As
part of our Assessment for the 3rd week of the project, we had to
answer a few questions. All the other groups in the class as well as Mark, the
lecturer, gave us questions to think about, discuss as a group and then post to
our page.
MARK: What challenges arose within your group and how did you deal with them?
BIGBALLS: *Keeping networking up to date and still juggle practical.
*Communicating with
each other – we all had different ideas in the beginning of how we wanted to do
the project.
*Working with
different materials- We had to test all the materials before using them. Also
knitting with different materials.
*Our ideas were
broad we had to limit ourselves. We had to choose one thing to focus on.
*Schools- we first
had to find schools that would allow us to come and visit them. Going to the
schools and presenting ourselves, we didn’t plan on teaching as well.
*Not being able to go to schools due to exam time
*Not all the group members could knit.
*Collecting
material and making yarn- some of it took long to knit and make a final
product.
*Preparing for the
presentation- not everyone is strong enough. We wanted everyone to talk. We
were nervous that we wouldn’t have enough time to prepare.
AMAZEBALL: For me, managing my time was key. There is tons
to do, technology-wise, and practically so I tried my best to juggle it all and
work more after hours on networking and almost always on practical work during
class. This made the biggest and most positive difference for me.
BOUNCY BALL: My responsibilities in the group were to
document the whole process .Challenges that I had to overcome were the
documentation and networking. It was hard to do the documentation and also help
my group to knit. Every day I wrote in my journal and then I would type it out
on the computer so at the end of the 4 weeks we would have a complete booklet
to remember our wonderful memories. I decide just be more sufficient with my
time, so in the morning before class I came in earlier and did the previous
days documentation. So by the time class started I could help my group with
knitting and finishing products.
NICKER BALL: The materials itself was a much bigger
challenge than I had initially thought. The whole process of collecting
different types of materials, preparing them for yarn (cutting, tearing,
knotting, stitching, sewing, pasting, combining, braiding, etc), making yarn
balls, testing them to see if it is able to knit or crotchet with and then
eventually knitting or crocheting it into the shape of a ball was extremely
time consuming! It also made the whole process very stressful thus we had to
figure out a way (system) in which to work to decrease the stress and increase
the outcome/products. Luckily we were aware of this ‘problem’ very early in the
process and so we divided the work in such a way that members mostly did what
they were the strongest at but members was still helping each other along the
way. This boosted the process a lot and soon we worked fast and efficiently
like a well-oiled machine.
PLASTASTIC BALL: My
challenge was, having to deal with the bottles that I had to cut in a long
strip to knit with them, and of which I had to create a ball with my plastic
knitted product (a ball).
SWEET BALL: I
think the first challenge I came across while using the materials was making
the yarn, this took the most time because we had a lot of fabric. I did the
braiding of different materials together, it was challenging because I’m use to
braiding hair which goes faster than fabric. I learned hand knitting this went
fast depending on the fabric used.
THE
INNOVATORS: How have community interaction and the forming of our product affected
group spirit/dynamics?
BIGBALLS: We communicated with people in transport, people on campus, schools and
parents. After visiting Cannons Creek on Friday when we came back we were very
happy. We yarn bombed a tree with the students. We were more motivated after
the interaction with the school. It was amazing how the interacted and wanted
to help. The students reacted to the yarn bombed tree in a positive way. We had
interaction with them even if we were not always there by leaving our balls
with our business cards. We left our message behind and hopefully people will
remember us and also what surface design is. We gave some of the matric
student’s hope for studying next year.
AMAZEBALL: Before: We were energized, excited and full of
ideas, bursting to be heard.
After: The five ballzy girls
that make up BigBalls, are passionate about our aim and are determined to
learn, enjoy and excel together as one.
BOUNCY BALL: Before: We are
the most awesome group ever. We are 5 girls. We worked well from the beginning.
Before the product we all worked very hard and were very eager. We had many
ideas and wanted to do them all. We all knew exactly what we wanted to achieve.
We never had any problems. We motivated each other and knew what our strengths
and weaknesses where. We used this to
create a sufficient group dynamic.
After: I think we are still
the same group with the same qualities. After creating the product and
community it motivated us as a group to do more and be more successful. We are
stronger now and we know what we are capable of.
NICKER BALL: Before: Our group dynamic was very strong
since the very beginning - we worked well as a team and were passionate and
excited about our project.
After: After working with the community and seeing what effect we
had on our target market, we were even more excited and motivated to spread our
word and produce
more products to WOW people with!
SWEET BALL: Our spirit of going out to the community was exciting
but we nervous, we didn’t know how people will respond to our project. We really enjoyed our day out to the community, the
students at the high school were helpful and willing to learn, so that helped
us relax and have fun.
PLASTASTIC BALL: Before: The
interactions went well with our product due to the school that we went to, we
had balls that we wanted to place on their tree as well as for other schools.
After: At first before the project we worked well and due to the project
we jell even better now and are good friends now, I’m very glad to have such
friends in my group and life.
BIGBALLS:
How has the community motivated you to excel in your project?
AMAZEBALL: They have contributed positively to our group
by helping in the process, being a part of the process, motivating us and
keeping that excitement of the project alive in us. We have encouraged them to
ask us any questions they may have, allowing and encouraging them to be a part
of our process and interacting with students of high school in a classroom
environment while teaching them to knit and finger knit for two days. Yes they
have as they have helped us yarn bomb our first tree and did it together, as
well as being taught by us on how to knit and finger knit as classes for
school.
BOUNCY BALL: We used social media to create awareness of
surface design. We also went out to schools and interacted with them. We yarn bombed
a tree with them they enjoyed it so much. The students helped us to make yarn
and also yarn bomb a tree. When we sat outside campus people walked by and
wanted to help us knit. And yes, we have improved when we saw the positive
interaction. We wanted to make more balls and try different techniques.
NICKER BALL: We
incorporated the community by going to schools and creating awareness of
surface design inside AND outside of the classroom. We taught students how to
knit and exposed them to the term ‘yarn bombing’. By doing this, we inspired
them to yarn bomb on of their own trees at school. This was incredible to see
and brought us as a group closer together, knowing what positive effect we had
on students and teachers .
SWEET BALL: The community motivated our group to excel on the project by
them being part and willing to help on the project. By involving the student we
thought them how to knit which they enjoyed, and also give them homework to
research yarn booming. On the last day the students made yarn and we boomed the
tree!! Everyone got involved. As a group we had so much fun, we learned
teamwork and working with different people the community. Yes we got big balls
lol!!
PLASTASTIC BALL: They
motivated me by being so full of life to do more, and that motivates them to do
more too.
My group and I ensure that we keep our community interested at all
times, we also incorporated the community by going to schools and teaching them
all about our course and what our project is all about. Yes, by helping my
group and I with some yarn bombing and that inspired us to do so much more than
just doing the balls as a start. Yes our group has improved very much and we
are more determined and inspired to do a lot more and help where we can.
SPRING CHICKS: Which discipline “Design/Art” does your
campaign fall under and why? How
did your target market respond to your campaign?
BIGBALLS: Art
is using creative skills to create beauty to the human eye and the main
difference between art and design is that design is simply more restrained.
Design is creating something that is beauty
but still adds function. As designers, our work has to be interactive,
accessible and consistent. Design is art with expectations and pattern. It is
art meeting science.
We are both art and design. We create a
merge of the two. We incorporate elements of art and design into our BIG BALLS,
as the mediums, techniques and principles are used in our BALLS, the
accessibility of our BALLS, the function of creating awareness and meaning
shows design. Simply, due to the skills used to create beauty and attraction,
we are art as well.
The
community reacted better than expected. They wanted to be a part of the project
and the making of our BIG BALLS.
THE REBELLION: How did the group overcome its
fears?
BIGBALLS: Check out our video!
