CRITICAL REVIEW

This year has been challenging, and I'm glad I learned so much from it. Look back into last year September when I first came to this country, I have no idea what I'm going to design as honor project for the whole year. The only thing I know has I long to put myself in something I'm passion about and a topic in the same line with my value. I'm jovial to say I think I reached that goal now.

As a designer, I've always valued the force of making a different of people's life, especially for the vulnerable group. I was born and raised in Beijing, the experience I had in the remote primary school in Yunnan province had been a huge shock to me. People know there are different worlds out there, but they never understand unless they stay there. The impoverished area in China is no longer about food and electricities; it's more mentally. Their parents may buy a second-hand cell phone for their kids but rarely will by any art tool. The lack of art education passes from generation to generation.

I struggled through the first semester. It was a huge challenge for me to settle my route of design. I've also been puzzled by the teaching method here. But I keep the core of my concept through the way and finally find it a product that can carry this content.

My biggest difficulty is the geological distance between my target users and me. It's also difficult to find quality users here in Scotland thanks to the education system here. I tried various indirect way to approach my users. Apart from desk research through children musical education, I'm glad that I also talked to people a lot. Although it's arduous because English is my second language I still trying to talk with people. To me, surprisingly, interviewing people here is easier than in Beijing. People here are friendly and take students seriously. They will honestly think about your questions and willing to share their thoughts.Even though I managed to contact my user in the late stage of my research, I wish I can manage to do that earlier.

I've been waver in the determination of my project in last semester for a long time. My tutor, Chris gave me many positive impacts. He keeps telling me I should make the decition on my own. After all these researches and talks I have been the person know these issues the most.

I kept question myself will my project benefit those kids? Am I considering things in their states? I've been to the primary school in Yunnan province, the orphanage in Sichuan province and the community library in suburban Beijing. The project gets bright as I kept trying to seminary their life through data, papers, and the interview with music teachers and musicians.

The motivation is the key to my product. It needs to be fun and easy to get started so children can see the quick result. They will hardly get any help from adults. Reduce the cost to a minimum price, portable size for easy transportation are important features. According to all these requirements, I located my product to a neck of a string instrument that can combine with boxes of any sizes and shapes to form a whole musical instrument machine-freely with excellent using experience.

After I had set myself with this super long design goal, I started the second semester.

The second semester was a long journey of prototyping. I've made ten prototypes to test out the schemes. And trying to learn as much as possiable from each of them.

We don't have a workshop at my home university, every of our design stays in 3D software forever. That is the main reason why I decided to finish my fourth year in DJcad.

I've been in the workshop most of the time. Mainly trying to find the way to assemble my product to the tins. Like the previous semester, I've been puzzled by the way of design for a while but with the help of my supervisor Polly, I started to get into the truck immediately. I've been working with Malcolm mainly.

Through the process, I got fit myself in the way of rapied design. Sketching schemes, talking to technicians, making prototypes, test the prototype, sum up what I learned from it then do it all over again.

The main change in myself as a designer is I became determined on my design decisions. There are disagrees in opinions with the technicians and me, but I presumed my thought unless I did a quick test and find it doesn't work.

In the later stage of my design I tried to make some advanced functions. I trapped myself in details again and spent much extra time in that. Like I want advanced users can use my product, so I planned to make the neck movable. These ideas took the time of branding and visual identities. I learned I have to give up some thought and stick to the general timeline.

This semester I found an expert user Paul. He helped me improve the sound of my product by his perfection view. Still the timing makes it a pity. If I can do it again, I'll save the time to improve the things I already have.

I test out with young people in a society called Hot Chocolate in the city center. Observing them using my product is a valuable experience. It helped me changed some parts of my design. I worked as UX designer in the summer internship I understand user engagement is vital for design progress. If I have more time, I want to do user test more and polish the details.

This year has been notably worthy for me. The lack of practice in my home university was a pity to me. I can't decide which field I want to start a career. I've completed a product through this year and became confident to make judgments. I'm proud of myself for never avoided talking to people only because I'm aboard. I'm confident to face future challenges as a designer.