Does It Add Up???

In class last Monday, we discussed how we as people and specifically New Media and Arts students go through the motions of creating something.  The equation we identify mostly is the Inspiration>Idea>Concept>Trial>Refine>Product formula, however each person has there own way of thinking and creating, so this formula can be interpreted in many ways based on how an individual thinks and does things.  As for New Media students we must think about the final product with our client and target audience in mind first and foremost, while Art students will think of themselves for the final product.

As a New Media student I think it is important to think about the clients needs and target audience first, especially when we have yet to make a name for ourselves and creative style to identify ourselves.  When I think about the formula mentioned above, I find it hard to identify what the "Product" is because there is so much to New Media.  The product could be a design, website, video, sound, program, film, game, app, or a brand new invention involving the use of multimedia.  Depending on what your goal is, there are many steps and variations that one must go through to reach that goal.  If I where to start out with a blank canvas to create something, anything, I would first look at the Need/Want and then figure out an Idea.  From that Idea I would need to draw Inspiration, or maybe I would get Inspiration first and then figure out an Idea.  From there I would probably go through the Inspiration/Idea, Idea/Inspiration process a few times before I was set to move forward.  That could be considered Refining, and from there, my personal equation starts to build up.  I feel like the whole formula is basically an algorithm, where there are many steps to go through, but until one works we keep going backwards and repeating steps.

After thinking about how I go through my own workflow, I have discovered that my equation would look something like this:

Need/Want>Idea><Inspiration>Refine>Concept>Refine>Trial>Refine><Repeat Process To Perfection><Product

After doing a couple of video projects sticking to this workflow, I've come to realize that I need a better workflow that will allow me to bring the best of my work out without over thinking the whole process that I thought I once followed.  I final outcome of these products, I don't feel where any different from the ones before, but I believe I can and will find a good flow to work with the get the best out of me.  I'm not sure if this process was meaningful to me.  I did allow me to think as to how I work on different projects and analyze what I should be doing better, so I guess it was more helpful than meaningful.