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Q2: Communication, Communication, Communication

This quarter has been one big learning experience that can be summed up with the word Communication.

Let’s start with the instructions for fellow students: I thought I made very clear rules for Zuzanna, without much wiggle space. However, when she showed me her first design it was completely opposite of what I expected it to be and she basically took the freedom of doing whatever what not was in the rules. I immediately learned the lesson that rules have to be very clear and simple if you want people to follow them.

But the thing that you have to be most careful for is assuming. Assuming people will understand things or fill in instructions themselves if they are not there. Every time I assumed someone would do x, if they had the freedom to do so, they would go for y. Especially with the assignment for the intervention this was clear: We spent a lot of days planning interviews in exchange for badges (which turned into stickers due to time constraints.) It seemed like a fun and easy thing to do. When we finally hit the streets reality kicked in and nobody was really that interested in giving off interviews. In fact, we couldn’t get anyone on film. We were only able to get voice interviews in the end.

But communication also relates to the team projects I had: The Aspen assignment with Zuzanna and the intervention with Tina and Stephanie. Both were complete opposites of ways of working, with Zuzanna things were a bit hectic at first and we had problems agreeing with each other. However, we did agree in the end and I think having good (sometimes heated) arguments with each other is important to reaching a good concept. With the other group I felt the lack of critical discussion worked against us. There was more of a democracy kind of way of working: 2/3 votes’ design won and that was that.

Some sketches from the Aspen assignment, maps and early ideas for the instruction manual.

West-Kruiskade identity ideas (Unused)

Unused image for the intervention video

Logos and sticker ideas.