Design Research Dissertation - Projects
Abigail Bea Chong Ka Yee (0333966)
Design Research Dissertation
Projects
LECTURE NOTES
Lecture 1: Introduction to the module
15.4.20 | Week 1
Dr Hayati gave us an overview of what to expect during this semester and showed us our seniors' publications too.
Lecture 2: Recap on writing a research dissertation
22.4.20 | Week 2
We were given a lecture on writing a research dissertation, Dr Hayati showed us how to structure our dissertation and how to write a literature review.
Lecture 3: How to write a literature review
29.4.20 | Week 3
We were supposed to proceed to the methodology section but most of us weren't done with the literature review matrix so Dr Hayati gave us a lecture on how to begin writing the actual literature review draft.
Lecture 4: Preparing your methodology section of the dissertation
6.5.20 | Week 4
Dr Hayati gave us a short lecture on how to start writing the methodology, what can be added into the structure etc.
Lecture 5: Results and Discussion
13.5.20 | Week 5
Today we had a lecture on the results and discussion section. The results section should be written in the past tense as we already carried the procedure out and the discussion can be written in both past and present tense.
Lecture 6: Conclusion, Introduction, Abstract
20.5.20 | Week 6
Finally, touching the conclusion, introduction and abstract as they should be
written after the results and discussion section.
Lecture 7: Visual Design for final dissertation
27.5.20 | Week 7
27.5.20 | Week 7
This week Dr Hayati told us about the dos and don'ts about print design and
how to make our book pop.
INSTRUCTIONS
PROJECTS
Week 1 | 15.4.20
I was confused about what we should do for this week but I had an individual meeting with Dr Hayati and she advised me to focus on building the skeleton based on the structure she gave on how to write a dissertation as well as to have a literature review matrix. Instead of critically reviewing the 7 articles correlated them with variables too.
Week 2 | 22.4.20
I was clearer about what we had to do than last week. Our two main tasks are: to submit on Sunday with the dissertation structure and the literature review matrix.
Week 3 | 29.4.20
Dr Hayati gave us feedback for our structure and literature review matrix. Matrix: overall, it’s okay except for the “themes” part, maybe could’ve us “quality of mHealth app”. For the first article, it’s not a theme, the others could work but I need to have more to talk about like “user experience” for the themes. Draft Dissertation: I need to add more information to the structure (cover page, references, appendix, and fill in the sub-topics of my literature review, mostly all the sections should have something except for discussion).
Here is my literature review matrix. I added in the strengths and weaknesses
so it'll be easier for me to write my literature review. It was quite hard for
me to think about the themes but in the end, I figured it out.
Week 4 | 6.5.20
This week I started writing the methodology section. I managed to complete the first method on Sunday for the methodology section but only finished the second method on Monday night. Other than that, I am satisfied with the methodology section as I had explained the methods in a detailed manner.
Feedback: I should have a working title for my dissertation, Dr Hayati we should have a colour code when writing the dissertation blue could mean ‘still working on it’ red could mean it was taken directly from the author's paper, the draft should look like the complete dissertation but we can have as many drafts we want.
Week 5 | 13.5.20
We had to complete the results and discussion section by this week's Sunday
as the internal deadline. However, I am halfway through the findings/results
section but have not gone through the discussion section. This section is
the most difficult to complete as I collected a lot of data backed then in
the research methodology module so sorting the questions into categories and
themes was confusing.
Feedback: I should include another sentence in my mHealth section
when talking about the abbreviation of mHealth. Thus, I should try to start a
sentence with hence, therefore, consequently and not for, but, and. The
justification for the text should be formatted properly so it’ll be easier to
read
Week 6 | 20.5.20
We had to submit our first draft dissertation that should be complete from the cover page till the appendices. I had only managed to finish the abstract and introduction. I didn’t complete the conclusion yet as I was still at the discussion section but overall wasn’t satisfied with the submission on Sunday as I knew that I would need more time and left most of the discussion section empty as well as the conclusion. The appendix was not formatted properly too. Below is the first submission of the draft dissertation in PDF version.
Week 6 | 20.5.20
We had to submit our first draft dissertation that should be complete from the cover page till the appendices. I had only managed to finish the abstract and introduction. I didn’t complete the conclusion yet as I was still at the discussion section but overall wasn’t satisfied with the submission on Sunday as I knew that I would need more time and left most of the discussion section empty as well as the conclusion. The appendix was not formatted properly too. Below is the first submission of the draft dissertation in PDF version.
Feedback: In the item section of the progression sheet I need to
add if I accomplished the task given; be more specific when talking about the
methods or instruments I used like phones should be ‘IOS or Andriod’.
Moreover, I should indicate the tables with figures such as ‘4.1.1 summary of
the findings’
Week 7 | 27.5.20
For this week, I am still trying to complete my draft dissertation till I'm
satisfied with the paper; with formatting the tables I had; arranging the
appendix both in the research and the Appendices section. I also requested
to turn in my draft as a revised version.
Saturday Update:
I have submitted my revised draft dissertation! Below is the PDF version:
Sunday Update:
I have managed to complete the mood board about ¾ as I am unsure what
colours I should have and can’t decide on how I want the layout to be. I’m
quite satisfied with the cover page draft I did.
Feedback: Dr Hayati told us to create a mood board which included typography, colour, design references if we can maybe a draft of the cover page
Week 8 | 3.6.20
I worked on the visual design publication slides for this week. The embedded
version of the PDF is shown below.
From the feedback I gathered from Dr Hayati I suddenly had more ideas to use
brush or paint textures for my book. I also finished the conceptual
framework in time to start designing the book in InDesign but I am currently
facing difficulties as I don’t remember the rules for print
design.
For the layout in InDesign, I wanted it to have a simple and elegant look. I
have designed it till the findings section but I still have more to
complete. It was quite difficult figuring out how to use InDesign again but
I did remember the simple steps.
Feedback: Dr Hayati told me that the conceptual framework doesn’t have to be so confusing, just a simple one will do so when she looks at it
she’ll know what the whole research is about. She also told me to credit the
photographer I used for my cover page and she liked the fonts on the cover
slide with the line that gives off a texture. She could also see that I was
going for a contemporary design style.
Week 9 | 10.6.20
I completed the conceptual framework into a simple mindmap and proceeded to
add the mindmap with graphics to match the theme of the ebook.
|
|
Fig 9.1 Conceptual Framework with graphic |
|
|
Fig 9.2 Choosing the correct colours for the tables |
Feedback:
Conceptual Framework: As long as everything is in there from the literature
review, findings and primary data it should be okay. Dr Hayati also liked the
graphics I chose to display the conceptual framework in InDesign as it can
symbolise there is light coming in the window which can also mean there is
hope.
For the draft dissertation, I added one more section which was design project
recommendations and added what was missing in the findings section. It was
quite hard to find the proper reference but I think I got the correct one.
Moving on to the book layout, I changed some brush strokes as Dr Hayati
suggested, and the table colours to blue-green, green, and gray. Overall, I am
still not completed and satisfied with the design.
Cover Page Title: Dr Hayati told me to add ‘1.1 Research Problem’ into
the introduction section as the title for the book I used as the research
problem but not as a title, so she helped me to paraphrase the statement
into a general one instead.
Visual Design Layout: Dr Hayati is okay with the simplicity of the design
and the colours but I have to be careful of the way I use the brush strokes
so it won’t turn out too messy. I can either play around with the thickness
of the stroke of the direction of where it is going. And for the research
methodology page I should replace the image I used with the findings page as
it feels like an answer to the problem.
Page Numbers: Dr Hayati told me it’s okay to have the page numbers like this
digitally (centered page number follows after each page) but if I want to
print it out it won’t be face to face as it has a 1 up page wherein InDesign
they’ll tell you where each page goes.
Week 10 | 17.6.20
|
|
Fig 10.1 Trying to use green for the students and gray for the
professionals |
Feedback:
Draft Dissertation: Dr Hayati told me she read my dissertation and felt like
she was actually there engaging and excellent piece, the sentence structure
was clearly not too lengthy, and she could see that I have developed
maturity in the writing where I managed to justify, give evidence to back up
the statement and also elaborate on my thoughts. The only concern she had
was the literature review part, she hopes that I did not refer to other
people’s research without reading the entire paper. Thus, in the findings
section, I should elaborate on why this experimental focus group was
important to the research.
Book Layout: For the brush strokes Dr Hayati likes the ending of the stroke
that gives off a lighter feeling, not a solid splat. Other than that, the
tables need to have consistency in the gradient scale-like if I used the
colours green and gray it has to flow out well between the two colours.
After trying out different shades of green and gray I decided to just stick
to green as it was easier to make it consistent when going down the tables.
|
| Fig 10.2 Choosing which blue or green colour goes well together to give a gradient look |
The green gradient colour in one of the tables of my findings. As it went to
the darker greens I had to use write instead of black for the words because
it becomes unreadable.
|
|
Fig 10.3 Green Gradient Table |
Week 11 | 24.6.20
For the publication, I wasn’t happy with using only one column so I rotated
between 1 and 2 columns. I managed to complete the fliphtml 5 book before
the deadline. I also submitted the final dissertation to Turnitin on time
that can be viewed below in the PDF version.
Feedback (22.6.20):
Dr Hayati told me that she wanted the tables to have a depth or perspective
to it to make it look like it’s coming out instead of a flat 2D design
Week 12 | 1.7.20
I have managed to redesign some parts of the book but I have yet to
change the grayscale strokes underneath each chapter. For the journal
publication since I am limited to only a maximum of 500 words for
certain sections, it’s harder for me to summarise the methodology and
findings and discussion section. Overall, I’ve completed the other
sections.
The link to the ebook: Ebook Final Submission
Feedback:
Dr Hayati gave me feedback on the ebook. The cover page had minor
issues but overall still acceptable.
Copyright Page: should be smaller and the page next to it empty,
Acknowledgement Page: can be like the abstract page with the paint on
the other side. I can decide if I want to change that paint stroke
Abstract Page: remove the green stroke
Overall tables: change the font size to 8pt
Contents/Strokes below 1.0 etc: if I have time play with the grayscale
strokes instead of keeping it just black
Reference Page: the image is too strong/overwhelming
Back Page: can try changing it to a light blue to have it contrast
with the cover page
The link to the flipbook after feedback: Ebook Version 2
Week 13 | 8.7.20
I didn’t quite understand how I was supposed to write it yet so I tried to copy-paste only the important parts of my dissertation to fit within the range of words. A draft of my journal article below in PDF version:
Dr Hayati gave me feedback on the journal article. She told me to just stick to one objective/question and change the title so it would only be based on one objective/question. And decide if I want to review or have
findings as to the title.
Week 14 | 15.7.20
After today’s feedback, Dr Hayati helped me notice what I needed to
rephrase in the journal article.
Feedback: Dr Hayati told me to twerk some parts of the article
to make it sound like it was written from the author's point of view
instead of the researcher’s
Below is the final submission of the journal article in PDF version. I changed quite a lot of parts of the journal article and I'm happy with it.
Week 15 | 22.7.20
Dr Hayati gave us till week 16 (Wednesday) to complete our revised final dissertation and ebook. Below is the PDF file of the final revised dissertation and the link to the final visual design for digital publication.
The link to the final visual design ebook: Final Ebook
Comments
Post a Comment