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For these group assignments, we delegated different aspects of it between each other. For research however, we did it collectively. By doing so, we can find out different insights about our topic on Cyber Security vs Smart Nation: ‘How Technology Shapes Society’. I definitely learnt a lot after researching on this topic such as the amount of data breaches and cyber attack incidents that occurred in Singapore. Before the project, I was aware of these incidents but never really thought about how serious it was. With this project, I was able to have a better understanding of why cyber-security measures are important and why it should be communicated well with everyone. We also brainstormed together for ideas on what platforms worked best after doing both Primary and Secondary research. Each of us contributed different ideas and see whether it is suitable for our target audience. From there, we refined the ideas and came up with the “interactivity” concept.

For my portion in Assignment 2, I did the Interactive Website artefact and the project showcase website, Sian Jhi and Cayyum did the storyboards for the Interactive YouTube videos, Trixie focused on the Social Media elements and Ryan did the out-of-home advertising portions and the media pitches. We set milestones so that our group would be on task to finish the project on time. By delegating work, we ensured that no one had too much or too little to do. This was important as we did not want anyone to burn out while doing the project. The artefact-making portion of the assignment was quite fun as I learnt and taught new softwares that would benefit the group project. I picked up InDesign and taught Cayyum and Trixie how to use Photoshop so that they can come up with the artefacts. After coming up with all the artefacts, we collated everything together and did the first WIP presentation pitch. By that time, we had most of it down, we just had to find the right flow for the presentation. By the final presentation, we had sorted out the flow and rationales for why we decided to use the concept of interactivity. Being able to finish the project ahead of time, it allowed us to fine tune different categories of the project such as missing information or information that is not required in the presentation. This is good as if we were to finish it right on time, we would not be able to ask for opinions to make it better.

As a group, I feel that we meshed well together as we know what is the strengths, capabilities and weaknesses of one another. Personally, I can get very worked up by deadlines and such but the others will reassure that everything will go according to plan which is nice. One personal lesson I learned in this assignment is to trust the judgement of one another. This would make working with one another much smoother and cohesive.

“Interdisciplinarity” means to be using or drawing from two or more different subjects or areas of knowledge (Queen’s University n.d.) That means that to be interdisciplinary, one must combine knowledge and practices of different areas of discipline that will help unify and strengthen/improve a project or answer. And to be “disciplinary agnostic” is to understand the different specialisations and not favour one particular speciality. Understanding the strength of each specialisation and knowing when to use it, is what it means to be disciplinary agnostic. By synergising these concepts you can be interdisciplinary and/or disciplinary agnostic.

In the context of communication, one example can be seen utilised in the field of Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC). IMC integrates all promotional tools, so that they can work collaboratively in harmony (MMC Learning n.d.). Instead of using just one platform, for example; marketing, to showcase a product/concept/idea, IMC utilises different disciplines like, Public Relations, advertising, marketing, journalism, media to communicate the intended message to its desired markets. With the knowledge and understanding of different platforms, it allows better reach and outcomes from the project that is created.

And in an IMC agency, there can be departments where one is better at a specific field. For example, one department specialises in Public Relations, one specialises in Advertising, one specialises in Marketing etc. but this makes the agency interdisciplinary as it utilises the strength of each departments to collaborate and produce quality work as a whole. In a sense, it is like a musical orchestra where different instruments have different roles but as a whole they can play a magnificent piece together.

As an aspiring communications professional, I feel that it is desirable to be interdisciplinary or disciplinary agnostic as I would not be anchored down by one specialization which could limit my thought process. By having the understanding of different specializations, I can view it from different angles to have a better insight on the purpose of future campaigns, why we are doing it in this way, the audiences that will be affected by said campaigns and the message that I want to convey through it. By not favouring one specialization and having an open understanding of these different specializations I can mix different ideas from different studies to produce something significant and compelling. In the future, if I were to work in an agency that is interdisciplinary, I would get different ideas or viewpoints from the various departments to synthesise and integrate to make the product/idea better. Instead of relying on my understanding of one discipline.

In a way, being interdisciplinary is like being a jack of all trades, master of none, better than a master of one. And that is what I strive to be in the future.

Reference List
Queen’s University n.d., Disciplinarity and Interdisciplinarity, Queen’s University, viewed on 28 February 2020,
https://www.queensu.ca/strategicplanning/academic/disciplines

MMC Learning n.d., Integrated Marketing Communications, MMC Learning, viewed on 28 February 2020,
http://multimediamarketing.com/mkc/marketingcommunications/

Red Bull Stratos. 2012.

Red Bull Stratos was a 7 years in the making campaign by Red Bull and Felix Baumgartner, a skydiver and base jumper. The campaign’s mission, according to Red Bull, was to “surpass human limits and advance scientific discoveries for the benefit of humankind.” (Red Bull, n.d.) This was accomplished by Felix Baumgartner who ascended 39 kilometers in a stratospheric balloon and completed a freefall jump on October 14 2012. With this incredible feat, he became the first human to break the sound barrier in freefall and also provide valuable scientific and medical research for the future of space travel (Rice, F 2013).

The audience for this campaign was essentially the entire world as this feat was never done before. The freefall was broadcasted live on YouTube, which was relatively new and unused in 2012, and it garnered over 9.5 million live views (Stanton, C 2016). I believe this was a great move by Redbull as the viewing option was open for all and not exclusive. By exploring new media and utilising a free platform like YouTube, it allowed anyone to watch everything unfold right in front of their eyes, anywhere around the world. Thus, pioneering live broadcasts on YouTube instead of using traditional television channels, which opens new platforms for audiences and content producers worldwide.

Additionally, one of the primary stakeholders for the campaign are the research teams for commercial space-flight industries who would benefit from the information gained from the freefall (Holden, C 2010). It shows that the freefall was not for show as there was something at stake; the progress that it will make for space travel and for mankind. I believe that this made different audiences root for Red Bull as casual audiences would want to view the freefall’s success whereas scientific audiences would want to see the results gained from the freefall.

I believe that this PR campaign was very successful as Red Bull managed to accomplish something that seemed so unreal at that time. Red Bull stuck to their guns for the campaign and did not falter throughout the 7 years of planning and development. I feel that the determination by Red Bull paid off as they managed to do it well in the end. It shows that Red Bull was a determined company and would find its way to overcome hurdles to achieve its goals. They also did not rely on advertising to advertise the freefall, instead they just relied on word-of-mouth from their public relation efforts to spread around and when the event happened, everyone was viewing it live around the world.

Additionally, I also believe that the campaign suited Red Bull as their slogan is “Red Bull gives you wings.” and pairing it with the freefall was apt for the brand. This could make people talk about Red Bull when viewing other freefall events. It also allows audiences to view Red Bull as the company that really-made-someone-fly which is synonymous to their slogan. Thus increasing brand recognition when audiences view other freefall events and would relate it to Red Bull.

As an aspiring communications professional, what I learned is that I have to think about how I can utilise new platforms to engage with the audience. As technology develops, audiences would start using newer platforms to communicate and learning these trends could help benefit PR efforts in the future. And to fully encapsulate the brands slogan or message in future events or campaigns could help shed positive light for the brands PR efforts which could enhance the brand’s image as a whole.

Reference List

Rice, F 2013, ‘The PR industry’s favourite campaigns of last year’, PR WEEK, 21 March, viewed February 27 2020,
https://www.prweek.com/article/1175375/pr-industrys-favourite-campaigns-last-year

Stanton, C 2016, ‘Relive one of the moments of the decade with Red Bull Stratos’, Red Bull, 14 October, viewed February 27 2020,
https://www.redbull.com/sg-en/best-of-2012-red-bull-stratos

Red Bull n.d., Red Bull Stratos – The Mission, Red Bull, viewed February 27 2020,
https://www.redbull.com/ng-en/projects/red-bull-stratos/the-mission

Holden, C 2010, Stratospheric Jump, SCIENCE magazine, vol. 327, viewed February 27 2020, https://science.sciencemag.org/content/327/5966/627.3

Advertising exists in many shapes and forms, be it visual, auditory or sensory. But what I learnt in Class 8 is that advertising works best when it understands the needs of the consumers, audiences or society. From this understanding, good advertising can drive the consumers to make purchases and build bonds with the advertised brands. Therefore, one interesting aspect of advertising is how it is able to shape the decisions and beliefs of audiences and consumers to advocate certain brands.

According to a study by Mccann Worldgroup, 81% of consumers around the world believe that global brands can play a powerful role for good whereas 72% believe that governmental and institutional agencies do not understand the needs of its people (Mccann Worldgroup, 2018). From that information, I believe that brands are capable of achieving such numbers as they are able to relate with consumers better by being on the same level as them. Brands are able to stand on common ground with consumers and consumers are able to treat them like friends. Whereas with governments, it seems like the message given is more of a top-down approach, thus the negative connotation. By being able to stand on common ground, consumers are more accepting and trustful of brands. This can be seen as understanding the “universal human truths” that exists with everyone. The insights that the brands can receive or even addressing and improving problems that arise could in turn strengthen bonds and trust with consumers. This would then shape the consumers beliefs and advocation of certain brands and their messages.

One example is the John Lewis “Monty The Penguin” Christmas Advertisement. The advertisement is relatable to audiences as everyone seeks companionship (universal human truth). This advertisement would make the brand, John Lewis, synonymous to affection and companionship which brings about strengthened bonds and increased sales. Following the advertisement, John Lewis saw a 5% increase in sales and 17% in online sales comparative to 2013 (Rankin, 2014). Therefore, you can see how advertising was able to shape decisions in purchases as well as make consumers thoughtful of the brand and its message which is interesting.

From this insight, I feel that advertising can be used as a tool for social developments. As audiences and consumers are more trusting of brands, brands should utilise this opportunity to better the world and push it forward. By having this symbiotic relationship, it could benefit brands as well as audiences and consumers to be better for the world and for themselves. As an aspiring communications professional, I will take note on how I can help better the community and my brand, regardless of it being global or local, and make sure that both parties can benefit from one another. Through this mutual understanding, we can make society better through this interesting aspect of advertising.

Reference List:

Mccann Worldgroup 2018, Consumers Worldwide Grow More Distrustful, Pessimistic, Cision PRnewswire, viewed 26 February 2020,
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/consumers-worldwide-grow-more-distrustful-pessimistic-300657645.html

Rankin, J 2014, John Lewis starts Christmas period with sales rise, The Guardian, 11 November viewed 26 February 2020,
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/nov/11/john-lewis-sales-up-christmas-monty-the-penguin

According to interaction-design.org, Design Thinking is a design methodology that provides a solution-based approach to solving problems (interaction-design.org). It consists of 5 stages; Emphatise > Define > Ideate > Prototype > Test. These steps are crucial to ensure that the campaign or product that is planned would suit the needs of the target audience and ensure coherence so that the path to follow is clear.

For our groups work-in-progress presentation, we used Design Thinking to find out what is the problem, back it up with secondary and primary research, the steps that we intend to take to improve on the communication problem, and how we plan to execute it. By using the Design Thinking process, we are able to set milestones to ensure that we are on the right path. The project we decided to work on is about Data Breaches and Data Security.

Firstly was the Emphatise stage. We decided to do our secondary research to understand how serious the problem of Data Breaches and Data Security is in Singapore. From there we found out from a survey conducted by Cyber Security Agency of Singapore that awareness of Cyber-threats is high however out of 1105 respondents only 35% could identify a strong password which was a decrease in 2017. Additionally, 48% of respondents had experienced a least 1 cyber incident between 2018 and 2019 (Cyber Security Agency, 2019). With these information from our secondary research, we decided to conduct a primary research survey to find out more from people in our age group. We found out that awareness is indeed high however most do not know of the steps to take as current campaigns do not really touch on it. Some are complacent as they feel that data breaches would not happen to them. With these information, we could then proceed on to stage 2, Define.

The Emphatise stage really helped us see whether our problem is indeed a problem. It helped us understand the troubles faced by our audience so that it can be used as a solid foundation for our project. It also helps our group identify the needs that audiences want so that they could improve themselves with the help of our project. So emphatising with our audience is indeed important as it’s the fuel that will drive our projects in the future.

Secondly, was Define. After doing both secondary and primary research, we understood that the problem was not awareness but rather to take action. Very minimal actions were available to the audiences to learn more about preventive measures that they can do to prevent themselves from the dangers of cyber threats. So we came up with our problem statement; ” In this Digital Era, youths aged 17 – 27 with an active online presence are at risk of cyber-threats such as data breaches. Though aware of the threats, they are not knowledgeable of the preventive measures to protect themselves against such risks.” After defining the problem statement, we proceed on to the third stage, Ideate.

The Define stage allowed us to come up with a problem statement and with this problem statement, our group will work towards achieving the goal which is to fix the problem statement that we set out for in this project. It also allows us to know what will work or not work in the next steps to come as we narrowed down our age group to focus on them. If that is not done, we could have too many conflicting ideas that could work against the project.

Thirdly, Ideation. After coming up with the problem statement, we decided to come up with different ideas that could help with our project. We decided to use interactivity as a concept as most campaigns now are visual. However, these visual elements can be either too wordy or does not have enough weight for audiences to take action according to our primary research data. So we decided with interactivity as it allows users to learn and engage with the material so that they can learn it and take action on it. The ideas are interactive website, interactive YouTube videos and social media platforms.

The ideation portion is important as it allows us to come up with different ideas that would help with the project. Understanding the rationale of why certain ideas would work is key so that we would achieve and solve the problem statement that we set. Ideation also allows us to see the different platforms that could work and we can keep some as back-up incase future prototypes fail. So I feel that ideation is important to make sure we achieve our goals.

For the future plans of prototyping and testing, we plan to come up with the storyboards and interactive website layout so that we can show how these platforms would give every user an advantage in learning the steps to take for better cyber-security. And with these prototypes, we can test it out on the target audiences and get their input on what could be improved so that the final product would be better.

I feel prototyping and testing is important as it allows us to work on ideas. For prototyping, we are able to see whether the idea we came up with is feasible for the project and have a go at how it is going to work for the target audience. This also ensures that we came up with the correct solution to solve our problem statement. By testing we can see the results that come up after use and see what we can improve on or redo so that the experience would be better for our target audience and that we are on track with our problem statement.

From the experience of using Design Thinking, I find that it is very useful as you are able to sort out the different problems that the audiences face and arrange in order of importance. By doing so, you can see what needs to be fulfilled and work towards it. By using the Design Thinking process, it also allows us to gauge different issues that could arise with our intended solutions and how we could better improve on it so that the product would be good. Additionally, if the problems cannot be rectified, I could fall back on the other prototypes and work on those instead so that time would not be wasted. All in all, I feel that Design Thinking process has been beneficial and I would use it again for future school projects as well as in my working life.

Reference List.
Dam, R F & Teo, Y S 2020, 5 Stages in the Design Thinking Process, interaction-design.org, viewed February 17 2020,
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/5-stages-in-the-design-thinking-process

Cyber Security Agency of Singapore 2019, CSA’s 2018 Survey Shows That Cybersecurity Awareness Remains High, Though Adoption of Cybersecurity Practices Needs to Be Improved, Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, viewed February 17 2020,
https://www.csa.gov.sg/news/press-releases/csa-public-awareness-survey-2018

With the emergence of Internet, forms of communication have changed drastically. Internet users, like me, have started to consume and share information through this digital space. In this digital space, different forms of communications exist, such as

1) Written; online journalism, internet forums – Reddit etc.
2) Visual; Memes, YouTube videos, Documentaries on Netflix etc.
3) Verbal; Podcasts, Radio Networks – News, Lifestyle etc.

The internet has also help simplify the ways of communication as users can become their own content creators. This simplification allows anyone with a smartphone and an internet connection to start publishing content online. It would then allow other users from all over the world to engage in discussions about the content online.

One example of this is YouTube. YouTube is a video sharing service where users can watch, like, share, comment and upload their own videos (webwise.ie.) The platform is accessible via computers, phones, tablets etc. It has generated over 2 billion monthly active users since its inception in 2005 and over 5 billion videos are being watched daily (Omnicore Agency, 2020). YouTube itself has developed into a massive online culture where users can interact with the content. What started as a simple platform for users to upload and share videos, has become a platform where users can become entertainers and content creators and could even make a living out of it as well as garner a following.

I feel that with the rise of YouTube and other video sharing platforms, it gives the community a voice. We do not have to rely on news sites or television networks to release information or entertainment as we are able do it ourselves. Even governments are relying on YouTubers for tourism prospects and education. Such examples are Korean Englishman or Rare Earth. The content is educational, informational whilst helping boost interest in travelling to the respective countries. So I feel that the rise of YouTube as an online culture has been beneficial for everybody across the world.

Additionally, I feel that YouTube allows the public to engage in civil discourse about different topics on the platform. With the ability to reciprocate between content creators and viewers, suggestions can be suggested to content creators by viewers on what to improve for content which would in turn make the platform better for everyone. The reverse could also happen where the viewers learn something new from watching those videos. And from there information could be shared and passed down over and over. I find that it is a great way to get involved directly with the content and be able to do something with it.

For the future, I definitely feel that YouTube will have a big role as a communication platform as individuals, companies and even governments would utilise it further to reach out to the public. Be it insights into education or entertainment, anyone, even me, would be able to have a go on this platform that is open for all. As an aspiring communications professional, I would also monitor the site to see how trends would evolve and change over the next few years, so that I can remain relevant as the YouTube culture develops into something bigger.

Reference List

webwise.ie, n.d, Explained: What is YouTube?, webwise.ie, viewed 23 February 2020,
https://www.webwise.ie/parents/what-is-youtube/

Omnicore Agency 2020, YouTube by the Numbers: Stats, Demographics & Fun Facts, Omnicore Agency, viewed 23 February 2020,
https://www.omnicoreagency.com/youtube-statistics/

Dressed in trendy streetwear clothing, Ryan, 23, is not only a student but also an avid dancer. He has been dancing for 13 years and is still actively dancing and teaching students in his free time.

“Dancing is fun as I get to de-stress and express myself freely with others.” said the 23 year old.

But why join Professional Communications in RMIT and not pursue dancing full-time? He says that he has has always been interested in the communications field. And that this general course suited him as it allows him to learn everything he needs to know about communication, from advertising to journalism. For dancing, he would leave it as a side career/hobby for him to relax his mind when things gets tough.

A field of discipline that he is interested in is Advertising. “I love shoes and hope that one day I could work in the creative advertising side for companies that sells shoes such as Nike or Adidas.” Ryan added.

Ryan hopes to expand his knowledge further with the help of the lecturers and friends during his 2 years in university. “I hope that these 2 years allow me to better prepare myself for the working world and build lasting friendships at the same time.”

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Photojournalism is a form of visual journalism where stories are told through photographic images (Class 5 Seminar, 2020). Additionally, visual design elements such as the use of Gestalt Theory could make the images for the stories much more compelling. The Gestalt Theory is how things that we see are perceived and organised in our mind to create an understanding of the image with the help of lines, shapes, directions, size, texture, colour, balance, proximity, alignment, repetition, contrast and space (Class 5 Seminar, 2020).

From this exercise, I learned that a story can be better and memorable using visual design and aids, such as photos to accompany the story. It gives readers a window to see what it is like from the perspective of the journalist without having to imagine the story in their heads. As stated in the lesson’s slides, “Communication and interpretation through imagery is one of the most accessible genres for getting a message to your audience in the most succinct way.” (Class 5 Seminar, 2020)

With this understanding, I can now understand why most news sites rely on photojournalism to tell their stories. Not only does it give the gist of what it is about but it can have an impact on the reader without having to read the story. An example of this would be the death of Alan Kurdi, the 3-year-old boy that drowned after escaping from the violence and war in Syria. (Demir, 2015) It garnered a lot of attention from news sites around the world and made governments change policies to allow refugees in (Kingsley, 2015). Just from this one picture, it shows how much of an impact an image can do for a story and the world.

One thing that I have learned from the lesson and exercise is that compelling images can carry a story on its own. Even with minimal text or a simple image, it could move the hearts and minds of many. This experience changed my mindset of reading articles as I should also spend some time to look at the image of the story to see how the situation is really like to further understand the message that the journalist is trying to convey. For future news readings, I will definitely read as well as observe images in the story to have a full understanding of the situation given.

And if I were to be a photojournalist in the future, I would think about how I can use photographs to tell a story rather than relying on words to inform the readers. Surveying the locations to take better photos that would make the story compelling for readers. As said, a picture tells a thousand words.

Reference List:

Class 5 Seminar, 2020, ‘Visual Design and Photojournalistic Storytelling’, Powerpoint Slides, COMM2733, RMIT University, Melbourne, viewed 13 February 2020

Demir, N 2015, ‘Alan Kurdi’, Time 100 Photos, 2015, viewed 13 February 2020, http://100photos.time.com/photos/nilufer-demir-alan-kurdi

Kingsley, P 2015, ‘Stories of 2015: how Alan Kurdi’s death changed the world, The Guardian, 31 December 2015, viewed 13 February 2020,
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/31/alan-kurdi-death-canada-refugee-policy-syria-boy-beach-turkey-photo

The first story I chose was “Japan’s New Satellite Captures an Image of Earth Every 10 Minutes” by The New York Times (Watkins, 2015). The story is about the Himawari-8, a weather satellite that captures 144 photographs of the Earth daily. The satellite is also used to see how weather systems develop, and allows forecasters to study the Earth’s atmosphere better.

The second story was “The Counted” by The Guardian (The Guardian, n.d.). The story or project counts how many people that have been killed by law enforcement agencies or police in the United States throughout 2015 and 2016. It also monitors the demographics and tells the story of how they died.

Similarities that can be seen between these two stories is the purpose and types of stories that are being told. Both stories are informative and educational for readers. The stories are also factual and verifiable as both events are real and happening. The purpose of the stories are also within public interest. Readers would be able to learn something new after reading these two stories and be able to share the newfound information with their peers. The first being about the weather satellite and what it does and the second being how many people have been killed by police in the United States. Both stories are also interactive so that readers can engage with the content to learn more information. For example, the first story uses photographs taken by the satellite to show how the weather moves over a period of time. The second story uses a calendar format to show how many individuals are killed by police officers daily.

The differences between the two stories are the audiences and context. For the first story, the audience could be for those who are interested in the technological advancements and geography as they learn about the new satellite used to monitor the earth’s weather. Whereas the second story, is directed towards the government to show how poorly the law enforcement agencies are performing and what they should improve on to ensure that the agencies and number of deaths are kept in check.

The context of both stories are different as well. The first story’s context is about the Earth’s weather patterns and how the satellite would benefit weather predictions in the future. Whereas the second story’s context is about the amount of people killed by police and law enforcement agencies between 2015 and 2016 as well as how they died. These contrast in context shows the difference in story content available for readers. Where one is about the world and one is about humanity.

The most important thing that I have learned after reading the 2 articles is that there are many ways to tell a story. The first story relied on the photos and imagery to convey the message with little use of text whereas the second story just showed you the faces of those that have their lives taken. Each story has a different yet significant impact on the reader.

For the future, I will definitely take into consideration the different ways that I can use to tell a story. Even a static article, can be made interesting and engaging for readers to ponder about the developments or degradations of society.

Reference List:

Watkins, D 2015, ‘Japan’s New Satellite Captures an Image of Earth Every 10 Minutes’, The New York Times, 10 July, viewed February 15 2020,
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/07/10/science/An-Image-of-Earth-Every-Ten-Minutes.html

The Guardian n.d. The Counted, The Guardian, viewed February 15 2020,
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2015/jun/01/the-counted-police-killings-us-database

After trying to search myself on Google and other search engines, I managed to find 1 post about me that is by my previous Polytechnic. For my professional identity, I believe the post would help me as it showcases the work that I did to promote the course for my school.

For my personal profile, I could not find anything pertaining to me and I believe I would love to keep it that way. For the future, I will separate my work account from my personal account as that would be better for job-hunting purposes. Another thing that I would take note is to be mindful of what I choose to post online as anything posted could make lasting impressions on me as a person. So I believe it is important to separate work and personal lives online.

Reference list:

Image:
Nanyang Polytechnic n.d., VISUAL EFFECTS SPECIALISATION SHOWCASE, Nanyang Polytechnic, viewed 7 January 2020,
https://www.nyp.edu.sg/schools/sidm/full-time-courses/animation_and_visual_effects/vfxworks.html

For the Mini-Bootcamp about Innovation & Design thinking we had in class, I partnered up with Jasmine to understand her needs as a Year 1 student in Professional Communications.

What I learned from the seminar was that ‘Design Thinking is a process for creative problem solving’ (Chorazy, E 2020). It is used to understand the needs of audiences by asking them directly as they know what they want best.

For the activity, Jasmine said that she feels that opportunities in studying for the course is lacking. She prefers hands-on activities over theory activities as she feels that she can understand and learn faster by being practical. It also helps with gaining experiences about what can be improved on for the future.

For theory activities, she said she enjoys it lesser as she does not know where or what can it apply to for future jobs. So, she feels that it is less efficient and slower compared to experiencing it on your own through hands-on projects.

From the initial interview, what I can was that Jasmine is an advocate for hands-on activities as it lets you experience it by doing it. She rather do than listen and write. This allows her to be engaged in the respective individual modules.

With these information came the ideation. I came up with 5 ideas. The first one is “out of 3 assignments, 1 will be hands-on” by doing so it allows her to experience the module, hands-on. The second one was to have a hands-on aspect to each assignment. Third was longer calendar period instead of “intensive” to ensure full understanding of modules. Fourth, after every theory-based assignment, do a reflection on how this could affect her life with hands-on application. Lastly, work-in-progress meetings for theory lessons so that she can gauge how she’s doing to make her modules more meaningful and engaging.

Jasmine gave insight and loved the 4th and 5th idea and gave her thoughts on what can be improved to make it better. So I refined it to best suit her needs.

The refined ideas were: after getting back results, there will be an “excursion” for that particular module to see what job opportunities are available after graduation. She gets to see first-hand, how her skills will be utilised in the future. For the other idea: if there is 10 lessons, she can book 3 work-in-progress consultations with the lecturer in a chilled setting so that she can ask about her progress and have a much more engaging school life.

After sharing the refined ideas with Jasmine, she said that these ideas would help make her school life better. So I believe that I was successful in the outcome of this mini-bootcamp as I understood the needs and wants of Jasmine.

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The Design-Thinking process was beneficial as it allowed me to set milestones to make sure the goal is achieved. If there were to be hiccups along the way, I can look back and see what I can reuse to progress the project forward. Having a design thinking mindset allows me to be more solution-focused and action-oriented as I can analyse the findings given and work on it with my imagination (Naiman, L, n.d.).

What I learned is that I need to understand what the audiences want and need. This would significantly help in making sure that my project is going in the right direction. Also, testing the prototypes on the audiences is important as they can give feedback that would be beneficial in improving the project idea. And if it doesn’t work, I can fall back on other ideas earlier to see what would work best again. ‘In an iterative process such as design thinking, the results generated are often used to redefine one or more further problems.’ (Dam, R F & Teo, Y S 2020)

For the future, I would definitely utilise this design thinking process when developing a new idea or solution. It will allow me to see what works and what does not work. With relevant information and prototypes made, I could refine ideas based on user experience to see what works to get the best final product.

Reference List
Dam, R F & Teo, Y S 2020, 5 Stages in the Design Thinking Process, interaction-design.org, viewed January 7 2020,
https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/5-stages-in-the-design-thinking-process

Naiman, L, n.d., Design Thinking as a Strategy for Innovation, Creativity at Work, viewed January 7 2020,
https://www.creativityatwork.com/design-thinking-strategy-for-innovation/

Chorazy, E 2020, ‘COMM2733_2020_CLASS3 – Design Thinking & Research Insights_Seminar_Final’, PowerPoint slides, COMM2733, RMIT University, viewed on January 7 2020 https://rmit.instructure.com/courses/70338/files/10744644/download?wrap=1