohamad, M., & Shoozan, A. (2024). Application of Interview Protocol Refinement Framework in Systematically
          Developing and Refining a Semi-structured Interview Protocol. SHS Web of Conferences, 182.
          https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/202418204006
Notion. (2024). Write. Plan. Organize. https://www.notion.so/product

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