Task 3d: Critical questions and issues that emerged

Do some very specific ideas emerge about your networking and sources? 

When I am looking back on the "Sources of Information" I have to admit that I do not use the options and potential of the Internet in it fully extent. I think I have really to expand my contacts relating to my profession. 

Does your engagement to date seem appropriate? Limited? Focused? Planned? Unplanned?

Actually my engagement in this programme, my reflection and application in my professional practice seems to me appropriate. I am also open for suggestions of improvement and constructive criticism. I will continuing to improve my English. Sure I am aware of the fact that it is nearly impossible for me to get as good as a native speaker, but I will try my best. Learning vocabularies, listen to English music and movies, reading and writing a lot in English. This programme is a great chance to me improve and using this wonderful language. 

Are your ideas, position or concerns shared by others within and/or beyond your professional area of work?

I have recognized that also people which are working in an complete different professional area do have the same ideas, position or concerns. I will searching for one proper example and adding it here.

But I can already say that I didn´t expect that so many fellow students here do have the same thoughts or attitudes like me.

Does sharing ideas and communicating with others shift your thinking, planning or practice?

I can clearly say: Yes. Reading about the different ideas on the blogs, talking with some people about some issues or theories, communicate with fellow students and friends do shift my thinking. I am more open for new ideas and different point of views. This programme has changed my thinking and behaviour already. Today, like Patrick mentioned on his blog, I could help him a little. But only because we have communicate. Sharing ideas and communicate with each other is fundamentally for development. 

Does critical reflection help you decide what really matters and the actions to take?

Again, Yes. Writing in my Journal, thinking and reflecting about some situations/events and eventually changing some behaviour and knowing which actions to take makes me more self-confident. 

Than again I can reflect about the possible changes that emerged. 

To what extent do concepts and theories assist you in thinking about your professional

networking in different ways? And do these different ways of thinking have some

purpose for you?

Now I am aware of that Affiliation is a need of every human and therefore everybody must have interest in joining other people. But I also think that many people use TIT FOR TAT in their daily social interaction. So, we have to be careful it is a approximately balance between give and take. I do also think that we don´t have to precisely.

Are you left thinking differently prior to this part of the module? And if so, how?

I am left thinking differently prior to this part of the module, because I didn´t expected that so many theories and concepts are existing about the issue Learning, Affiliation and Networking. I have thought and talked a lot about the Game Theories and if this also working in real-life-situations. I came to the conclusion that this doesn´t work very well. Also other theories were so interesting that I had to read more about and I do like now to use Google Scholar. Google Scholar shows only scientific documents. Sometimes you can only find a summary of the literature or an extract of the book. I would really like to go in a library to loans one of the books. We have one English library here in Cologne. I will try to get some books there. 

Task 3c: Sources of Information

I can divide my 5 main sources of information in two sections:

1. Exchange of information with others

- Former and current colleagues

- Former and current fellow students

- Friends

- My Family 

2. Research on the internet

-  YouTube, websites and forums

Exchange of information with others

Former and current colleagues

They are a big support when I do need help or have questions. If I need information about something I do only have to ask and get a answer as soon as possible. That makes working easier for me, because I can implement the new information directly. In such a big company where I am working in there a usually always one who knows the answer for a question or can give specific information. That is a great benefit.

Former and current fellow students

I do also get informations from former students. Some of them are my friends too. We sharing similar interests and that is also important for networking. I also get informations when I do read through Blogs. E.g. Daniel Kremer do give many useful information for Graphic Designers. I do share ideas and impressions with Korliane Suy, which is a friend as well as a fellow student.

Friends

Talking and discussing with my friends it is also very useful to get new impressions and another point of view. Sometimes they have new informations for me. But it is also helpful to exchange ideas and inputs.

My Family

I have fortunately well informed family members. E.g. my mother do read a lot and are interesting in different issues. She has always a good idea or a good advice. As well as my father she is very professional and both have a wide range of knowledge. They do help me with they knowledge and they support.

Research on the Internet

Internet 

When I do have a specific question relating to my work as an Graphic Designer or I don´t know somebody who could answer this question, I do try to find these information in on a website e.g. "Forum Mediengestalter". Like Patrick Abels maybe I should also attend to "Forrst", which is a community of designer to help each other. I also do watch tutorial on YouTube and other videos which contains information about something that I am interesting in.

I realized that I have to work out a system to administrate all my sources of information. During my research for the different tasks I found so many useful links that I also want to share. I would like to try out the Reader on Google. I am not sure how this is working but I think I will get my head around it.

Task 3b: Theories Related to Networks

So, after reading, discussing and thinking about the different Theories:


Theories Related to Networks

I am curious about your opinion. Please tell me what do you think.

Task 3a: Current Network

My current networking tools are:

• Email-accounts 
• Mobilephone/Phone
• Skype
• Facebook
• Face-2-Face

My main tools to correspond and stay in touch with people are by email and mobile phone. When I am at home I am using my private email-accounts. At the moment I have more than one, for different purposes. Because when I am expecting advertises I use another one than to communicate with my friends. And I have a third one for business emails. In the office where I am working in, there is a independent email-system. This system is very comfortable and easy to use. So, when I am at work I am using this system for checking and answering emails. That is my note for contacts at work. Other tools which I am using private are of course Facebook and sometimes Skype. During the last month I get the impression that my private and my professional life are very merged with one another. On Facebook there are also colleagues as well as friends. I do not really want to share the same with everybody. Private should be private and work should be work. But on Facebook this distinction are very difficult. Of course we can choose who can see our posts or pictures, but that is all. But when I begin to select all what I want to show to people and to select which I allowed to see it, where are than the sense of Facebook anymore? in my point of view it is not possible to refuse an invitation of your chief or an colleague, because that is not polite. I have found a similar statement on Leanne Watson´s Blog:  "Like most people I have found the problem of mixing my social and professional lives on  facebook, I recently had a new employer add me on facebook and this gave me the problem of not wanting to refuse her but also not wanting her to see my social life."


But, what do you think about this topic?

So, I would really prefer a social platform where it would be possible to separate work contacts from friends. Actually, we have only the choice to be a member of Facebook and Xing. But that doesn´t solve the problem of the colleagues and chiefs as "Friends" on Facebook. So, do you have any solutions? E.g. two Facebook Account? I would really like to know who do handle this? 

As mentioned my ideal "technical network" would have the opportunity to separation private and professional contacts. Additional to this it should have a tool to administrate contacts, emails, contactinformations, meetings, events, pictures, videos and Links. So, if you would take all useful tools of Google, Facebook and Xing and bring them together to one main platform, that would be ideal for me. Google has many opportunities, much more than any email-account. The tools to administrate emails and informations making the platform well structured and the contacts easy to handle. I do only miss that there are not many friend of mine. But it is also possible to invite other people. I really want to reduce the many contactplatforms (Facebook, Xing and different Emailaccounts) to a few. I do not like to waste time to check different websites everyday.


How much time do you spend to check all you emails everyday?

I have thought about social networking already before I have even began with the BAPP. I have noticed that many decision maker and successful people do have a strong and dense networks. I do see them calling with their mobile phones, sending and checking emails the whole day, meeting with people or making appointments. I am wondering how that is working. It can only work because of systems which remember them of important events and dates. I think with the new technologies this became easier and faster. 

But I am also interested in the verbal communication methods which they using. I would really like to know more about this item.


Does anybody know literature about the communications in networks or how we have to communicate to develop a professional network?

After reading a lot about the issue social networking on the Reader, on the internet and on the blogs here I will try to get new contacts and will nurturing my already existing contacts in the reallife. Like Stephanie Thomas mentioned on her blog: "I want to be more aware of taking every opportunity to engage in conversations, take up as many offers as possible to see work, and nurture my existing network by being active in keeping in touch."

Please feel free to comment.

Task 2d: Inquiry

What I am really enthusiastic about, has nothing whatsoever to do with my work as a graphic designer. I am curious in knowing more about the structure of the company which I am working in. Sometimes that company remains me on a busy anthill. I know I am not the first person which does make this comparison. However, nobody can doubt the similarity between a big company and an anthill, especially when 14.400 are working in, there. Like in an anthill, nobody does really have a complete overview but the system is working and existing. That is fantastic, because it does mean that this system is self-regulating. It is working just because of many little elements which are branched into many little sections and ends with every employee. The success of a company is also related to the effort of every little unit. And I am a little part of it too. I really do not know why I do evaluate about the establishment. Usually I think: It can not be worthless to know more about the system I am working in. 

I would really like to know if somebody else here evaluates about the background structure of his or her workplace.

Curiosity is important in many business fields, especially in the creative sector. My curiosity is also a part of my job. I have to collect impressions as well as informations. Afterwards I have to de- and restructure them to build something else, something new. This process is really difficult and exhausting, because I have to remember on many facts, must decide which are important, have to sort out and than bring them all together to one work. This piece of work has to:

1. represent the company

2. explain one or different services 

3. transport a statement

4. be attention-grapping

5. satisfy my superior

I do love my job for this complexity. Every piece of work has new requirements. That makes this kind of job so exciting. Additional to this I can, as I have already mentioned, still my need of knowledge. The job is social (I have contact with many people). And most important, like the famous British designer Conran said:

by Fabien Barral

The fact that some people think graphic design would be easier than other jobs is making me both: angry and sad at the same time. I suppose or rather feel that some colleagues which are no graphic designers think like this. But during my working for different BAPP tasks, I have found a quote that made me calm: 

by Fabien Barral

But I am not really satisfied with this statement. Not Designers but their works has to be loved and understood. So, I would change the sentence a little bit and cancel the last three letters in the first word. 

The pictures above are made from Fabien Barral. A designer which I really admire. I found his blog during my work on the task "Journal writing experience". I was searching for info graphs and found his blog by accident. 

The graphic design works on his blog are very impressive. If you are curious, have a look:

http://www.graphic-exchange.com/home.html

This is his website:

http://www.fabienbarral.com/home.htm

Related to the quote on the Poster from the designer Conran which Barral has visualized, his works have evoked "an emotional response" inside me. His works are so multi-faceted. He plays with colors, materials, graphic elements, with typo and creates such round, balanced and beautiful peaces of work. I have rarely seen works from graphic designers with such a fine awareness of forms, typo, colors and materials. The combination fits together. I do not really understand how full of ideas a person must be to create such fantastic works. He made also another piece which maybe gives the answer:

by Fabien Barral

But how do emotions develop? Do we have to make experience to feel something? Do we have to see, feel, hear or smell to be moved by something? Are our sensory impressions responsible for our emotions? I suppose that the connection of a sensory stimulation and our feeling in a certain situation builds a good or bad emotion. E.g. as a child we were lying in the grass and smelled the plants, flowers and the earth. That was a positive feeling, because we hadn´t got to clean our room. We were free and relaxed. Isn´t that the reason why we have to paint our office in green in order to remember this feeling? 

by Fabien Barral

Task 2c: Reflective Theory

Reflective Theory

Task 2a/2b: Journal writing experience

My hand is aching from journal writing. I´m not really certain if it would be better to type all my thoughts into my computer instead of writing everything with a pen into a paper notebook. On the other hand, I‘m enjoying not to have to look on a screen, cause this is what I have to do the whole day. Even now I would prefer handwriting, because my eyes are a little bit tired after my work.

Before I could start journaling I had to find a useful notebook. After reading Reader 2, it was clear to me, that I wanted to write into a notebook made from paper. For the reason of my hobby painting and drawing, I have always a few scratchbooks in my flat. I found many notebooks (6 or 7), but some where to big and some to small. I decided for a middle-sized book (24 cm x 40 cm), which has enough space to write and draw in.

My feelings 

I like the feeling of a pen into my hand and the pressure on the paper. Than I feel the energy which is getting from my mind, through my body and my hand on the paper. My hand is forming the words and in the same moment I feel facilitated. Like somebody would take the burden of my shoulders. 

First conclusion

I recognized that it is more effective for me, not to think to much when I´m writing about the day. I have heard or read about the theory that the human subconscious has more informations than our consciousness. For this case I decided only to write and not to evaluate about my day and the experience which I made. Sometimes when something appears more interesting to me, I tried to find out more about the situation. E.g. why I had a feeling or thought in specific situation. Than I begin to analyze. 

Now I would like to tell you something about the experience which I made with my journal.

Stream of Consciousness 

The problem of this method was, that I wrote to much. I filled a few pages with all things that I have done during the day, but could not focus on a special event or experience. To get started it was very useful, to get "warm" with the journal and to let out the words which I had in my mind. For me this didn´t work very well, I just felt remember on my diary writing in the past.

List

This was also unsatisfying for me, because now it was the opposite of the "Stream of Consciousness". That method felt like I had to reduce the day to a few words. But I again didn´t know what where the more important experiences or feelings which I made. At the end it was only a list of words, without a connection to any other word. That was so unsatisfying and a little bit frustrating to me. I broke up and decided to write whole sentences, not only one word. That worked a little bit better. But after reading this part again I realized that it didn´t made sense. 

Evaluation

I was exciting to use this method from the first moment I have read about it in the Handbook. I was so glad to start with this after two methods which didn´t work very well for me. And like I expected this works very well for me. The question which I had to ask myself gave me the right direction.

So, I could get from one important experience, to my feelings and from this point to the analyzing. Afterwards it is possible to learn from the reflection. I´m sure that I will use this method. Maybe later one method will work better for me, but now this seems the right way to write and analyze my daily experience.

Diagrams/Graphs

I have to submit that I haven´t heard from a spider diagram before. I really don´t know if this is used a lot in Germany. Even other persons which I have asked didn´t know what this is. In german we call this "Netzdiagramm" (=netdiagram). One benefit of this method was that I had to learn the terms of graphs and diagrams in english. I also liked this method for another reason: it is very clear and the opportunity to compare something directly is very amazing. I decided like many bloggers, to use the spider diagram. I compared my worksituation now with my situation for 6 month. I decided to use this diagram besides the evaluation. I will use this to compare my worksituation in an interval of 6 month or less. This seems to me very useful, because it is possible to see at one view what has changed during this time.

After searching for infographics in the internet I saw many well structured and well looking graphs. I found a very useful site, with wonderful, creative and very different examples. Especially "infographics" are very interesting for graphic designers.

For this reason I can really recommend this site:

http://vi.sualize.us/tag/infographics/?page=1

After this creative inspirations, I decided to create also an infographic. 

This is my spider diagram:

What if

This is also a very useful method. It wasn´t very difficult to me to think about what I would like that happened. I realized that I sometimes already do this before I feel asleep. The imagination of the next day is really relaxing for me. I will use this method on the evening e.g. before an important event will happen on the next day.

Another point of view

This was very exhausting for me. At first I had to think about from which point of view I had to write. Afterwards the decision was made how to start. And than it was very hard to imagine how it would be to see and feel everything different. That was all so difficult for me that I couldn´t concentrate on the essential, my experience, thoughts and feelings. At the end I had only a funny story about the day of the point of view of my finger ring.  

After this few weeks of journaling my thinking has changed during the work. It felt like if my decisions have more value and I really looking on my personal presentation. I suppose I know why this effect is occured. The day is more important since I have to write about it at the end of the day. As if I have to do things which I will be proud for. It is a better to get the impression that "I made the write decision".

Now, I will continue writing in my journal. Many sites are empty and I´m looking forward to fill them all.

Start Journalling

This is the beginning....

Today, I have started with my Journal. I suppose the first Journal writing method "Describing" will be the most easiest one, because I haven´t to think about my feelings or must empathize with somebody or something. 
I am very excited about this task, because if it´s true it is possible to improve many skills with this method. So, I am very curious if this works. But I suppose it will do, because every reflection comes usually to a result.

Reflective thoughts/Journal

Hi everybody,
the next task is writing, writing, writing...I have already read Reader 2. But i think I have to re-read it twice or more before I can start with my journal.
I am sorry that I am always a little bit later than everybody else, but it was not possible for me to start with this program on time. So, I have to work hard to catch up and I will try to be on the same level during the next week. 


Good luck everybody for your Journal writing!!!!

Searching for quality data in the world wide web

I was about to answer the comment of Paula. But after reading through different articles which Paula posted into my comment field, I realized that my answer got longer and longer. So, I decided to post the new informations, because it is a transition to the last post of mine and maybe interesting for other students.

The first article "YouTube has merit, but enough already of cat videos" is from the author Tara Brabazon. She is professor of media studies at the University of Brighton. Her article deals with the different options of how to use YouTube. Some sentences in this article refers to what I wrote in my last post about the "lack of experts". Brabazon wrote: "We know that there is a lot of nonsense online" but she told the reader in the next paragraph that "it is also our responsibility to improve the calibre of online information" (Brabazon, 2009). I agree with her in this point, but I also think, that YouTube will likely stay for entertainment. It has a potential become a platform for visual informations, but it depends on the user, the creator, how much qualitative valuable content these platform will have in future.

The second text "Digital Dieting" which Paula has posted, describes the consumption of information with Google. The author, again Tara Brabazon, compares the world wide web with our eating habits. "We not only live in an environment of abundant food, but an excess
of information" (Brabazon, date unknown)  She quotes "We eat because there is food around us. This is "mindless eating" (Wansink, date unknown), but she said "There is better food. There is better information" (Brabazon, date unknown). After reading through the text, I think under the line it is a appeal to think more about consumption, wether food or informations. The results of Google are sometimes like Fast Food "It is not quality data, but is the informational equivalent of Big Mac, Fries and a Coke" (Brabazon, date unknown). We get information, without good quality, and are satisfied. "We do not think about the other choices we could have done" (Brabazon, date unknown).

But it is not possible to forbid Fast Food neither Google. It is only possible to make a information diet. Brabazon is teaching her students in the scholar use of Google:  "The key in enacting digital dieting is to gently move students from ‘selecting’ Google as a default option. Even instigating a single change – from Google to Google Scholar – makes an incredible difference" (Brabazon, date unknown).

In my last Post I wrote that it can be very hard to find the right informations in the internet.

But now, after this article, I think a little bit different about this issue. I compare the searching for a good result at google with the searching for something to eat. 

You can use the next drive-in for Fast Food or I can ask somebody for a good restaurant. The second opportunity is not so easy, but maybe I get more palatable food and memorable moments.

References

Internet Sources

Brabazon, 2009, YouTube has merit, but enough already of cat videos: Times Higher Education (THE), 26 Red Lion Square, London: Ann Mroz. Available from:

http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=409416

Art/Design/Media Public Centre, Digital Dieting: Art/Design/Media Subject Centre, 68 Grand Parade, Brighton: Unknown. Available from:

http://www.adm.heacademy.ac.uk/networks/networks-spring-2011/features/digital-dieting

Task 1b: Web 2.0

After reading the Reader 1 I was infected. I spend two days only reading and researching at the internet about the second internet generation. The subject is very interesting, especially for us because we using some with BAPP like our Blog, facebook and Flickr. Suddenly I had so many questions about Web 2.0. But until now I am not satisfied about my research.

I could not find any information about  the basic question:

Why are social networks so popular? Maybe this is a good subject for everybody here and if you want post a comment about this question.

But fact is that the nature of our work, our social interaction has equally changed by the role of web 2.0 and social networking. It has not passed so much time since the internet was different without social media. The usual communication was one-to-one by email. Now, it is possible to communicate with all friends at the same time, when and were we are. This is possible because of social networks and new techniques. 

One of the most successful social platforms was founded 2004 for students and has actually (october 2011)  800 million* active users. Everybody is knowing this social platform, without naming it. I think only this proofs the popularity of social networks. 

Meanwhile everybody has to participate. If you are not in an social network, you will harvest an unbelieving gaze. The space for excuses decrease. The barriers to access like time, skills and financial commitments as in Reader 1 mentioned are easier to penetrable. New technologies and tools making this possible. We can participate via phone or ipad. Anywhere and anytime. Today, it is cheap, easy and quick to collaborate and interact.

But what are the disadvantages? The "glass human being"? I have read in one german Magazine that social network user are publishing carelessly personal data on the internet. Nobody would leave the house keys on the door with the note "I am on holiday", but on internet we do.

Some other theory which is mentioned in Reader 1 is the "collective intelligence" of web 2.0. Yes, off course the participation of many people could enable a positive development. For example, internet systems can be improved. But, it has a reason why it is not allowed to quote Wikipedia in scientific works. 

In my opinion, it is getting more and more difficult to filter correct and incorrect informations from the internet. Sometimes it is really hard to find a correct answer with google. I have to read many statements in internet forums, clicking from link to another link and do not find a clear and correct answer. I think the problem is, that everybody can give informations or answers to different topics, but lack on experts to recheck the given informations. 

Task 1d: Some of my works

Here are some works of mine:

Task 1c: Video

This video is made with "Flash". "Flash" is a computer program for creating animated spots. The most common use of Flash-Animations is the embedding into webpages as a part of design or as advertising. 

I have decided making a video with this program, because it is a common program for graphic designers. But I haven‘t got many experience with this and my aim was, after this task, to learn more than the basics. 

Now, after this project, I know more about the opportunities.

It was a lot of fun thinking about the content, searching for the music (which had to be free/without GEMA license) up to designing step-by-step the sequences. 

I am really curious about your meaning. Don‘t be afraid to tell me/write me what you are thinking. Thanks!

This is my video:

Enjoy!!!

Task 1a: More complicated as I expected

Before I started with this task, I have watched how the others have done this. But I got a little bit confused, because the solutions were so different. Some have written texts and some put their CVs into the blog. So, at first I thought we have to rewrite (to write) our CVs to a text. But after looking at the Blogs, I was not longer sure about this. Finally, I decided to write a text and in addition to this, to create a graphic which shows my CV in an Illustration.


I am really curious about your meaning. Don‘t be afraid to tell me/write me what you are thinking. Thanks!


Text version:


Professional Progress
I was born 1983 in Bonn. This is a medium sized city which is located 17 miles away from Cologne. But I have grown up in a little village called Mondorf near Bonn. Ever since I can remember, my mother has given me paper and pens when I was bored or for the case she could not play with me. That was one of the reasons why I have painted a lot, since I can hold a pen. The other reason was, that I enjoyed it so much. It gave and gives me the feeling to forget everything around me, even in a full restaurant with loud people and music around me. 


When I grew older, I got interest in the Art- and Desingbooks of my mother. The possibilities of forms, colours and materials and the strong power of these artworks were very impressing for me. I felt that design can change the world. Made them a little bit more comfortable, modern or beautiful. 


With the age of 17 I chose "Art" as one of my main subjects in german A-Level. As we got through the subject "impressionism" and "how they changed the style of painting which was customary at that time", I felt the power of artwork again. This was the point where I decided to follow up with artwork, even in my future work.


As I passed my A-level in the comprehensive school Troisdorf-Oberlar, I went on and made a 6-month intership in a company which has produced handmade products for photo shootings and film productions. That was very exiting and there I learned a lot. Then I applied for an student place at one of the best-known universities for Design...and failed. That was very frustrating for me, because I did knew that I am not so bad in design.


For this reason I decided to study something else and chose agriculture science. But the fire for art was still burning in my chest and I decided not to rest until I have reached my aim. Than I got a place at the KDA (Cologne Design Academy), where I studied three years, where I got the diploma degree in communication design. 
The BAPP gives me the best opportunity to communicate with others and improve my skills.


Illustration version: