Monday 26 April 2010

Enterprise & Innovation:
Short Module Evaluation

By far this module has brought to light a realism of the design process, working within the real world beyond the studio. Setting up a business within the current climate is particularly difficult and off-putting, but with what has been taught within the seminars and lectures that anything in business is possible with the right planning and detailing.
Each lecture developed well, allowing myself an understadning how to build a business from the initial idea. Then using the subsequent lecture material and guides to targeting specific areas I was able to focus and complete different tasks to produce an effective strategy to enter the world of business.
Although I felt strongly at times the lecture material was irrelevant I gained an understanding through talking about what I wanted from the module to Bridget, this cleared the air on what the module was focussing on, and communication through emails and through the seminars helped aid my development and ambition. This would have helped earlier on and I feel I could have done a few things differently that would have made the module easier for myself. for instance I have never truly considered the benefits of a collaborative practice, more importantly what I would like from a creative partner especially in business. I would like to continue my efforts into finding out what a partnership business could do for myself and my proposed business.
I also feel that there was not enough emphasis directed on Enterprise & Innovation module and the relevance to our individual practice and what was wanted to get out of our degree course on an individual basis. Business it seems doesnt do well with many companys are offering the same thing, what I felt was taught that we were all heading for the same point, opening up a Graphic Design agency and nothing more. What I got out of the experience I feel was something else, not just going into enterprise with Graphic Design, but with a whole range of businesses associated with design.
Overall I feel that this module has definitly aided my development and I am looking forward to setting up my small business within the not too distant future.

Friday 23 April 2010

Enterprise & Innovation
Good Ink: Presentation Slides

Having proposed and presented my business to my fellow peers and Bridget I feel confident in my business proposal was successful. The presentation was structured in such a way that it allowed me do discuss in great detail how my business would function, and although I am a particularly nervous speaker I feel I was able to deliver a concise and informed business idea, I did go slightly over on time but I tried to deliver as much information as possible. The slide breakdown is as follows:
01. Business Name/Product
02. Mission Statement/What does the business do?
03. Who are my customers/Segmentation Analysis
04. Competitor 1/SWOT Analysis
05. Competitor 2/SWOT Analysis
06. Competitor 3/SWOT Analysis
07. My product/Unique selling points
08. Promotional Method 1
09. Promotional Method 2
10. Promotional Method 3
11. Resources Needed/Outline of Initial costs
12. What happens next?/Impact slide

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Enterprise & Innovation:
Good Ink: Prepared Business Plan


Bibliography

Books

+ Brassington, F. Pettitt, S. (2006), Principles of Marketing, Harlow, Pearson Education Limited.
+ Shaughnessy, A (2005), How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul, Princeton Architectural Press.
+ Association of Illustrators, (2008), The Illustrators guide to Law and Business Practice, Association of Illustrators Publishing.

Websites

+ Greetings Card Association (06.01.10) Available from: http://www.greetingcardassociation.org.uk/home/
+ Leeds: Live It, Love it. (06.01.10) Available from: http://www.leedsliveitloveit.com/index
+ West Yorkshire Print Workshop (06.01.10) Available from: http://www.wypw.org/
+ Yellow Pages (06.01.10) Available from: http://www.yell.com/
+ Office for National Statistics (20.03.10) Available from: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/
+ Royal Mail (06.01.10) Available from: http://www.royalmail.com/
+ Adobe (06.01.10) Available from: http://www.adobe.com/
+ GFSmith (02.16.10) Available from: http://www.gfsmith.com/
+ Sage (06.01.10) http://www.sage.co.uk/sagestartup/
+ Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (02.16.10) http://www.defra.gov.uk/index.htm

Enterprise & Innovation:
Good Ink Proposed Logo Design

Enterprise & Innovation:
Good Ink: Segmentation Research and Demographics





Enterprise & Innovation:
Costings Analysis
Enterprise & Innovation:
Information about Copyright Protection & Licences

Having decided as an innovative opportunity within my business I have been looking at organizing competition based briefs to which designers ca submit to to get their work out and into the world of design. This will require legal contracting especially for use of other peoples artwork. Its quite simple really, by creating a legal document which is signed by the maker, I can obtain full licensing for the artwork submitted, this should allow me in agreement that I can reproduce artwork at no additional costs or risks to infringement of copyright.
As I am a small sole trader business based on current projections I will not be able to give commission for items that are sold. What will be offered is the opportunity to have the name of the artist on the back of the artwork/card providing a form of promotion along with a contact email or website for reference. Hopefully this will be enticing enough.

[Information obtained from]: Association of Illustrators, (2008), The Illustrators guide to Law and Business Practice, Association of Illustrators Publishing