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GCD61304 Intercultural Design

02 Culture, Design & Research

Culture and design are inseparable, and as future designers, you need to be able to understand and express both as part of your creative skills development.

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With borderless technologies, designers are facing increased challenges to express their creativity in messages that are most beautiful, stunning and appropriate way.

Designers have to be more vigilant with their artworks and this takes more than just skills, intuition, and creativity.

Research

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With research…

You are able to gather more data and process them into crucial information needed to kickstart your workflow.

This information will then be used later to help visualise the projects, and of course, convey the messages properly.

And ensuring your design is perceived in the correct tone.

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As future designers, you should embrace the habit of research as part of your work process.

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Why do graphics exist?

Why do graphics look the way they do?

Think about this

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With research…

You are able to identify the social, cultural & political sphere where the design elements reside.

By understanding the significance of the graphics in its cultural studies, philosophy, sociology and origin history.

But for this module, we will simplify all this through the breakdown and expansion though design system.

Artifacts and products

Norms and values

Basic

assumptions

OR

Breakdown

Expansion

Design system

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Design system

Basic assumptions

Cultural functions

Norms and values

Design language

Values

Principles

Practices

Look & Feel

Design elements

Design functions

Tools

Technology

Artifacts and products

Implementations

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Design system

Basic assumptions

Cultural functions

Norms and values

Design language

Values

Principles

Practices

Look & Feel

Design elements

Design functions

Tools

Technology

Artifacts and products

Implementations

Breakdown

Expansion

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Design system

Basic assumptions

Cultural functions

i.e: LADYBUG AS A SYMBOL OF LUCK

Norms and values

Design language

Ladybug’s number of dots

Western - num. of lucky months

Japanese - num. of bad lucks

Values

Principles

Practices

Look & Feel

Design elements

Design functions

Tools

Technology

Artifacts and products

Implementations

Ladybug charms

Breakdown

Expansion

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How to do your research

In design, research is important to unite theory and practices of design to establish your project rationale.

For your project, you need to do research

  1. Before writing the project proposal
  2. After producing the proposal
  3. During the creation of your artwork

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Research process

1. Before writing the proposal

  • Secondary findings: Data collected through published and existing resources�
    • Wikipedia, websites
    • Youtube documentaries
    • Design sources, inspirations

  • Primary findings: Sketches of proposed artworks based on your research from Secondary findings
    • Sketches
    • Storyboards
    • Wireframe

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Research process

2. After producing the proposal

  • Primary findings: Data collected by you and team�
    • On-site observation
    • Interviews / Surveys

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Blue Mansion, Penang

Stadthuys, Melaka

Observe the architectural design similarities and differences between these two buildings. From your observation findings, consider the rationale behind the aesthetics and functions of the buildings.

Observation Exercise

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Design process

3. During the creation of artwork

  • Final design production of your artwork�
    • Processes
    • Team contributions

  • Data collected through published and existing resources�
    • How to instructions
    • Safety & regulations

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PROPOSAL RESEARCH TASK

Working as a group, determine a cultural driven basic assumptions or artifacts and products for your artwork project’s topic. Refer to the breakdown or expansion of the Design System to study your chosen topic or artifacts.

Compile your findings in a presentation deck along with the 200 words rationale and minimum 3 sketches of project artwork for your proposal.