We had a discussion about how we would like to engage our reader with this publication. We think printed copy is a better option than digital. As Ian mentioned in our group tutorial, a tactile experience is more engaging. However, considering the fact that we are hand binding all books, we can only produce limited amount of printed copies. Therefore, we think create a digital ebook and link it to a site with printed QR code can give easy access to readers. All they need to do is to scan the code with their smart device, then they will be directed to the site.

We plan to distribute stickers of the QR code at the launch party and have 5 printed copies display at our booth/table.

To come up with a layout plan that works for the publication, we decided to let each person to put their own 5-6 pages together with their own layout. Then we will go over all of them to evaluate which layouts we like better to create a master layout template. That way we can all readjust our layout by picking from the master layouts to ensure the consistency within the publication.

• 

After compiling all 56 different layout options, we narrowed it down to 9 layouts in the master plan.

We agreed on constructing our own page from the template then rearrange them together. During our copy making session with Richard, he suggested that a publication should flow like a piece of music, with different rhythms and beats. It should not be too predictable. Reader should be able to navigate through the publication without being able to foresee what is coming next based on the layout patterns. Therefore, we made sure that each of us have a different way of constructing our stories, however, by choosing from the same layout template, we managed to keep the information structure the same but just we different content each time.

After the ADAS meeting, we have decided to call our publication Perspectives-Form, Space, Materials. We are going to talk about the different roles form, space and materials plays in our practice and how prioritizing them differently will produce different result. I want to create a cover that reflect the theme of the publication. So I experimented with some ideas. I first tried the idea of embossing letters, playing with ways that can incorporate all words in to the cover of our publication but I did not like how crowded it looked and how hard it is to know what is the main topic.

• 

• 

• 

Therefore, I decided to simplify my design and create a hierarchy among the text so the readers are not confused about which word is the main topic and which is the subtopic.

• 

I made a perspective drawing of simple lines forming a cube as a direct visual interpretation of the name of the publication. I used didot as the font of my choice as it is a favorite among fashion magazines for its stylish look. I played with multiple configuration and asked for suggestions from my group.

I also played with the idea that the reader could have a more tactile experience with the cover. I layered different transparent colored paper on top of each other and created a window by cutting out the shape on the cover. The idea is the reader can move the sheet and it will create different shape and color. But my team did not like this idea because it is too colorful compare to our content inside.

Today, I went back to the library to research different magazine covers to find inspirations for the design of our cover.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I found myself mostly attracted to simple design with either all text or geometric shape. Since all of our work in the publication has very different style, it is impossible to pick one element that can encompass everything. Creating a more abstract design could solve this problem. So I started to experiment with some drawings in Adobe illustrator simply by turning on the perspective grid tool and tracing the horizontal and vertical lines.

I also searched online to see if Perspectives already exist as a magazine. I had a sense there will be a design or architecture magazine already using the name. And I was right! There are so many magazines already using that name. How can we make something that is different?

• 

• 

• 

Today, after our group tutorial with Ian, we decided on our roles and divided the job among all group members.

• Copy Editor bring into style, edit, bring to word count, typeface selection

Surabhi

• Graphic Designer layout, typeface, colour, responsible for overall visual aspect, contents page

Cloe

Francesca

• Research and Pre-production possible a shared role between all-this has already been done
• Book Binding and Paper-Ned
• Cover entire design-Summer

Production Manager manage the production/final output of the publication

Event Director planning of publication ‘ Launch’ celebration-whole team

still unsure of venue- No information on it yet

Future plan

Friday Finish individual layouts and text and upload to google drive

Saturday Group meeting 10:00am

Sunday Individual work

Monday Print pages ourselves using paper we selected and school printer

Ian brought up the point that there should be space for your thumb when you’re turning a page. So the margin should not be two small.

We left the meeting with a list of things we need to discuss and decide for our next meeting.

• Standardising where the bulk of the information is
• Highlighting images (reading left to right) 
• What do we want to highlight first?
• Differences – colours, paper type?
• How to bind the publication – using tracing paper, harder card paper.
• Create 7 different page layouts as a starting point – work on this today?
• Some components standardised 
• Work in progress element of the hand drawn grid 
  • red and blue on the butcher’s paper
• Components that allude to the idea that this is still a work in progress publication
• How do we intersperse our practices? 
• Want to know whose work belongs to who – colour coding? 
• How do we play with the idea of it being stimulating and interesting

• Form – pop outs
• Space – voids, see through windows
  • Swiss cheese holes that can skip to different sections of the publication.
• Materials – different paper types? Fabrics? Summer’s bioplastics? 

• Editorial summary
• Different approaches to writing? Choose your own depending on what fits your practice better
• Physicality in the publication – voids etc, test different ways of binding the publication (japanese style, different craft binding to represent the craft represented within the publication), pocket in the back of the publication like a moleskine with posters or something?
• What kind of paper do we want? brightness/whiteness of the paper
• Individual publications that we could all add together? 
• Work in progress – sketchbook kind of feel to it, raw, notes – does that become too theatrical? For children rather than a serious publication?
• Tactile element? 
• Information booklet

• Museum style handout
• Create our own spine?

To ensure we can finish the project on time as a team, we think we should create a schedule to help us manage our time and create a framework for collaboration.

The schedule helped us prioritize our tasks as a group, as a result, we split the time between working as a group and individual work instead of stick together the entire time.

Today, we met up with Claire in the library to look at some of the publications there to get a better idea of what kind of publication our team would want to make. Commercial product/interior magazine or something more academic? What size and format? We studied a great range of collections and picked some layout and format we like.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

I really like hole and corner. It has a very slick design. They used interviews to connect all the designer’s work by creating a dialogue. Using big quote on the top to highlight and introduce the content on that page. They also chose to include designer’s head shot to introduce them in the publication. I love the paper Migrant used. But we decided we don’t want to print externally and we want a more simplistic design.

We had our final crit today for project 5. I presented my condom project and got some very useful feedback.

First of all, Aleya suggested some man might have issues with the different sizes of my proposed condoms. No one wants to be the “small”. I understand where she is coming from but the different size already exist on the market. Regular vs Extra Large. In addition to that, latex condoms are so stretchy, it is pretty much one size fits all. But my material is not very stretchy so I had to think about solutions to make sure people can find the right fit because if the condom is not tight, it might come off during sex.

Second of all, it was suggested that I should do some friction test, I was trying to come up with some ideas about how to test it. But I did not know what I should use to mimic vaginal. Maybe a melon?? I should have reached out to some sex educator for some suggestions.

Lastly, when I was testing the biodegradability of the material, I put it both in hot water and room temperature water. But I should have also put it in warm water because our body temperature is warmer than tap water.

Overall, I think I tried my best to take a holistic approach to this project. I looked into multiple aspects around condom use and manufacturing. If I had more time, I would have worked with a material scientist to develop my material further and conduct more user/market research as Gray suggested that people might not like the idea of wearing something that is made of algae or any type material made of bacteria.

To put my product directly in the context where it will be consumed, I decided to go to a potential retailer-planet organic to do some research.

I got the permission from the store manager to place my product on the shelve to see how it will look on the shelves along side of products in the same category.

• 

• 

• 

• 

Planet organic is an organic grocery store that carries sustainable products and produce. They have an entire shelve of female hygiene products ranging from organic sanitary pads, condoms, sex toys to moon cups and lotion. I placed my product next to the only condom product- Fair Square on the shelve. Comparing with the packaging of all the products surround it, my packaging definitely lacked a more refined feeling and the brand name and logo design did not stand out on the shelve. The the brown craft box has been used by many sustainable products and they usually have the logo and brand name printed directly on the box. Text printed directly on the box gave it a more refined and finished product feeling.

• 

• 

• 

When I discovered Dr. Elvin Karana ‘s Material Driven Design theory, I realized that I have found the theoretical and methodological backbone to my own design approach. Reflecting on my own design process, it very much echos majority of what she wrote in her published paper Material Driven Design (MDD): A Method to Design for Material Experiences.

Elvin Karana is Professor of Bio-based Art and Design at the Centre of Applied Research for Art, Design and Technology in the Netherlands. Elvin’s work focuses on material-driven design, which takes materials and material understanding as a departure point in the design process. Which is exactly what I am doing in my practice.

“You start with a material at hand and explore its design potentials by incorporating technical and experiential (what people think, feel and do) understanding of materials in the design process.” she said.

The material experience design she mentioned in the paper is what’s missing in my biocondom project. I spent most of my time focusing on the material experimentation and not user interaction with the material. If I had more time, that would have been another focus in my research. What would people think or feel when they use a bioplastic condom during sex? Do they feel like they are protected? Do you feel they are having a good time but also saving the plant? What kind of reaction people would have if you tell them this condom is made from algae? These are the questions I need to think about when I design my products. End user research is important as it validate the idea as a real need instead of a problem designers created in order to “realized one of their ideas”. Some times, we as designers jump into a issue without critically evaluate the real problem. We think what we have to offer is the real solution just because our ego got in the way.

ok this is a business problem. how do you solve it with a design solution? Would a business solution be a better option to solve the problem? Understanding what role design plays in the problem solving process is critical to delivery the proper solution to the problem.