Evaluation

The entire major project experience has been both overwhelming and rewarding; I am incredibly pleased with the outcome of this unit.

Creating Luxe Undone has been a long process, the majority of which has been filled with positivity and success, with only a few issues that I have had to deal with.

I have come to learn so much about the design and creative process of online magazines. Reflecting on my knowledge prior to this project, I realise just how much I have learnt. Almost all of the processes I have completed throughout this unit were entirely new to me at the beginning. I was able to acquire all of the necessary information about these processes through both my university teachers and also from my own research. I gained a much better understanding about magazine production through online resources including webinars.

My IT skills are an element that has developed phenomenally. The excellent resources that were available were a huge contributor to the success of Luxe Undone. Initially, my understanding on how to use the programs like Photoshop and InDesign were very limited. The technical lessons were incredibly useful, making the creation of my magazine easier.

I have learnt how to build an entire online magazine, from a simple concept to a live website. Having a mentor with a background in beauty journalism was incredibly helpful, her critique and advice throughout the entire project has been one of the most valuable resources.

Combined with the technical support from IT teachers, I have felt very confident throughout this process thanks to their encouraging and helpful teaching.

Throughout this process, I have learnt to research efficiently and utilise many different platforms to do so. Sourcing content for Luxe Undone, I engaged in great discussions with peers about their interests and their magazine preferences. Social media was another useful outlet to gain this type of information. Being able to have instant updates to hand meant I could identify popular subjects and emerging trends immediately.

The most successful element of the entire process was the photo shoots. By planning and preparing for each shoot meticulously, I saved myself the need to reshoot. This success was also due to sourcing models that fit the looks perfectly. The careful selection did mean I had to shoot a lot later than planned (because of their availability), but I altered my schedule accordingly. The efficient execution of each photoshoot meant I had plenty of time to focus my efforts towards the construction of the magazine.

Some elements of the production were not as successful. A lot of time was wasted spent reaching out to contributors. The project proposal emphasised the concept of inviting others to work on Luxe Undone however, whilst actively working on the magazine, I had a change a mind.  I was confident I could take on the entirety of the magazine on my own and welcomed the challenge.

Another issue I had was sticking to the schedule. I really struggled to keep up with my plan and this is something I came to regret. During the final few weeks, I rushed to get everything complete by the deadline. Upon reflection, this could have so easily been avoided had I have kept to my schedule. I really fought with my motivation to get the work I had planned, done however I was regularly consumed by other projects.

I had not initially considered the longevity of the task, which is also why I found it so difficult to stick to the schedule. I also had to adapt the content and limit it to an amount I could successfully complete given the time frame.

When it came to researching for article ideas, I found I was constantly thinking of what I would be interested in writing about as opposed to what the target audience would want to see. I feel there were times when the project went a little off track because I would compile lists of content ideas entirely based on my own interest. It was important that throughout the entire project I kept the readers at the forefront of my mind and write specifically for them.

Building my website was a very long process and throughout I was never truly satisfied with the design. It would change and evolve regularly as I knew I wanted to achieve a very professional looking, aesthetically pleasing site. I frequently referred back to websites with an appealing layouts and designs for inspiration. Eventually, I did achieve a design that I am very pleased with; I think the choices in layout and font etc. are in keeping with the current trend of online magazine styles.

There were points during the process where I was unsure about the amount of work I had planned to do. It was difficult not having any similar projects to compare my work to, I felt as though I was not producing enough. Sharing my process regularly with my mentor gave me the reassurance I needed that I was in fact on track and producing enough work.

Producing all of the written copy was something I should have completed at the beginning of the project and I strongly regret not doing this. When I did eventually have the written copy completed and I showed it with my mentor, she explained that my writing was not as editorial as it could be, it lacked personal opinion and experience and sometimes read more like a business promo than an article. I felt as though I could have benefited with lessons in editorial writing. Had I presented this work to my mentor at the beginning, there would have been plenty of time for her to advise me on specific improvements and offer a general understanding on how to write for editorial.

After launching the site, I noticed the resolution of the font was a little low. Frustratingly, I had come to the end of the project and hadn’t the time to speak with an IT teacher to help correct this issue. In plain view, the site looks fine, however should the site be zoomed in on, the resolution begins to falter. I wish I had launched the site sooner so I could identify and resolve issues like this one sooner. 

There was a conflict with the styling that occurred before the second fashion shoot. The items of clothing sourced by the stylist were not to my liking; I felt they didn’t best reflect the vision of the shoot that I thought I had so clearly explained. The option to reshoot on a later date was not an option due to the model’s availability. I was very strapped for time however decided to go out and source new clothes anyway. I feared the photo shoot would ultimately fail because of this but, amazingly, it all came together. The entire shoot was a success and I believe this is down to the revised styling.  Had we shot in the original outfits, I doubt I would have any successful outcomes and I would have to reschedule the entire shoot.

It came to my attention, towards the end of the project, that the way in which I approached the magazine was unconventional. Reflecting on the process, I should have started by defining the topics I would write about create all the written content before moving onto designing the website and conducting photoshoots for feature pages. 

The reason I did not adhere to this method is because I found I was most inspired to begin the design and construction of the website at the beginning, so it seemed like a good place to start. The photoshoots were scheduled for much later due to model availability. I didn’t want to compromise on my choice of model just because they were not available sooner.

Improving this project, I wish I had included more visual aids such as gifs and videos, really popular mediums that would be of interest to the target audience. This project could be improved also by exploring an even wider range of subjects, catering to all the different topics of lifestyle. Though I had originally planned to do this, I was advised by mentors to narrow the amount of subjects and write about the most popular and relevant ones only. This meant I could focus on producing a smaller amount of good work as opposed to spreading myself too thin.

Continuing on with this project, I feel it would benefit from accompanying social media accounts to promote and advertise the magazine. I envision this publication becoming a professional outlet with sufficient advertising and marketing.  

A key asset throughout the entire project has been the feedback from tutors. The advice from mentors with a background in magazine publication was invaluable. I was sure to follow through with every suggestion they made and was honoured to learn from their experiences.

This project has given me a greater understanding of what I imagine the processes of a live working magazine encounter on a day-to-day basis. It has not only provided me with plenty of useful skills that will be a great advantage in the industry.