SELF-DIRECTED AND CONTINUOUS LEARNING
Self-Directed learning is still an important competency for me. In my previous education there was not so much freedom in choosing your program and project direction as there is at Industrial Design. Doing research is putting my self directed learning abilities to the test. It is difficult to make iterations, because I want my work to be right the first time.
Sometimes you are spending more time on reflecting than on actually doing something. I like the way of learning and freedom, because I can define my own project-boundaries which makes the work I do more of my own and not something that I have to do for someone else.
Activities:
TaRSCI - project
Interactive Materiality - module
COMPETENCIES
CREATIVITY AND AESTHETICS
Creativity and Aesthetics is an area that I enjoy. During my previous studies I learned a lot about the process of generating ideas, picking the best ones and turn them into useful concepts. This semester I learned to analyse and use the qualities from other arts and cultures in the design process. Working together in group of three, of which one Chinese student, was a very educative experience and also taught me to appreciate values from other cultures.
Activities:
Poetry in Design - module
TECHNOLOGY AND REALIZATION
Technology and Realization was developed during all activities and mostly in the realization of the prototypes. All activities involved the making of prototypes with complex mechanically moving parts. For Interactive Materiality we made an interface that responds differently depending on the way people touch it. The challenge lies in working with materials that behave differently than you would expect.
Activities:
TaRSCI - project
Interactive Materiality - module
Poetry in Design - module
USER AND SOCIETY
User and Society was developed during the module Poetry in Design. Cultural differences take an important role in this module. I have learned that symbolism behind words or subjects in China are different from the Dutch. This knowledge opens new perspectives when dealing with other societies than the western society.
Activities:
Poetry in Design - module
DESIGN AND RESEARCH PROCESSES
Design and Research Processes was developed during my project and two modules. The module Interactive Materiality started of with an intensive literary exploration. It was a difficult, but educative experience to find the differences and commonalities in the provided literature and write a review on the different relations to the topic. The most important learning experience is being methodical while doing this literature study, because I quickly lost the overview.
Activities:
TaRSCI - project
Interactive Materiality - module
Poetry in Design - module
TEAMWORK and Communication
Teamwork was developed most during the module Poetry in Design. This team worked well together and we complemented each other. There was no clear leader, but switched to take charge following each persons expertise. In the team of Interactive Materiality I felt like my skills were not sufficient to the work I was required to do, although I proved useful in making the prototype.
Interactive Materiality - module
Activities:
Poetry in Design - module