OUGD603 - Research led brief - Evaluation

To firstly reflect on the research part of this brief which was an enjoyable body of research to undertake. I set out to look into the advancements/inventions/innovations of post war Japan and discover the reasons for Japan's economic rise following the war. Prior to researching further into this I had a longstanding interest in how the axis nations lost the war but managed to excel in technology and engineering, with both Japan and Germany being two of the most innovative nations. I briefly knew certain reasons for the growth but wanted more of a broader spectrum and understanding. From my broad research into topics such as post war, post occupied, economy, technology and design in Japan. I now have a rounded opinion of the reasons for the advancements/inventions/innovations of post war Japan. My research highlighted the main reasons such as the guidance of the US, the economic miracle, the quality control handbook and the Ministry of International Trade and Industry. From these findings they presented me with a number of avenues to explore in a practical piece of design, therefore I felt my research was a success.

Following research I constructed a brief which would help define my research but also give it more direction and a purpose for audiences. I chose to communicate the 'Economic Miracle' through a piece of graphic design, because this factor I believe covered a vast majority of everything to come out of Japan following the war, therefore giving my research more breadth. The direction of the brief was an editorial piece as I knew a physical piece of work would help celebrate my research. Additionally, I knew the scale of the Economic Miracle from research so knew I'd need something that can communicate it adequately. In terms of what I have produced in retaliation to my set brief, I am rather pleased with how I documented the Economic Miracle in a celebratory form. Everything from the design to the production is informed by research, with the two parts of the brief intertwining throughout.

What I really enjoyed from the research led brief is the possibility of extending the responses to the brief. As a part of submission I have submitted the book along with an accompanying poster, but these responses can be furthered. I can imagine 'Made in Japan (1945-1991) : Innovation in the Economic Miracle' as an exhibition which would further celebrate the innovations in physical and curation form. However, in the near future this brief is a possibility to be used as part of final show, with the idea of creating unique prints for each chapter of the book.