How To // Evaluation.

We identified that skateboarders generally had an attitude of not caring much for self preservation. Both professional and amateur. This psyche in our opinion developed for lots of different reasons - most professional skaters do not wear protective gear which included helmets, knee guards, elbow guards and hand/ wrist protection. therefore a trend of skating without out protective gear was reinforced within the skateboarding community. We spoke to people who skateboarded and created questionnaires and sent them to skaters and they agreed with what we were saying and thought it is not 'hip' to wear protection although they though protection was necessary.

We thought that this attitude would be very hard to change and that to do so would be pointless. So we tried to focus wearing protective gear and assembling a skateboard safely and aiming it at younger skateboarders aged below 16. We wanted to say basically listen, professional skateboarders usually start off wearing protective equipment when they first start skating and then once they feel they are skilled enough not to they drop the protective gear. From our research we found that younger skateboarders were also more prone to skateboarding injuries because of factors such as in-experience and a low sense of gravity.

When we were making the poster we used shock tactics in the form of facts and statistics of injuries. We found these from secondary and primary sources. Secondary being data collected from skateboarders which was gathers by hospitals. We made statements such as skateboarding with protective gear will reduce the extent of injuries - qualitative. We also said wearing a helmet will reduce head injuries from up to 85% - quantitative.

I found the questionnaires to be most useful because from the answers we could produce statistics which could be represented in info graphics which were straight to the point and quantitative information. Quantitative information allows you to an extent be confident in producing statements because the data backs you up.

We found condensing all the information down to a posters format difficult because there was a lot to say and maybe another format could have been possible. For example a video explaining our points. We over came these problems by making everything really simplified and graphic. We also made the format bigger where appropriate.

I feel as if I my input was more then satisfactory but here is always more I could have done. I felt as if the deadline crept upon the group and we had to rush the to finish. I think more organization would of been useful. I wish we had had a little more time to perfect the poster. I think I think it is always hard working in a group as making decisions and raising points generally requires a level of sensitivity. I think generally all of the group pulled their weight and I would happily work in the same group again. I surprised myself in the presentation because I view myself as being shy in front of large groups but once the presentation began I spoke, made sense and was able to answer questions which is always good. I think the experience was very positive and the presentation as a group went really well!

5/10 things I have learnt about the design process in the last 2 weeks

• Working in a group requires a level of patience
• Research drives the design process and without it the outcome is generally pointless
• Informed design is everything
• Graphic design is about becoming a specialist in every theme and specific subject you are given 
• Pretty images mean S***

5/10 things I would do differently next time

• Plan my time more efficiently
• Communicate with the group frequently
• Stay in college in apposed to working at home.
• Be more involved and confident about my design and thoughts
• I would be faster to react to the brief instead of thinking about what to do.