"Sorry Mr xxx, I have not completed xxx"

Recently I had been dealing with this particular question a lot:

"Sorry Mr Daniel, I have not completed xxx".

And so I go through the same old advises about how work is never finished. And if it's a matter of not purposefully finding time to complete the tasks at home, then "Start Today".


I recalled my responses and came to three main points which I'll share in the following:

(1) Habit of Iteration
You see, the (D&T) coursework, is a time-bound project with an on-going task which begins the moment you get your coursework 'Theme' or 'Design Brief' and ends by the deadline given to you. 

There is no limit imposed on the number of times you can 're-work' / evaluate and make improvements to any components in your journal. Technically that means, you can never 'finish' your work. But you can work on it again and again, till you get the results and quality you want.

So get into the Habit of Iteration.

(2) "T&M" of S.M.A.R.T. Goal
That being said. You cannot be iterating or re-working your work forever. There got to be a time set where you tell yourself 'It is enough. I've done enough iterations within the time I've set aside, for the best quality work I can produce."

When you set side 'Time', say 30 mins or 1 hour or 2 hours, to complete your D&T tasks, then use that time diligently. Set for yourself 'Measurable' goal(s) so you can 'check' for yourself if you have arrived at your objectives. 

What happens if you 'finish' your set / planned task before the time is up? 
Answer: Go back to point (1).

(3) Deliberately and Purposefully finding Time
"I have no time". "I don't have enough time". "I have tuition". "I need to complete subject (s) xxx". The last point is probably the most frustrating reason a student can give - that a teacher can get.  

You chose the subject 'D&T' not to make it a 'back seat' subject. Find time if you do not have. Create time if you do not have. Deliberately make time - refer to point (2) about setting aside time.

Make every subject of equal importance to do well. Some may require more (or less) time than the other. Learn how to apportion time for different subject within the 'free time' after school. 

Conclusion:
You will never finish / complete your D&T coursework. You will finish / complete your coursework only when you have officially submitted your work. 

Practice the following two points:

• Always find time. 
• Always iterate, evaluate and improve on your work 
• Always be diligent and focus within the time you have set.

mrdanielsos

How to Choose the Best Image for Shape Borrowing?

Fig. 1

Shape borrowing is probably one of the most common starter exercise for Ideas Generation. References could be obtained easily to be shape-borrowed but not all images are made equal, i.e.  to be suitable for shape borrowing. There are useful and not so useful images, although technically you could shape borrow just about anything you want. 

Following are some points to help you shape borrow more effectively:

1. When you search for reference images, include 'silhouette' in your search. A silhouette excludes all other details (e.g. eyes, nose, whiskers, etc.) that helps suggest a particular animal. If you can identify the animal just looking at its silhouette, that is one good reference.
2. If you chose a photo or an image of an animal (or whatever you have chosen), eliminate all internal details when you shape borrow. Look at the middle portion of Fig. 1, one of the puppy I shape borrowed originally had spots on its body. But when I shape borrowed it, the spots and facial features are not included.
3. When you finally finished a series of shape borrowed drawings (look at the bottom portion of Fig. 1), ask yourself this question, "Can I still recognise the animal just by looking at its outline?". If the answer is a definite "Yes.", you have a good shape borrowed drawing. Shape Borrow drawings #1 and #3 seem to still retain the shape of a dog quite reasonably. Shape Borrow drawing #1 is the best one. When I look at Shape Borrow drawing #2 I find it difficult to guess what that shape resembles. 

Use the points above in future when you are considering Shape Borrowing. That may save you time drawing using useless references in the first place that does not produce a good outcome. The time gained could be used more effectively for development later on.

Let me know if this helps!

Decision Matrix

Very likely, by now you will be making a decision on which Design Situation to choose from.

Some suggested criteria / attributes for selecting your best Design Needs and Opportunities (Design Situation) to work on for the next few months. Pay attention to what you have selected for yourself to work on. In the original post I simply suggested using the PMI acronym as criteria. Email me if you have more criterion to add on or comments.

Another point to note: If you have great issues with including weightage in your matrix computation, you have two choices: 1) Go study how you can meaningfully include weightage in your matrix computation and then include it in your decision matrix, or 2) use a Decision Matrix table without weightage. You will still be able to arrive at one Design Situation with the highest score with every criteria just as important as the others.

Here you go. You don't have to agree or use, but here are some suggestions:

Interesting Problem?

(Think: Is it an interesting problem to solve? How interesting is this situation / problem to you?)

Good Problem?

(Think: Is it a good problem to solve? In your opinion what do you think? Maybe a quick survey from your friends to see if they think it is a good problem to solve.)

Usefulness?

(Think: Who will benefit from a solution to this problem? Will it be useful or beneficial for most people? How many?)

Realisation Possibility.

(Think: Would I be able to make it? This criterion requires some prediction or imagination of a possible solution to the problem and requires you to think about your current ability, as well as the tools and machineries available in the school workshop to realise this possible solution.

Meet ‘???’ theme?

(Think: How well does the situation / problem identified fit the theme ‘??????)?

Quote for Thoughts

Identify an authentic design need and opportunity and you'll find yourself asking the right questions. 

This is as good as having solved the problem. 

Reviews from email consultations - to end 2017

Consultation via email is free. However subjected to my availability and not expecting quick responses. I think through queries and reply them during breaks or times where no substantial work can be done. Typically replies between 2-5 working days.

Disclaimer: Email consultations are purely facilitative in nature to help 'stuck' students get 'unstuck' - with enough information or links for clarifications and to help them make better decisions - to move on. Never in the form of answers or solutions. I never suggest a different approach or overwrite student's teacher style or expectations on the way their journals should be produced or provide materials for copying and duplicating, etc. I merely clarify and educated on the topics which they asked which hopefully allows the student to apply they newly found knowledge in their coursework.

These are students who somehow found even one or two online conversations helped and left a note of thanks before they sign off. However there are many who don't. Nevertheless I hoped they are helped.

Due to the fact that I did not seek their consent, only names of schools whom students I managed to help and  extracted 'thank you' comments left at the end of the email sessions are shown. Names of students or parents not shown.


Reviews

“Oh my God,  thank you so much.” Greenview Secondary School - (2017)

“Thank you once again for advising me on my journal. Thank you very much for answering my emails! Submission date is tomorrow.” Yio Chu Kang Secondary School - (2017)

"Your help had boost his confidence greatly. I need to thank you for the help." St. Andrew Secondary School (2017)

“Thank you very much for all the advice.  The information was very helpful, have show it to my son, I think like what you suggested, he still have to follow the instructions from the school.” Bedok North Secondary School (2017)

“Thank you for your help and advice on my journal, it has definately helped me

proceed on with my journal.” Gan Eng Seng Secondary School (2016)

“Ur advice has helped me and im now at the ideation stage!” Bedok South Secondary School (2016)

“Thanks mr daniel ! Helped a lot”. Bedok South Secondary School (2016)

“Thanks for helping on my presentation board.I couldnt have done it without the example of it u  postes it on the site..The teachers gave me some advice before starting on my pb.I manage to complete it on time even though theres not much ive written on it due to my medical Leave and records.” Bedok Town Secondary School (2015)

 “Thanks to you, i was able to come out wth many various ideations and all interlinked to each other.one of the ideations made it as my final product,with developments of course. But thanks to the advice you have given me, i coild actually start my coursework knowing that i was in the right path.thank you so much for the advice.now im just looking for the theory paper.” Chong Boon Secondary School (2015)

“thank you so much!” Queenstown Secondary School (2015)

“Thank you so much for your pointers, really appreciate it!" Fajar Secondary School (2015)

“And yes that helped!” Swiss Cottage Secondary School (2015)

“I feel that the methods you use to do research is very useful! Like how the SCAMPER method can help me through my thinking process, it also helps me to think more about the problems and how certain things work. I really like how you can elaborate on idea generation & refinement, it helps me think step by step and how to solve problems bit by bit rather than to spot those "obvious" problems only:) I showed my teacher about your blog, and he said the way you write really helps alot!” School Unknown (2014)