Project proposal

Sagmeister: Obsessions make my life worse and my work better.

Section 1: Review
I think I have improved significantly in the last ten months, as I went from following the briefs to the letter and contributing only in conventional ways to thinking out of the box and experimenting. I have researched how artists and designers, particularly Bill Viola, Stephan Sagmeister and Tine Bench have tackled different subjects. This had an impact, mostly on my transversal skills, like being able to work on projects in unusual ways, or with unusual tools.

My pathway involved experimenting with old and new media to create interactions between people and design, using classic design tools to communicate in a more impactful way. My long term objective is to attain a position where I can contribute ideas and designs on print and web projects as well as more physical campaigns in live environments.

I wanted to use the FMP to widen my knowledge on these subjects and experiment immediately with what I have learned so far and I will learn during the project itself. The core of this project includes emotional design, user interaction and data visualisation, my main interests, which I already used on given projects and spontaneous outcomes.

Section 2: Project Concept 

This project will be an interactive experience based on a controversial subject: immigration. Using different media, it will guide users in a journey through facts and myths. The aim is not to persuade them, but directly giving them incontrovertible data and facts so they can decide from themselves. The aim of this project is to trigger questions around immigration. I will use tools and techniques including emotional design, user interaction and data visualisation, which are my main interests.

Production:​ Research and visit museums and exhibitions to get inspiration for new data presentation methods. I will also use videos, texts and talks about Data Visualisation, User interaction and Interaction Design as supporting material. The necessary resources might change during work, based on how the project evolves and new inputs generated by contextual research. I will need assets to create the booklet, including data from direct research. Websites, blogs, magazines, journals and archives will be used for the duration to generate updates.

I will need to identify the print method in time to know about costs and times. I could need video and photo shoots to support my data. The final outcome may consist of a booklet, related web media and possibly installations.

Section 3: Evaluation

I will have to evaluate my work constantly to validate its consistency with the brief. My blog will be a tool to get feedback from other students and teachers. This will be paramount during all work phases to ensure I will be working in the best possible way. I will strive to avoid producing an obvious outcome that merely presents data, which could be dull, by doublechecking every choice and make sure it aligns with my final goals. I will check whether I have completed tasks within the timetable and plan work for the following week.

My contribution should be as neutral as possible, to give users input but not lead them. I will need to step back if I find myself drawing conclusions for them. This will teach me to think closely about the impact every aspect of my work has, improving my ability to critique my own work.