Decode Design
Keywords & Themes
Exhibition Design
Curation
Project Management
Time Management &
Timelines
___________
Year
2022
Subject
Curating and Exhibiting
Communication Design
Role: Project Management
Team:
Bhavyaa Kumar
(Time Management)
Mathilda Walley
(Project Manager)
Dawn Liu
(Curatorial Writing)
Skyla Harris
(Copywriting & Budget)
Eunice Yuen
(Branding)
Project Brief
Examine the theory and practice of curating and exhibiting communication design. The project addressed the broader history of curatorial practice as well as contemporary discourse in the field, with a focus upon the particular challenges and debates surrounding the exhibition of communication design. We were required to assess the practical considerations that inform exhibition design and collaborate to develop and produce a communication design exhibition meanwhile developing critical reflections on our team's contribution and our own work.
Project Management
The Project Management and Branding team assumed complete responsibility for coordinating the workflows of the various groups and ensuring the timely and budget-compliant execution of the exhibition at a high level of quality.
Within our team, our roles seamlessly intersected to provide consistent and effective leadership. We maintained clear and open communication among ourselves, resulting in a successful exhibition opening with minimal complications.
To define “social innovation” requires looking at the growing system of complexities that our postmodern society operates within. To begin unpacking methods to leverage social innovation and prepare for future challenges is to broaden our perspective on what is implementable and possible.
In Nordic countries, the term “social innovation” is not limited to the production of material objects or commercial services; social innovations can extend to active involvement and participation from citizens to promote a healthy standard of living, education, and other means of societal wellbeing. It’s about how practical solutions that make everyday living easier balances with larger political decisions to create benefits for any nation. Most significantly, it’s about how we consider the adaptation of human behaviours while social politics, dynamics, and needs shift and fold within the flux of an ever-growing society.
Folding Social is an exhibition that speaks to that idea of a “folding society” through the physical abstractions of postmodern, Nordic social innovations. Designed, curated, and managed by the Class of 2022, Master of Communication Design cohort, Folding Social presents a selection of Finnish innovations, from the book ‘100 Finnish Social Innovations,’ that resonate with the Australian reality of navigating life after the COVID-19 pandemic.
While taking inspiration from ‘100 Finnish Social Innovations’, this exhibition goes beyond the text and encapsulates the concerns, feelings, and challenges that young people of Australia face in the aftermath of a global pandemic. Yet, it also celebrates how students utilise their creative spirit to bring together a truly resonant display that encourages contemplation, reflection, and tapping into childish joys.
Curatorial statement
Approach
Effective management of this exhibition required a strategic planning approach. While the handover document provided a sound management practice, its proposed timeline lacked sufficient detail. The timeline was a rundown of the project, offering a high-level overview to establish a long-term plan for achieving our objectives. Its primary focus was to align each team and phase with our overall goals and deadlines.
It entailed a detailed roadmap outlining project goals, deliverables, tasks, and milestones on a timeline. This roadmap breaks down all the necessary steps and tasks to accomplish our goal, clearly illustrating how each supporting task interacts to produce desired results. In addition, the roadmap facilitated cross-functional team collaboration and insights from group mentors and external stakeholders. The timeline provided a strong foundation for gaining clarity, facilitating communication, successful coordination, accountability, alignment, impact, and prioritization.
During the semester, the functionality of the timeline evolved beyond its primary use. While initially intended to outline tasks, define deadlines, and manage workflow efficiently, the timeline became an essential point of reference for various other factors.
Firstly, it facilitated resource management, rostering, and collaboration, clarifying who was responsible for which tasks and ensuring efficient use of available resources. The timeline also enabled the clear articulation of overlapping tasks and dependencies, leading to more effective meeting coordination.
Furthermore, the timeline contributed to improved motivation across teams and efficient stress and time management outside the project's scope. As students were simultaneously working on other subjects, the timeline helped them stay on track and focused, leading to better overall performance.
Finally, the timeline promoted problem-solving, leadership, and feedback from stakeholders. It allowed for easy identification of potential issues and provided a framework for addressing them efficiently, leading to better outcomes for all stakeholders involved.
In conclusion, the timeline's functionality evolved significantly during the semester, providing valuable benefits beyond its original intended use. Its impact on resource management, meeting coordination, motivation, stress and time management, problem-solving, leadership, and stakeholder feedback make it an essential tool for effective project management.
Project Timeline
