SOLAR
A Service Design project for Murdoch University, Perth.
Murdoch University hosts an end of year showcase for disciplines of the School of Arts every year. 2018 is the first year that final year graphic design students were given the opportunity to design the event as a team project. That included designing all the information and service design elements that come with designing an event: branding, way-finding, printed promotional materials, a website, social media presence, props for the space and much more! The event design needed to represent university life in a way new students could relate to.
This was a group assignment and therefore the workload was shared between the fourteen members of the team. My main permanent role in the project was minute taker. I made sure everyone knew what had to be done by when and that we were all notified about any changes of information. I also had a variety of other roles throughout the duration of the project.
As part of the project, we were also tasked with creating a photobooth for Murdoch’s Sound On Festival - a music festival for teens aged between 14 and 17 years old. Sound On as well as functioning as a promotional event for Murdoch University, is also heavily focused on mental health for youths. The photo-booth design had to be sensitive to this.
Many of the first team sessions revolved around getting the idea of service design straightened out. This was a new concept to all of us and we wanted to understand exactly what we were doing before embarking on it.
We then began researching the various elements of service design just for creative concepts at this stage. For example, we looked into as many different types of printed promotional materials, way-finding, photo-booth inspiration, and interactive exhibitions, as we could. Each session we would share what each of us found and I would record which ideas people got most excited about and had the potential to be included in the event.
Smaller teams were appointed to manage different sections of the project so we could operate more efficiently. I was involved with the photo-booth team. We researched props, concepts and styles. At this early research stage, we tried to keep open minds. The photo-booth would be made up of a pull-up banner and any props we could source or make.
Once a rough plan of how the photo-booth would look had been made, it was presented to the Sound On organisers who gave us the go ahead to begin construction. The photo-booth team met up to work on a life-size wooden rocket cut-out and paper lantern planets. I made a list of props we needed, such as headbands, glasses and wigs. The photo-booth was very successful at Sound On.
To begin the development phase of the project, we first had to have a name and theme for the event. We brainstormed and voted that a retro space theme representing ‘entering into the unknown’ was appropriate for the nature of the event and had endless possibilities as far as design. We then did a separate brainstorm for the name and decided on Solar.
The designing could now begin!
We had a branding team working on constructing a logo and basic style guide for the event.
Once the branding had been established – after a number of tweaks and near re-designs – work on the printed promotional materials began.
The website team had been diligently working on the website so that it would be ready and a URL could be included on the promotional materials.
The first thing we needed to print was a postcard encouraging school of arts students to submit their work to the website so that it could be included in the take-away catalogue given out at the event. Many of us worked on designing postcards that worked with the branding. I designed one with a stylised astronaut helmet. This was used as the final design.
Stickers were next to be printed, then posters and postcards for external distribution, and formal invites. When it was closer to the event, I re-scaled the sticker artwork for badges. A box die-cut was produced to put the collection of postcards which would make-up the catalogue. And a map of the space was designed. The map would have spaces for stickers which would be given out at each discipline area. The thinking behind this was that it would engage the audience and encourage them to visit all the areas to fill the spaces on the map. Wayfinding and external signage was also being designed at this stage
The day before the event, the majority of our team met to do the final promotional materials for the showcase. This included making badges, light-up signs and trimming and folding maps. The catalogue was not ready to be assembled until the day of the event, so we all met to put that together which was an almighty effort!
Installation on the day of the event went smoothly. I helped to setup the photobooth, re-attach the LED lights around the head-holes/windows of the rocket and ensure that the rocket was safe and less tippy. I also helped to distribute the lava lamps and finished catalogues around the place.
