Upon beginning my research and enquiry module there was one certainty that I had – my main focus was the exploration of my keyword minimalism.  When tackling a design project it could be argued that it is important to have a clear idea and focus of your end goal. Having this perception myself I found I had uncertainties about my project, as I did not have a defined focus.

However, after throwing myself into research to ‘find’ a focus, I soon learned that not being tied down to one preconceived idea was in fact beneficial and as a result has helped with my progress. It was a presentation by Scher (2009) who persuaded this way of thinking. She also discouraged being ‘too educated’ as it could become a hindrance when trying to create innovative ideas.  Reflecting on the inspiring presentation it was apparent that preconceived ideas on projects could often obstruct creative thoughts. As a result, this prompted further research, such as interviews and presentations from key practitioners, to gain useful advice and information on current issues. Previously, this type of research method was not fundamental to my design process.

After my initial research of my keyword I thought a direction was determined but unfortunately my designs were still unfocused as minimalism was not being portrayed through my.  Attempting to portray too many different elements from the research may have been the reason for this.  After reconsideration of my intentions and interests, along with further visual research an improved outcome resulted from this. Further academic research into theories, such as grid systems and white space, allowed my design work to portray minimalism much more effectively, creating realisation that this type of research should have been considered at the early stages to avoid becoming unfocused.

Giving consideration to my found knowledge, I updated my blog with both practical and theoretical related posts.  Both of which are vital in developing projects effectively as evidence and theories are essential when producing and justifying new ideas. Supporting this concept is Aicher’s pictograms where he took the original design of previous Olympic symbols and adapted it by applying his own strict geometric grid system, for the Olympics in 1972. This resulted in a revamped set of functional, simplistic and unique pictograms.

Initially intending to explore the work of graphic designers I found that the research led me to becoming encouraged by the work from various creative fields.  Throughout the blog it is apparent that researching areas such as art and photography were just as valuable and inspiring. Evidence to support this was the research regarding the famous paintings by the artist Piet Mondrian, where minimal use of form and colour were essential elements of his work.

On reflection, I believe the blog and research process has enabled me to discover that extensive research and development does not only provide useful information, it is also a crucial part of any design process, consequently it is as important as the final outcome. For me, I have discovered that carrying out research in this manner is the basis of a successful design and will continue to explore these methods further.