Second Summary

Brown, M. B., (1993). Fair Trade; Reform and Realities in the International Trading System. New Jersey: Zed Books Ltd

The Division of World Resources between Rich and Poor

There is currently an unequal world, where the division between the North and South is remarkable, with industrialised land in the North and a much poorer underdeveloped world in the south – ‘The Third World’. The point the author is making is: How much can current trade practices be changed to benefit all in the future? Can world resources be saved and economic and environmental sustainability be maintained? The author explains that most of the world’s resources come from the developed world and only non-renewable resources are being produced in the third world. World population is huge, with the majority of people living in third world countries. Those people occupy only just over half the cultivable land, explaining why they are probably so poor.

The author states that the problems they are facing now could be a result of the population growing too fast for the amount of land that is actually occupied and cultivated and this problem could increasingly worsen. Some developed nations could have the best, although less, cultivable land for crop growing and still have as much agricultural production as the third world as a whole. In reaction to this, rain forests are being cut down so people in tropical areas can use the land for cultivating on, but, due to a lack of understanding about how it should be looked after, it eventually becomes useless.

The author suggests that there is an increasing weight on third world countries and this is down to the divide in labour output between the different worlds. The problem is that third world countries only have crops from the land which is all they can trade into markets. The access to some of this ground is a problem, even if it is productive.

Most of the produce imported to the ‘First World’ is essential foods for protein but the food mainly exported to third world countries is not so they are left with a lack of protein in their diet. The author suggests that this problem could be helped by moving foods moved into more deprived areas. The amount of food being produced is not being shared fairly. Deprived areas have less food because farmers are waiting for the prices to increase and there is not enough transporting of goods between themselves.

The question is: Is there any point in third world countries increasing their place in world trade if the division of inequalities is so large? Should they increase trade between each other instead? The author suggests that third world countries should stop exporting raw materials to the developed world and keep what resources they have left to expand trade between themselves.

To conclude, Third World countries only do well when world trade is high but then it generally ends up falling again. There is no advantage in trade between the different worlds, as it’s not always reliable and dependent on the state of the world economy

I feel researching factors like population growth and land cultivation helps give me a better understanding of the inequalities between the North and South divide.

Assignment 4 - First Summary

Raynolds, L.T, Murray, D., (2007). Fair Trade, The Challenges of Transforming Globalization. USA: Routledge

Contemporary Challenges and future prospects

The chapter discusses the challenges facing Fair Trade in its efforts to transform globalisation and to develop economic and environmental sustainability in the Third World, through different trade practices in the market. It also views its increasing growth as an organisation, focusing on the clear tensions created working in and against the market.

As FairTrade has rapidly developed and grown over recent years, the author states that this has given rise to a number of challenges, which could become a future threat unless changes are made. It is mentioned that there are obvious contradictions within the trade practise of Fair Trade and market priorities. Fair trade seeks for improved changes in trade practises and pushes for a more equal trade between northern consumers and southern producers, whilst still promoting ethical values. It is looked at from different perspectives and the author explains why there is a divide in the movement. Some people see Fair Trade as a development which is trying to promote fairer trade practices and values within the market, based on factors like sustainability. Others see it as more of a commercial venture, in which Fair Trade and the market values and practices are still mainly dominant.

The author questions whether the growth of Fair Trade is a sign of achievement. Or, has Fair Trade’s principles and practices been over looked due to commercial success?

The author highlights some central challenges facing Fair Trade now. There has been a huge shift from supporting small alternative organisations to encompassing a large number of committed consumers, so many more certified products have been made available for sale in markets. Some people see this as a success in reshaping market relations but others see it only as attempts to profit from Fair Trade products. FLO has increased certified sales to maximise the amount of workers and producers benefiting from being part of Fair Trade, but the market is demanding they have more reliable supplies to offer. The author explains that FLO are more interested in where Fair Trade stands within the market rather than the concerns of north/south inequalities. The smaller alternative organisations are concerned about getting less notice than larger distributors who actually certify less Fair Trade products than themselves. If present trade practices continue then the success of equality in trade could be questioned.

The number of Fair Trade workers has increased as Fair Trade merges production units to manage quantity and quality requirements. Some think this shows Fair Trade’s ability to support small scale farmers but others think it just highlights North/South inequalities. The trends in the market now are pushing out the smaller scale producers as bigger distributors have increasing quality production and therefore the author questions whether small producers are benefiting. Certain quality requirements such as shifting to organic production could possibly create difficulties for disadvantaged producers, questioning Fair Trade’s strategies for small scale producers. Diversity of production is also being demanded by the market, again disadvantaging small scale farmers. The demands of northern markets are affecting the activities of Fair Trade workers.

It is the author’s opinion that the central challenge to Fair Trade is the dominance of retailers and branders who are more interested in market values rather than the organisation’s aims and that the practices and strategies adopted by the movement should remain focused on the small scale producers.

Assignment 3 Group Meeting and Mind Map

During reading week, our group met up again to discuss the different topics we were all interested in researching for our dissertation. As a group we suggested everyone should pick a topic which is of real interst or a world wide issue they are involved in and keep up to date with.
I found researching Fair Trade for my wiki entry interesting and learned a lot more about the subject and how it positively affects producers. I have always been interested in the sustainable development of third world countries and how communities within these countries manage to make a living.
As I study textiles, I am interested in designing for interiors, in particular rugs and carpets. A lot of rugs are imported over to Great Britain from some less developed countries - India, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey. Does the importing of the rugs really help boost these countries economies and the lifestyles of the actual producers?

I would like to explore some less developed countries- parts of Africa, to discover how the workers manage to sustain their livelihoods. I'd also want to explore what impact the fair trade organisation has. What part do designers play in helping boost their incomes?

As a weaver, I know how time-consuming and expensive it is to produce a woven sample. Does it seem fair that weavers in less developed countries are paid less to carry out similar work?

At our meeting we talked about different research methods to use , for example Primary and Secondary, for further investigation.

Not everyone had finally decided on a topic for study, but some included Art Therapy, Recycling, Globalisation and Education. A few of us decided to continue researching into our wiki subjects.

This is my Mind map showing a few ideas which I will look into for my dissertation.

Assignment 1- Wiki - Fair Trade and Design

Fair Trade and Design

Fair Trade is all about re-shaping the structure and practices of International Trade, focusing on helping and benefiting the most disadvantaged producers and workers in Third World countries. The idea is to reduce the amount of poverty within these countries and allow the poorest communities to have a more sustainable environment and livelihood.

“Northern activists working with producers, labourers and other impoverished sectors of the Global South are using market-based strategies to mobilise consumer awareness in order to bolster incomes and empower Southern producers and workers.” (Raynolds, 2007)

The organisations involved in Fair Trade work alongside businesses, community groups and individuals to help provide better working conditions, secure the rights of the most marginalised farm workers and producers, obtain better prices for them and so try to strengthen their position in the world market. To tackle these developing issues the foundation provides a certification on a product, displaying the Fair Trade mark, which alerts consumers that the minimum requirements in relation to fairness have been met. It is also a sign that the item is a quality Fair Trade product. The foundation encourages demand for fair -trade products, allowing for more producers to sell. To motivate the workers to produce quality crops, they are given a Fair Trade premium, which can only be used for social and economic benefits and is usually put towards farm improvements to increase the produce and the quality.

History

It was just after World War II that the Fair Trade movement began. Small religious community groups in and around Europe were buying handicrafts from poor producers and workers above the market price. This buying to support the needs of poor communities was the starting point of the Fair Trade movement. Poor producers were selling handicrafts directly to consumers. The whole idea grew considerably during the 1960’s and 70’s and many ‘World Shops’ with handicrafts began to appear. By the 1980’s, it attracted more consumer attention until it eventually expanded out to include some food items, such as tea, coffee and cocoa.

The first Fair Trade label was introduced in 1988 and the first Fair Trade coffee from Mexico was put into supermarkets. In the late 1980’s product certification and labelling was initiated. All the alternative Trade Organisations in the Global North and South wanted to increase sales by moving away from just handicraft shops. They planned to advertise food items in major supermarkets and so have more Fair Trade products available for consumers. By the early 1990’s separate trade organisations combined their efforts to work together.

The Fair Trade Foundation in the UK was established in 1992 and the first Fair Trade products were sold in supermarkets in 1994. The Co-operative was the first company in the UK to go Fair Trade. It was established by CAFOD, Christian Aid, Oxfam, Traidcraft and the World Development Movement.

It was in 1997 that the Fair Trade Labelling Organisation International, (FLO) was created. FLO set standards for producers and traders and continues to develop these standards. There was an incredible shift in the Fair Trade movement during this time.

“Fair Trade has emerged as the most important market-based mechanism to improve the lives of producers in developing countries.” (Nicholls, 2005)

Although many alternative Trade Organisations were fading out of the picture due to a decline in handicrafts, there are still some places, around Europe and in Japan which continue to thrive with their alternative Trade Organisations.

“Fair Trade organisations (backed by consumers) are engaged actively in supporting producers, awareness raising and in campaigning for changes in the rules and practice of conventional international trade.” (Long, 2005)

In 2002, FLO introduced a new International Fair Trade Mark. The purpose of the mark was to increase the public’s awareness, alerting them to the organisation’s significance. After the introduction of this mark there was a notable increase in consumer concern about the environmental and social sustainability in third world countries. There is now an ever-growing demand for Fair Trade products in supermarkets, as consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the developing issues in these countries.

Currently, Fair Trade production in Africa is expanding most quickly. It is the top exporter of certified tea, fruits, juices and wine. Since becoming established, the benefits of Fair Trade to producers and workers have been considerable .There has been an increase in countries becoming Fair Trade and there is an incredibly diverse range of certified products in supermarkets. With the current expansion rate, there are now concerns about the increasing growth of production and the ability of the organisation to continue to secure rights of workers as demand rises.

“The growth of large-scale production raises questions about the ability of fair trade to empower workers...” (Long, 2005)

Fair Trade and Design

The general increase in public awareness of the Fair Trade Foundation is directly linked to the organisation’s marketing strategies. In today’s world, there are plenty opportunities to promote and advertise. The internet enables the organisation to promote its aims, provide updated information about what it is doing and keep the public interested in its achievements. TV and magazine advertising are also important ways of promoting its work. Also, schools can apply to become Fair-Trade schools with further raising awareness.

The Fair-trade logo is clearly used to promote food items in supermarkets and attracts consumer attention. The logo itself is instantly recognisable. It is simple, yet eye-catching and is open to individual interpretation. As Fair Trade is a world-wide reputable organisation, consumers don’t doubt the quality of the product and are prepared to pay a little more as they have trust in the organisation and what it stands for. Many products show bold colourful images of the farmers at work, so promoting the value of fair trade. The images and information also try to advertise the natural organic quality of the product, so the consumer automatically assumes the product is produced to a high quality. Often the packaging is appealing to the eye, a further incentive to buy.

The marketing of Fair Trade clothing is perhaps less prominent than the advertising of food items and sales could benefit from a more obvious use of the logo and labelling giving information about production. Stores could do more to distinguish Fair Trade clothing from the non fair- trade items by advertising with signs and posters to attract consumers. Bold and bright advertising to state the aims of Fair Trade and to raise awareness of workers’ economic and social conditions may help to attract consumers to such clothing items in stores. Also, it is important to emphasise the high quality of the goods. Big stores could perhaps do more to promote Fair Trade clothing through in-store advertising, but also through magazines and TV adverts, always clearly displaying the logo and providing information about the production. The use of a celebrity to model clothing could also help to attract consumers.

For a Third World country to become less poor, the production of its goods and services has to be increased.

“If these resources are not available domestically in sufficient quantity, they may be obtained externally, either through official programmes of foreign aid and technical assistance, or through foreign private investment and immigration.” (Cutajar, 1967)

Companies such as ‘People Tree’ are trying to increase the amount of cotton being grown organically by workers. They are hoping to eventually make all their products from organic cotton in the near future. This will increase the demand for more organic cotton being produced and so create more jobs for workers in these under-developed countries. A rise in production within these countries would also mean more income for communities to put towards education, health and other services of need.

Companies like People Tree are trying to promote and advertise a wider market in Fair Trade clothing. More marketing of Fair Trade means more demand on retailers from consumers, directly spreading public awareness of Fair-trade aims. Having a wider range of Fair Trade cotton products on the market will encourage consumers to look and hopefully purchase because the items are organically produced and proceeds benefit poor workers.

‘People Tree’ support 50 Fair Trade producer groups. They carry out programs through which they train workers, improving their skills as well as allowing them time to produce the products by hand, which is rarely done now and can be more appealing to consumers. They also give technical training to increase workers’ efficiency and productivity. During the design process, the People Tree designers always think about the effects on the producers when making decisions. The designers will always choose methods which are more labour intensive and will make sure their designs are going to be beneficial to the workers.

Companies from the developed world working with Fair Trade will directly impact on designs due to cultural aspects. As more companies become Fair Trade, there will be an increase in public awareness and consumer demand for the goods. Farmers’ lives will improve and they will learn new skills.

References

Cutajar, M.Z. and Franks, A., (1967). The Less Developed Countries in World Trade. London: The Overseas Development Institute.

Nicholls, A. and Opal, C., (2005). Fair Trade: Market – driven ethical consumption. London: SAGE

Raynolds, L.T, Murray, D and Wilkinson, J., (2007). Fair Trade, The Challenges Of Transforming Globalization. USA: Routledge

The Fairtrade Foundation, (2010) [online] Available at: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/ [Accessed 22^nd September 2010].

The Fairtrade Foundation, (2010) [online] Available at: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/what_is_fairtrade/history.aspx [Accessed 22nd September 2010]

The Fairtrade Foundation, (2010) [online] Available at: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/what_is_fairtrade/fairtrade_foundation.aspx [Accessed 22nd September 2010]

The Fairtrade Foundation, (2010) [online] Available at: http://www.fairtrade.org.uk/resources/films/cotton_cameroon.aspx [Accessed 23rd September 2010]

People Tree, (2010) [online] Available at: http://www.peopletree.co.uk/ [Accessed 1^st October 2010]

Shared Earth, [online] Available at: http://www.sharedearth.co.uk/ [Accessed 1^st October 2010]

Fry, C., (2007). Cottoning on to a good thing. The Guardian Online, [online] 13 April, Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/apr/13/fairtrade.organics [Accessed 1st October 2010]

First Assignment Progress

At the second meeting we discussed how each of us was progressing with our individual research topics. We were able to help each other by suggesting websites or people who could be approached for more information. As a group we thought it would be best to keep in touch via Facebook as a common link.

Afterwards, I went onto the Fair Trade website, where I was able to find a lot of information including short video clips of farmers at work from different Fair Trade towns, who were reflecting about how being part of Fair Trade has given them and their communities a better life.
I am interested in looking into the Third World Countries which have become involved in the Fair Trade Foundation Fair Trade has had on the communitity as a whole. Has it reduced the amount of poverty within these countries ?

Below I have put together a mind map of different aspects of Fair Trade.

3rd Year - Assignment 1

For this assignment I'm meeting up with my other team members on a regular basis to discuss our progress on each of our individual research topics. During the first meeting we all selected a topic of interest and had a brief discussion on what we thought each topic covered. We also thought about the relevance each one had to design and suggested any ideas that we could think of at the time. For example I am going to be looking into Fair Trade and how it links to design. Suggestions were to look into the branding and advertising of the Fair Trade mark. Is the mark designed and illustrated to its advantage? Are most people aware of the importance of the Fair Trade mark?
During this meeting we discussed what research methods we could use to develop our understanding. Methods suggested included cross-search, library resources, internet, brainstorming, group disscussions and a mind map which could be ongoing.

Below is a mindmap summarising all the points discussed during the first meeting,including the different topics each of us is looking into.

Design of Starbucks Coffee Shop.

Starbucks is a world –renowned coffee shop/ cafe business , geared towards middle class clients. It sells itself on the variety of flavours of coffee beans it has available, the smell of it greeting you when you walk in. This shop is in the middle of a busy shopping precinct, an ideal location for its business. The trademark ‘Starbucks’ logo is clearly seen, especially on all the mugs, a good advertising idea, when you think about the take-away cups as well. The entrance is welcoming, long open windows, showing the interior, which is tastefully decorated and classier than Kentucky Fried or McDonalds. However, some people might like to be less noticeable in the inside, so they would have to look for seats away from the entrance, which is not that easy as it was really busy when we were there. Tables are generally small, for twos mostly and as Starbucks is encouraging people to come in and try out the coffee it is probably trying to attract business people-there is wi-fi available or occasional shoppers, wanting a coffee break in comfortable surroundings. It doesn’t really cater for families, tables are too small and the menu and price would not suit most families. They would be more likely to go to Kentucky Fried or McDonalds. The staff are easily recognisable and behave in a way expected by the company. They are polite and promote the good reputation of the company, saying our staff are friendly, welcoming and attentive. The tables are close together, which gets more people in, which is good for business but not so good for privacy, if you needed it. People on their own looked more conspicuous. Maybe the soft -seat area could be arranged to be more appealing to individuals and be sectioned off more, with magazines / newspapers available for people to browse through. There could be a screen showing aspects of Starbucks business fading in /out so people on their own have something to focus on and perhaps company close by, making it easier to start a conversation. There could be pleasant music playing in the background.
Overall, Starbucks has carefully considered the market it is catering for and going by how busy the shop was when we were in, it is very successful.

Assignment 5b

Proposal 5B

Research Methods To Develop ‘Bridges’ Brief

For one of my self- motivated projects, I chose to explore ‘Bridges’, concentrating on their structural build, their aesthetic appearance and their use as connections to get over waterways .My proposal for an alternative approach is to put more focus on primary and secondary research skills to tackle my original brief more diversely, developing my initial ideas and understanding further.

At the start of any design brief, I always begin by creating a mind map to collect together my initial ideas for research. Usually one idea sparks another idea, leaving me scope to go off on different routes as the project progresses. I would still use the mind map for this brief, adding new ideas as I looked at other research methods. A mind map helps to create a clear picture about how you are going to progress and which areas you are most interested researching into. At this point, I could further develop the topic by having a brainstorming session with friends, feeding off their ideas and adding these into my mind map. This would bring in other routes for researching which I might not have thought about. One idea could lead to several ideas to create a more developed and diverse study, for example, why bridges are built the way they are due to the land formation or their location, the environmental surroundings of a bridge including depiction of colours and what you can see through the architectural patterns of a bridge’s build. By using a variety of research methods, I could develop ideas from a mind map that were not so easy to tackle, instead of automatically going for options I feel more comfortable approaching. By looking into less obvious ideas, I feel I would get more interesting research from it.

Using the cross search tool would allow me to find appropriate resources in articles, journals or books. I could access diverse information on the topic, bouncing off ideas and also providing questions/answers from other people’s research and approaches to highlight an area I might not have considered before. Through such resources I could access historical information about bridges, information about design & construction and reasons for particular styles, because of the natural surroundings or usage. I would feel motivated by looking into other people’s research, another link to consider when creating my own brief. Reading extra literature would help broaden my understanding and encourage me to question and think more deeply about my own ideas on the topic. I might question why certain aesthetic materials were used and search for sources in connection to this. From using this tool previously, it does make you analyse more critically your own initial ideas and also introduces new ones for further consideration. This research method also provides answers to and results for specific aspects of the topic , for example the decisions taken on the type of architecture, the materials used to cope with vehicle weight and pressure, bringing in aspects of engineering, and the aesthetic appeal of the design. Although time-consuming, I feel using this tool would open up other areas to research and would be an effective research method to apply for this project especially as I have only a limited background knowledge of bridges.

I already use observation when carrying out any topic and in this topic I have already explored bridges and the surrounding environment to obtain good observational drawings and ideas to develop from. Taking more obscure photographs of the architectural build of different bridges, showing structural patterns, colour and surrounding landscapes, in connection with bridges of different times and styles would add an alternative approach. Looking at the different materials used to build rural bridges, compared to bigger urban ones would be interesting. The choice of materials would be related to the usage and weight on the bridge and through observation I could look at how this choice would affect the aesthetic look of bridges. I think videoing for a limited time to monitor usage of bridges as connections and to study people’s reliability upon them would also be interesting. Probably most people take for granted the importance of bridges in letting them reach their destinations more quickly and easily. The video would let me study their reactions and behaviour. It would be more valid to take video footage at peak travelling times to obtain most information. Previously when I undertook an observation, taking photographs helped to capture specific concepts I was looking into, which was useful to back up what I had said. Therefore, taking a series of photographs at the scene would allow me to capture valid observations, giving a sense of the place and atmosphere of where different bridges are, so the photographs would be telling their own story.

Conducting interviews would allow me to find out whether people really do take bridges for granted or whether they do realise their importance as connections to destinations. I would get varied opinions through Interviewing commuters and occasional travellers. It would be interesting to find out what they consider to be important aspects - the structure and design, the aesthetic look, including the surrounding landscape, ease of use- traffic jams /tolls, and the convenience of the service. I would be able to gather information about the importance of bridges in different locations. Would opinions vary for different bridges, for example busy urban ones compared to remote, quaint rural ones? From carrying out interviews previously, I have found people are willing to share their thoughts and by interviewing commuters as well as general members of the public I would be able to gather a range of opinions which would be useful to develop ideas from.

To conclude, by applying a variety of research methods, I would broaden my general knowledge of the topic and would be able to create a more diverse approach when developing my brief. I would get a lot of information from literature and images, but interacting with users through observation and interviews would add another dimension, which would be more meaningful for design issues, as their views would be important.

Assignment 5a

Proposal 5a

Using An Interactive Voting Device To Make Soaps ‘Stickier’

Having studied the Stickiness Factor in the Tipping Point, I chose to develop the idea of greater audience participation in ‘soaps’ to make these shows even ‘stickier’. Creating an interactive voting system would allow people to become more involved and interested in the selection of story lines, which could increase viewing figures. The proposal would be to discover the most appropriate type of electronic voting system, selected through direct interaction with the soap viewing public, as their views (interviewing ) and the way they interact with the machines (observation) are essential.

I feel that the two above mentioned research methods would help me gather the most effective results. I also read a journal about electronic voting systems and these results were gathered mostly by watching people use the machines and by talking to them/ collecting info from questionnaires. Observing people interacting with different types of machines would let you see how user-friendly they are and also let you watch people’s reactions/behaviour. Observing how capably different generations cope with each type of system would be important, as this would cover a broad spectrum of people. It would be important to notice any difficulties with use, so helping with the selection of the most appropriate device for the majority of viewers. To get viewers to vote for storylines they wanted to watch would involve finding a system that was easy and quick to use. For a more realistic and valid review , It would be best to observe from the background so people feel less conspicuous and embarrassed about being watched interacting with a device, especially if it’s new to them. Also, observing people as a group would let them feel more comfortable and relaxed. Previously, when I carried out an observation I found that people on their own were more wary and self conscious. Having that feeling of being watched might cause you to disregard the device or make mistakes with it, putting you off. My previous observational experience justifies getting a group of people together to try out different systems as they may be more willing to try it out and be less hesitant to take part. I noticed before that people, who were with others didn’t seem to notice or bother about their surroundings and appeared oblivious to others around them. As people would be less aware of me observing, I could watch for as long as I felt I needed to. Groups of people of different age would also allow for them to help each other out – maybe families could participate in the experiment. When I read the journal on “The Accuracy of Electronic Voting Systems” (Herrnson, PS (2007), the researchers observed people casting their votes. In doing so, they were able to identify types of errors and accuracy levels of different voting systems. Using a similar approach I would also be able to identify occurring errors and get accurate results for the different devices being used. Viewers would be less likely to vote for the storyline they wanted to watch if they were unsure about how to use the system, so by observing I would be able to home in on the most appropriate one for the majority of viewers, which should be easy and fast to use, to encourage viewers to vote for specific story lines and so make ‘soaps’ even stickier.

Conducting Interviews would also be a good research method, to find out people’s views about using an interactive voting system to select specific story lines and whether they would want to participate. Asking people of different generations, race and culture would provide a wide range of opinions and preferences. Would an interactive voting system be effective and practical for all groups of people or just certain viewers? When interviewing before, I realised many people have personal preferences on how they organise, arrange and do things. The interviewees were all willing to give me a lot of information as well as reasons for their decisions. I came to the conclusion that many people’s decisions were influenced by factors such as personality, social experience and personal choice. Interviewing would allow me to find out whether picking certain story lines via an interactive system would be worthwhile or impractical. Perhaps, some people will be more willing to vote than others. After talking to people before some said things had to be practical and if they weren’t then it would get on their nerves. So, I would have direct feedback on how appropriate the idea was. Apart from the practicality of the proposal, I would also get immediate feedback about devices tried out, as they would be able to make comments about their suitability and ease of use and whether they would be likely to use them or not. Following on from this, I could obtain more information about people’s views and attitudes by handing out questionnaires. Some people might prefer and feel less inhibited about writing down their views, but on the down side, others might find this method too time-consuming and disregard it.

Giving people a series of photographs, from which they could then create a ‘soap’ storyline from, could be interesting and creative, as people interpret images in many connotational ways. However, storylines could become more unrealistic as a result and ‘soaps’ are supposed to depict real life issues. I read a journal about how television can confuse people's ideas of social reality "The Role Of Source Confusion In Television's Cultivation Of Social Reality Judgements" (Mares, M (1996)which is why i feel this method wouldn't be as appropriate. Viewers could opt to participate online in this activity and would certainly be very involved, but practically, would viewers bother to sign in or remember to do so? It may only involve a percentage of viewers.

To conclude, when considering whether having an interactive system for viewers to pick specific ‘soap’ storylines they want to see would be viable, observation and Interviewing would seem the most appropriate methods to discover people’s attitudes and reactions from which to act upon. Observing people directly would allow me to witness user preferences/reactions to voting interactively. Gathering information from interviewees of different race, culture and age would provide a lot of information on viewers’ attitudes and opinions about interactive voting, leading to appropriate selection of device.



Bibliography

Herrnson, PS (2007) Voting Technology: The Not- So- Simple Act Of Casting A Ballot, Washington D.C: Brookings Institution Press

Mares, M (1996) The Role Of Source Confusions In Television's Cultivation Of Social Reality Judgements, Human Communication Research, Volume 23 issue 2, Pages 278 - 297: International Communication Association

Assignment 4 – What does the way someone decorates their living space tell you about them?

To answer the question, I had to interview individuals about the decoration of their living spaces. I began by creating questions about influences/ inspirations, colour choice, essential furnishings and arrangement of these, consideration given to male preferences in a couple’s/family’s home and also the importance given to usability versus the aesthetic appearance of the living space. I interviewed two married women, who both had different decor preferences, and a single middle aged man. Carrying out the interviews , I felt I was able to make certain assumptions about the decoration of their living spaces but it was interesting to hear how they decided on the choices they made. There were similarities but there were also differences, which could be put down to factors such as gender, inspirations and preferences. They all liked natural/ light colours influenced by nature, online sources, interior books and visiting shops for advice. They mentioned these colours created a sense of brightness and space in their rooms. They all said that the colours they chose were bright and cheery and reflected their personalities as well as capturing the right mood and atmosphere they wanted in their living spaces. One woman said that she was a ‘summer person’ and wanted warm welcoming colours. Dark colours would pull the walls in and not give enough light. All three said that they had to use light colours as the natural light was too dark. These neutral colours are also in fashion and have a more timeless effect and are often shown in magazine and store designs, which could be influencing. This shows the link with the role of advertising and the way companies display and promote designs to influence consumers. Both women said that the animals influenced their choice of carpets and seats. They chose darker coloured seats and had richly patterned carpets to hide animal hair. This shows the desire to keep their living spaces clean, but at the same time they still picked colours for these items by pulling out colours from other furnishings so that the room still matched.

All three of the interviewees had clear ideas about what they wanted their living space to look like and they weren’t totally happy with their present styles. They were all considering how they could adapt and make improvements, showing how important it is for the designer to have a natural feel for trends and realise the significance of the consumer’s role. It can be difficult to predict how consumers value different objects. All three wanted to create a living space which was personal and individual. Designers have to be aware of consumers’ needs to personalise their space and make it their own. One woman said that her decor was influenced by the style of the house. As it was an older styled house she felt that contemporary objects wouldn’t fit in. She had a modern candle holder which she felt was out of place in her home. The other woman liked the accidental look, placing something ‘quirky’ in the room that was not expected. When picking her colours she would go for similar colours but not completely matching ones. The man had a Feng Shui book, which would influence his future decisions about layout.

Consumers place different meanings and values on objects which cannot be directed. Both women had meaningful photographs and ornaments in their living space, which held memories. There seemed to be a stereotypical pattern in that the women both had a collection of ‘valuable’ items which created more clutter in their homes, whereas the male preferred to have a minimalist look, keeping it neat and tidy, therefore making it easier to keep clean. The man mentioned the importance of his television, which affected the arrangement of the seating so it could be viewed from all seats. Whilst the women had TVs, neither said they were significant, which could suggest consideration being given to the men in the homes. All three mentioned the importance of having comfortable seating in their homes, showing they wanted a restful homely living space.

All three interviewees said that the aesthetics and the usability were equally important. They all wanted a homely atmosphere, which looked pleasing, but didn’t want an ‘unlived in’ look. The way people personalise their spaces gives an idea about what they are like. It was clear that the women preferred a more ‘cluttered’ look and the man a minimalist look without clutter. One woman admitted being unable to throw anything out, referring to her space as ‘creative clutter’. The man preferred things neat and tidy, making it easier to keep clean. If his space wasn’t practical it would ‘get on his nerves’. It could be suggested that men generally like order and neatness and women clutter the space because they consider objects have memories which they don’t want to part from. It was really interesting to find out whether they considered male and female preferences when designing their living space. One woman said the choice was entirely up to her when decorating, but the other, although she probably had greater influence on decisions, would consider her husband’s view before purchasing. When it came down to price both women said that they could persuade their husbands to agree.

They way people decorate their homes can lead to assumptions about social and financial circumstances. Consumers have to consider what they can afford and this can influence the way they decorate their living space. There has to be a balance between what is wanted and what can be afforded. It is something the designer and companies should consider. When I was at the interviewees’ homes it was evident they were willing to pay to get the style they wanted. One woman had an expensive object carved out of wood, which she just wanted to add to the style and look of her room. The other woman had certain cushions in her living room to create an ethnic look but which didn’t entirely fit in with the colour scheme of everything else. The male was definitely more technically minded with his up to date gadgets – his large screen TV with surround system, his state of the art laptop and his iPod being essential in his living space. Consumers have to go with what they can afford, which definitely impacts on how they decorate their living space. Inspirational desires aren’t always possible when price is considered.

Seeing how individuals decorate gives an insight into what they are like. For example colours are very connotational and all three of the interviewees said that they liked natural colours that created a sense of brightness and space, which reflected their friendly personalities. What people consume can also suggest what kind of taste they have and their individuality. Decoration of living spaces is influenced by many factors- personality and personal choice, advertising, social experiences and affordability.

Assignment 3 – Design Safari

Observing Peoples Behaviour In Public

For this assignment I was introduced to ‘Ethnography’ a term I was unfamiliar with, but using it as a research method to gather information on human behaviour was quite interesting, not only for me but seeing if people noticed you making observations and causing them to react differently. It was fascinating to see how different people behaved in a public space- whether they were alone or with other people.

For this research two friends and I chose to go to Starbucks coffee shop in the town centre, an ideal location to observe the behaviour of a range of people. In Starbucks there did not appear to be a specific stereotype, there was a wide spectrum of people of different race, culture and age. There wasn’t a particular group of people in society in this public space.

The full length windows design seem to invite people into it. We quickly realised that people knew how to queue without thinking, showing a well thought out design. The take-away service is also another good service design to get people to use the product without spending too much time and seats are not taken up by these consumers. Another good strategy is the installation of wi - fi. A lot of business- like people were on their laptops making use of it, encouraging them to come to the coffee shop The only downfall about the layout is that the shop has quite a confined space, so people on their own appear more conspicuous. For example, a woman dropped her bottle of water but before picking it up she looked around to see if anyone was watching her. So, people on their own in a public place possibly behave differently than if in company. Her body language appeared hesitant as if she felt she was being watched. It was also noticeable that ‘single’ consumers generally tended to occupy themselves, reading the newspaper or using their mobile phones. This gives the impression that they feel awkward and self conscious about being watched. What I have just described displays normative action, but people’s behaviour may be influenced by different situations and conditions, depending on how they feel in these situations, for example, if they feel really relaxed and interested in what they are doing. Weather conditions may also have an effect. Observing the service within the shop, we noticed that when serving customers the employees put on an act, an unnatural kind of behaviour, showing that people can adjust their behaviour appropriately to suit the situation. People who were with others didn’t seem to notice or bother about their surroundings. They appeared oblivious to others around them. For example, there was a young group of teenagers who sat away from everyone else in their own space, maybe for others to realise that they had a certain identity in society.

We also decided to observe what people were wearing. A lot of people appeared to use popular retail shops, giving us some idea about their identities. They like to follow present fashion trends What people wear and how they behave in situations make them interesting to observe. We found that people would rather pick who they sat next to, maybe they look at how others are dressed or by how they show themselves in public. This made us realise that people constantly make judgements about the people around them, showing a pattern in behaviour. For example there was one man who stood out and had free spaces around him as people decided to sit elsewhere.

In conclusion, people’s behaviour changes depending on certain factors including whether they are on their own, in a group, in familiar or unfamiliar surroundings. Also, people constantly, sometimes unintentionally, make judgements about others, by their appearance and actions and slot them into groups in society. This shows a pattern in behaviour. People shouldn’t make judgements before getting to know someone, but that is how we start to find people we think are similar to ourselves All three of us felt uncomfortable observing others, even although we were doing it together, as some people noticed that we were observing, making it harder for us to carry out. Some people may have felt we were invading their privacy while they were just there to relax. Believing that someone is watching you can make you more self conscious, particularly if you are on your own and although we were doing the observing we felt like we were being watched at the same time. After observing people we came to realise that making assumptions and slotting people into stereotypes by their appearance and behaviour can influence what we think about them, but it’s important to realise that observing only gives a small insight into people in society.

This is a quick sketch of the design layout of the shop.

The consumption of design

The Culture Of Design – Chapter 4 – The consumption of design

Consumption in everyday life is discussed in detail. Consuming is the using or using up of something experienced in different ways. The culture of consumption is about finding a balance between what can be afforded, showing its link to social circumstances and what is wanted, which shows the importance of personal choice and individualism. Consumption is also about promoting competition. Companies try to promote their products through advertising, packaging, shops and displays and this may have some influence on how a consumer values an object. Today, how things look and how they function seem very important. It’s about having. Designers must constantly be reviewing trends.
So designers and consumers are linked-the designer creates for the consumer, but the consumer’s wants also have to be considered. As a student textile designer I feel it is important to realise how textile design relates to consumption. Through what they consume, a connection may be made about people’s identities. When studying Paula’s photos, I was able to make assumptions about her identity by looking at the details in the pictures. What we “consume” can slot us into a certain group in society, for example style of furnishings or clothing.
Critics say that even designers are unable to fully predict how consumers read and use objects. Consumers put value on objects and spaces which cannot be directed. In textile design, it’s important to have a natural feel for trends. Predictions are constantly made on forthcoming seasons, but success depends on getting the balance right with the consumer. In the chapter it mentions that businesses have employed graduate designers who signify their target ( youth) market, so they get it right.
The consumer puts meaning on goods and service. Consumers personalise what they consume - ‘de-alienate’ objects. They make them their own. Sometimes some of the design process may be handed over to the consumer, for example Ikea flat- pack furniture. A designer may decide whether to try creating a specific feel to a product, or to give the object over as it is for the consumer to personalise and make their own. In the seminar discussion we talked about the ‘Little Black Dress’, the idea of wearing the same black dress but changing the look with different accessories and garments. This shows the consumer’s need for individuality, but keeps the original design.
The whole design, production, advertising and consumption process runs on a cycle, as shown by a circuit of culture. The designer needs to consider different links between production and consumption when designing and to realise these links may be different for different products. There will always be a need and want for new products, as the design of products is not only about their use, but about taste and cultural influences as well. The designer has to use consumer information well to influence the consumer and introduce new ideas. Design and consumption are both equally important .

Assignment 2: Experiment

This assignment was designed to help me start understanding the concept of polysemy - the idea that images may represent more than one meaning, but adding text fixes meaning.
To get a general idea of the term polysemy I was to read Roland Barthes essay “The Rhetoric of the Image", which subjects a poster advertising food items to a semiotic analysis. As a group we were to discuss the main points from the essay and how it relates to textiles.
Roland Barthes discusses how an image in an advertisement poster illustrates polysemy. Images can provide a number of discontinuous signs, for example people may look at it in a literal sense, but an image can also be connotational. Looking at the literal message in an image provides a simple meaning but if you look at it in a more connotational way you are likely to get a deeper meaning. The more general knowledge you have, the more meaning you will be able to receive from an image. He mentions how colour can have different connotations. In this image red, green and yellow suggest cultural associations with Italy. Barthes argues that people are unable to erase connotated signs which I agree with. People make connotational associations everyday and particularly in textiles as designers we make these associations all the time which lead us from one idea to another - the idea of getting an abstract idea from a basic interpretation. In textiles colour is a key aspect when designing as it suggests different meanings and stories, so it is important to get the colour right. He mentions how everything within the image has several meanings, but by adding text the message in an image becomes a lot clearer. This image is supported by captions and labels which help us recognise the food product. He believes that captions and labels help choose the right level of perception. Barthes also mentions how composition is important. In this particular image we are reminded of a still life. Composition in textiles is also important, for example positioning certain blocks of colours can create a different mood or meaning compared to lots of random strips of colour. It is important to get the theme across in textiles and in doing so you have to consider composition. Composition can spark different meanings depending on the placement of it within the image. In terms of the linguistic message, does text add meaning to an image? Roland Barthes argues that text does fix meaning and that it helps to establish what is going on in an image. He points out that text can direct readers through an image and can help push someone towards a particular meaning as well as indicate a message which is not so obvious.

To understand the concept of polysemy better we carried out an experiment. After selecting three random images I asked different people to produce a story to link the three images together.

1. Female 50, primary teacher – Interested in keeping fit through sport.

Her story suggested arriving at a coastal village in Mediterranean, then following a road lined by palm trees which lead to idyllic spot down by the beach. A Local tour guide agrees to take them on a tour of the beauty spots.

2. Male 16, school, interested in sport and music

His story suggested a young girl of 20 on holiday in Caribbean, visiting main city where there are palm trees. On way home on plane she takes a bird’s eye view photograph of the country.

3. Female 21, research asssistant in science Lab at University, interested in music, dancing and sport.

Her interpretation was a girl wondering about what to do tomorrow on holiday. She thinks she might climb a mountain to get a view of the city and beach and go for a tranquil walk around the lakes in the suburbs.

I found from just these three results that people interpret completely different meanings and ideas, when reading images. Everyone I asked was reading the images in both a literal and connotational way. As Barthes says images can be denotational and connotational. People were making connotational associations and suggesting that in the images it was somewhere hot and in the Mediterranean/ Caribbean.

As a group we had to select one of the stories as our ‘target story’. The next part of the experiment was to add in a fourth image and ask a different set of people to see if they could come up with a similar story to the target one. Including a fourth image was to help add to the idea that the local tour guide was showing them the beauty spots. So, after asking a different set of people we noticed that most came up with a similar story to the target one. Most were able to produce a story close enough to the target one, and so we felt we didn’t need to add any more images to the experiment. In the images people were making reference to sun, sand, beach suggesting it was in a hot climate. They were making connotational associations. I did notice that the few art students we asked came up with more creative stories and understood the whole concept of the experiment better.

We added text to each image to put Barthes concept of polysemy to the test. The idea was that text fixes meaning and can direct a reader through an image towards a particular meaning. In this part of the experiment we asked the same people who had looked at the four images previously but with the text added in. The results showed that text helped people to analyse the photographs more accurately, enabling them to produce almost the exact ‘target story’. This shows Barthes argument that text does help to understand an image better is right. The text states the obvious and so meaning is clearer. I asked Helen who was very accurate. After showing her the images with text this is what she came up with –a family on a Mediterranean holiday, walking along a path and the local rep takes them on activities.

In conclusion, doing this experiment to test the concept of polysemy has helped me to understand the idea that images do give off many discontinuous signs but when you add text to an image it can make the meaning much clearer, fixing it, as proved in the experiment. Some people did come up with quite unusual interpretations from the images but I think people’s stories and perceptions are heavily influenced by their personalities and previous knowledge. The experiment was interesting to see how varied people’s perceptions of looking at images are and how they may change once text is added. It shows that people do read available text to help them understand and analyse an image. If they try to interpret an image without text it is possible they may pick up the wrong message from what it is actually being suggested. However, the experiment also proves that people do make connotational associations to help interpret meaning, when looking at images, so both the literal and the symbolic messages are important.