Seminar Discussion: Fishbowl Method

 During class, we had the opportunity to present our idea to the rest of the class using a method called 'The fishbowl'. 

The fishbowl method allows all the people in the group to participate in an active discussion regarding every individuals project idea. This was a very valuable discussion as we were presented with the opportunity to work on our presentation skills and also suggest some ideas to our fellow classmates. We were also able to look at the different project ideas everyone in the class had and perhaps recommend an something to possibly improve their idea. 

As we were 8 people in the class we had 2 seminar discussion. Four of the people got 'inside' the fishbowl where each person took turns to present their idea, and the rest 3 people in the fishbowl asked questions. When those 4 people were done presenting, they got out of the fishbowl and the next 4 stepped in. 

I had the opportunity to be a part of the second seminar discussion which was very beneficial. I had the chance to observe 4 presentations before mine which helped me as I viewed the way each person presented and made notes to ensure that I cover many necessary point when I am presenting. 

In the document down below are some questions that we had to consider and talk about in our presentation. 

How I presented my project in order to cover all these vital points: 

1. My theme is 'Purple Haze' and my progression route is product design, therefore I am aiming to create 6 products by the end of this term. Five of those products will be foldable and will be able to fit inside the 6th product which is a cupboard, as a means of conserving space. My target market will be students or adults that do not have a big apartment or house. They will be able to fold and unfold these products easily to fit them into the space. 

2. I want to research Heatherwicks studio and Gerit Thomas Retvield as they have projects that are similar to mine. I also want to look at foldable products from Amazon and read some reviews on them. For my purple theme inspiration, I want to look at how Marc Newson implements bold colours in his design. Additionally, I would like to look at how purple is used in existing products, research the meaning behind it and look at how it is linked with consumer purchases and religion. 

3. My project outcome will be made in software as I want the end result to look coherent and neat. The products will be very simplistic so I believe that it is manageable in the time given.

4. I will be presenting  my work on design boards that will include materials, innovation, initial ideas, different perspectives of the product.

Once I was done presenting, it was time to receive some feedback.

The first comments I received were very positive which was encouraging. I was told that my project is well thought and that I am heading in a good direction overall.

However, a concern raised by my tutor was that the workload of designing 6 products in one software might be slightly unrealistic. I do feel like if I design some on paper and some on software, the display of the end products on design boards might not look coherent or neat. The products I am planning on creating are simple products with planks which will be less time consuming and more effective if done on a software. I will think about my tutors concern and definitely consider other ways in which I can create the final outcomes before the project sign off.

In the upcoming years in university, I will be using software's mainly; therefore, I would like to utilise this opportunity to work on my software skills. 

Further to that, I had two follow-up questions by my classmate Daria. She asked me 'if this project is out of my comfort zone and why'. This was a very good question raised in which I responded that designing 6 products simultaneously is definitely a challenge that I have not faced before and takes me out of my comfort zone to try new things and techniques. I am not familiar with simple plank products, therefore, I have to research a lot of aspects before my final designs. 

In my own designs, I usually like to create complex designs with various mechanism. However, these designs are based around simple and minimalistic functions.

This project is definitely taking me out of my comfort zone which is something I like as I am always up for a challenge. 

The last question raised was 'What skills are you developing'.

The most important skill that I am developing through these projects is research which is something I would always find difficult. I learned how to properly filter, paraphrase and implement my own ideas in my research area which will be very beneficial in the future.

I will also enhance and develop both my drawing and software skills. I will be drawing all my initial ideas and creating the final pieces on software.

Lastly, my tutor suggested that I could include some exploded views in my design boards which is definitely something that I will do. I will include orthographic drawings, exploded views, renders, initial sketches and materials for my images.

Concluding, this was a very beneficial discussion as I am now aware that I am moving in the right direction. I can now proceed with my project and start drawing my initial ideas. In my opinion, discussions like these should be held more frequently as it helps everyone in the class to share and express their opinion.