Reflection 13

Just like that, I have completed the course! I can’t believe how fast the semester has gone by and I find it hard to process how much work we have completed in what has felt like such a short time. This course has been extremely fruitful to me and I am very glad that I ended up taking it. When I signed up for the class, I really didn’t know what to expect. I wanted to take another design class to finish my minor and I wanted to take a class with Meena, but I didn’t really think of the AI aspect that much. When I arrived at the first day of class and we were introduced to the toy project, I remember thinking that the class was going to kill me. Well looking back, I survived! It definitely was some of the hardest work I have had to put in over the last couple years, but I came out a better designer and student because of it. I especially enjoyed all of the opportunity for open-ended design and the ability to tailor the projects to things we actually care about. In every single project I was able to make a personal connection and input my own style.

The class discussions were super helpful for making connections, as sometimes I find myself reading things and not truly registering what I am ingesting. In having the opportunity to speak out loud with my peers, my brain was stimulated and much more able to draw connections based on my peers’ thoughts and my personal experiences. I was pushed out of my comfort zone many many times, having to think about topics that made me feel uncomfortable and scared. However, I learned a lot about guardrails and preventions we can do as a generation to preserve the safety and humanity of future generations.

One of the final mockups.

I am leaving the course much more confident on my ability to use AI and I finally understand what it is. Although I cannot predict where the future is going with it, I have atleast a general idea of what we may see. It’s also been super cool to watch how much AI has progressed from even just the beginning of the semester to the end. It’s crazy to see how fast it’s all moving, proving how crucial it is for students and designers to continue learning about it.

Praxis Inquiry 4 was a super refreshing way to end the semester. I really appreciate the lighter work load at the end of the semester, especially as I am wrapping up my entire college career. I had fun getting to run my own data study and then figuring out a way to visualize it, as well as interpreting Sofia’s data. As I stated in my project reflection, I was surprised to see my own bias come out in an unexpected way, realizing that no matter how user centric you think you are, there is always a broader point of view to consider. I spent a long time thinking about eye contact and its presence in my interactions with other people, realizing that data can be pulled from literally anything. Exploring the Dear Data project resonated with my especially because it reminded me how pertinent design and creativity is in every aspect of life. I also really enjoy creating mockups so more than anything I just had fun getting to do that.

I am overall grateful for this course and think it was a great way to prepare me for a career in design. Thank you Meena for a great semester and I hope this course continues for many many semesters moving forward!