Week 4 - Ethics modules & Presentation | Gibbs' Reflective Cycle

This week, I successfully completed the ethics module sessions, a milestone I had been working towards. While I was already familiar with much of the content, I realised that I was overlooking small yet crucial details. Fortunately, the school's provided resources were incredibly helpful in refining my understanding and ensuring I didn't miss anything important. By Tuesday, I had refined all the Miro components of my project, marking a significant achievement. Subsequently, I shifted my focus to planning my presentation scheduled for Thursday.

[Figure 1: Screenshot from Des 301 presentation, my slide]

On the day of the presentation, our stream leader, Mairi, unfortunately fell ill with COVID-19, disrupting our original plans. Initially, we decided to proceed with live presentations via Zoom, with Dr. Kunal providing technology support. But after the first presenter finished, we encountered serious technical issues with Zoom. After a quick discussion with Mairi, we decided to record our presentations and upload the videos to Canva instead. While I felt a wave of relief at not having to present live—since I was quite nervous about it—I also felt a twinge of disappointment. Presenting live would have been a valuable opportunity to practice a skill I’m eager to improve, and I couldn’t help but feel like I missed out on that chance.

[Figure 1: Screenshot from Elisa's recording video, my video]

Reflecting on the past week as I write this blog on the last day of Week 4, I find myself feeling a bit anxious. My original plan to complete some case study research fell through, leaving me behind schedule. The delay has highlighted the impact of my current life transition—moving house—on my time management skills. Balancing this major change with project work has proven to be more challenging than anticipated. One key weakness I've identified is underestimating the time required for tasks, especially amidst unexpected events.

Reflection on Learning Experience

Despite the setbacks, this experience has been a valuable learning opportunity. Moving forward, I aim to enhance my time management strategies by:

• Setting more realistic deadlines

• Proactively anticipating disruptions

• Practicing self-compassion by adjusting plans when faced with hectic life situations

  
  

Insights on Design Process

This week has also given me new insights into the strengths and weaknesses of the design process I’m using. While the iterative nature of the process allows for creativity and flexibility, it can also lead to extended cycles of refinement, which might not always align with tight deadlines. I’ve realized the importance of balancing thoroughness with efficiency, especially when external factors, like moving or technical issues, come into play. Despite the challenges, there have been moments of joy—such as seeing the refined Miro parts come together—and moments of frustration, particularly with the presentation hiccup. But each of these experiences has contributed to my growth as both a designer and an individual.

Reference:

The University of Auckland. (n.d.). Canvas: Research and reflection: FLEXI learning: Communication & employability skills. https://coursebuilder.cad.auckland.ac.nz/flexicourses/5066/index.html

The University of Edinburgh. (n.d.). Gibbs' reflective cycle. https://www.ed.ac.uk/reflection/reflectors-toolkit/reflecting-on-experience/gibbs-reflective-cycle