Reflective Writing: Deepening Design Insight
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Importance of Reflective Writing
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Reflective writing is crucial because it allows you to process your experiences and insights as a designer. Can anyone share their thoughts on why reflection might be important?
I think it helps in understanding what worked and what didn't in our designs.
It could also help in not repeating past mistakes and learning from them.
Exactly! Reflection aids in growth. Let's use the acronym 'REFLECT' to remember its benefits: Recognize, Evaluate, Formulate, Learn, Elaborate, Create, and Transform. Each step represents a component of thoughtful reflection.
So, it helps us build on our experiences?
Absolutely! At the end of class, Iβll ask you to formulate a brief reflection about your last project.
Gibbs' Reflective Cycle
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Has anyone heard of Gibbs' Reflective Cycle? It's a structured way to reflect. Let's go through each stage together.
I haven't heard of it before. What are the stages?
The cycle includes six stages: Description, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion, and Action Plan. Start with the descriptionβwhat happened? Then, reflect on your feelings. Why is it essential to articulate emotions here?
It helps in understanding our initial reactions and biases.
Correct! After feelings, we evaluate what was gained and lost from those experiences. Can anyone suggest why we evaluate?
To understand the effectiveness of our design decisions and user interactions.
Exactly! Moving on, analysis helps to dig deeper into causes, leading to conclusions and finally, an action plan to improve future designs. Recapping, what's the cycle's overall purpose?
To structure our reflections, helping to improve our design practice!
Practical Application of Reflection
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Now that we understand the theory, how do we apply reflective writing to our projects? Can anyone provide an example?
After a user testing session, I could write about how participants interacted with my design.
That's a perfect start! Remember to detail your description first. What else could you consider?
I could note down specific feelings and how those might relate to user reactions.
Yes! Then evaluate successes and failures in the design. Letβs practice by writing down our past design experiences using Gibbs' cycle as a guide.
Should we share our reflections in the next class?
Absolutely! Sharing will provide different perspectives that can further enhance our understanding.
Introduction & Overview
Read summaries of the section's main ideas at different levels of detail.
Quick Overview
Standard
Reflective writing serves as a key component in the evaluation of design work, allowing designers to analyze their experiences and insights. By employing established frameworks such as Gibbs' Reflective Cycle, students are guided to evaluate their learning journey and identify areas for improvement, thereby enhancing their design skills and decision-making abilities.
Detailed
In this section, the author elaborates on the role of reflective writing as a vital tool for designers to deepen their understanding and insight gained from usability evaluations. Reflective writing encourages a process where designers recount significant moments during evaluations, analyze their feelings, evaluate what went well, understand underlying causes, and formulate actionable plans for future improvement. Utilizing frameworks like Gibbs' Reflective Cycle, which includes six stagesβDescription, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion, and Action Planβstudents are guided through a structured reflection process. This reflection not only aids in personal growth but also bridges theoretical concepts with practical application, reinforcing a continuous learning mindset essential in the design process.
Key Concepts
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Reflective Writing: A technique to think critically about experiences and enhance learning.
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Gibbs' Reflective Cycle: A structured approach to reflection with distinct stages for analyzing experiences.
Examples & Applications
Writing about how a user struggled with a design element during testing and reflecting on personal assumptions.
Considering emotional responses during user interactions as a basis for evaluation of design efficacy.
Memory Aids
Interactive tools to help you remember key concepts
Rhymes
Reflect, inspect, and perfect; in design, insights you collect.
Stories
Imagine a designer who learned from a surprising mistake during testing, leading to the creation of a much smoother interface.
Memory Tools
Remember 'DEECA': Description, Emotions, Evaluation, Causes, Action for reflection structure.
Acronyms
Use 'Gibbs' to recall stages
for Goal (description)
for Insight (feelings)
for Best/Worst (evaluation)
for Breakdown (analysis)
for Summary (conclusion).
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Reflective Writing
A process where individuals think critically about their experiences to gain insight and improve future practices.
- Gibbs' Reflective Cycle
A framework for reflection that includes six stages: Description, Feelings, Evaluation, Analysis, Conclusion, and Action Plan.
Reference links
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