As a Fashion Forecasting & Design student I learnt some valuable tips on how to research and thought I would share them with other people who might need help on how to do get quality research and inspiration when doing work within this field.
Master the skill of Elimination!: Not everything you think of, make or do will be brilliant at first. In a lot of cases Less is More and some of your work will make more sense, look better or portray a meaning better if there is less fuss. Remember though to keep all of your work, later on you might use it again for something else. Don’t get upset if your work isn’t seen as good to someone else as it is to you. Your work is your own and a reflection of your creative skills and personality so it will be a lot more important to you. Your ideas must be justified to work! There is nothing wrong about any of your ideas as long as they are justified!
Sometimes Change is good!: If there is a piece of work that you have done but are unhappy with, it might keep bugging you in your mind that it is not right. You won’t be confident about your work unless you are completely happy with it so sometimes it is best to know when something needs to be changed (despite how long it took you to do in the first place).
Create your own study area: A creative area can help to creative thinking. Make sure you have plenty of space to work and organize your materials effectively. One good thing I found was to have a board next to my desk to pin up inspirational images that I had found.
Laying out work and planning how you are going to conduct your work or research is key to taking the next step. Make a plan, draw out how your work will be laid out in a sketch book or folder, or how your exhibition could look.
Carry an A to Z with you (or use GPRS on your mobile): You never know when you might get a free afternoon and remember that exhibition you wanted to go to but don’t exactly know how to get there.
Always BACKUP your work!: store on e-mail or web based storing programs if you are out and about or don't have a USB stick with you. Save to disc if you are worried about a USB stick or your computer messing about on you...photocopy precious work so if you lose it you will still have your work to copy again or even enhance!
Learn how to use PowerPoint!
Never use Wikipedia as a reliable source!
Talk to as many people and make as many contacts as possible!
Use a database (excel sheet) to store contacts: Store the company name, the company contact, telephone number, address, e-mail address and note the communication you have had with them and the dates that the communication has happened. This could be vital in the future to keep in contact with certain people within the industry and know what industries are interested in you and your work (who have taken time to communicate with you).
Remember to switch off and sleep well: keep note book to hand if you come up with any unexpected ideas so you can jot them down but don’t let work run you down too!
You can also view this information on: http://pages.videojug.com/pages/6578-A-Fashion-Students-Guide-To-Study
Primary & Secondary Research Skills
Brainstorming / Mind Mapping (Primary): Note all initial ideas and thoughts down, you never know how they could progress.
Start a blog (Primary): Write down all your thought processes and events you have been to on your blog. A blog is a great online diary of what you have been up to and your tutor can also see what you have been up to if you don’t see them all the time. This is also good for when you have a tutorial so your tutor will already know where you are so they can think of ways to encourage you to progress.
Video / Photos / Recorded Sound (Primary): Record everything, once again not everything will be useful but you will at least have a lot of research to select to move forward.
Go out and research at the same time (Primary): A good excuse for a day/night out is for research. Take your camera and a small notebook (or store notes on your mobile phone). You will find loads of new trends within fashion / lifestyle / culture ext from meeting new people and seeing new things so get yourself out and about (I found specific student nights good for this!). Maybe even hold your own night somewhere and have a party on a basis of research.
Brand association (Primary & normally used in marketing): I.e. if your product was a car what car would it be. If say Victoria Beckham was a brand of alcoholic drinks what drink would she be?
Mood Boards (Primary): Use all recorded information (Image, Photos, Tear-outs, Words ext) and make a mood board. This could be used to come up with a trend or brand or to illustrate trend or brand. If you are experimenting then go nuts, good things and new ideas may come out of it. Remember! Always photocopy or scan your images in case you want to use them again!
Experiment on Photoshop or any other design programs (Primary): Mess around with image and text, cut, paste, add effects, change colors, sizes and layouts. Again this may be used more for creating trends or displaying trend ideas.
Web Searches / Dictionary (Primary & Secondary): When writing dissertations or researching trends always type in the associated word into a search engine or look it up in a dictionary. Dictionary definitions work great on presentations and in dissertations. It also enables you to fully know what the word means and to be able to create your own definitions to explain to others. (Your consumer / client / company will need to fully understand what you mean when you are explaining a word).
Watch TV Programs / Film / Documentaries / Clips on You Tube / Catch Up Tv (Secondary): Television can be a great use of research especially if you are researching trends.
Bookmark all interesting websites and articles found online on an online book marking page (Secondary): obviously if you are on your own computer you can bookmark the page you have found interesting or save it under your favorites on your browser, however if you are out and about on other computers then it is good to save websites on online bookmarkers such as Delicious: http://delicious.com/ Digg: http://digg.com/
Go to Museums / Exhibitions / Shows / Performances / Talks / Lectures (Primary): Any other information that could help your research that is academically displayed and available to you should be taken advantage of. From this you could get some fantastic images, fresh ideas and inspiration.
Use online social networking (Primary): Online social networking is now one of the most used ways of communication. This can now be seen as key to find new trends, social groups and dominant hubs. This can also be used as a strong research aid for ethnography.
E-mail companies (Primary): E-mailing or getting in touch with companies and businesses is another great way in getting some strong factual information. It would be great to ask questions that are short and precise so you will get maximum information from the companies with minimal effort. Some companies will be bombarded with e-mails everyday so if you do not get a reply then it might be best to ring the company and arrange a time when you can call back and talk to the right person. If this is the case then recording the conversation would be a good idea so you can fully concentrate on the call without having to keep pausing and writing down notes. You will then have the conversation to go over and over again in your own time.
Keep a box to store all physical research (Primary): I.e. items found in charity shops / when out and about / flyers / leaflets / images / photos / magazine and journal tear-outs / articles. Keeping all your findings in a box will help to later group and arrange items and decide what you think is strong and what needs to be eliminated.
Read Books / Magazines / Journals / Newspapers / Articles Online (Primary): Research from a wide range of literature will be a lot stronger. There will be a range of opinions, images, facts and statistics that you can work with.
Visit Libraries (Secondary): The best libraries to visit are your university's library....but of course try as many as you can...Libraries are also good for use of computers, photocopying, scanning, binding, and printing.
Read other peoples Blogs (Primary & Secondary): You can get some fresh ideas from other peoples interesting finds, ideas and creativeness...also other peoples blogs are a good source of ethnographic research...it will also show you what is popular within particular cultures / social groups.
Surveys / Questionnaires online and in person (Primary): Questionnaires are a great way to find out quick information from a group of people....ask informative questions that will give you maximum information from minimum effort. Questionnaire answers if multiple choices can be great to make graphs from too. A good online survey maker is: www.stellarsurvey.com
This site will analyze the results for you and you can send the link out through e-mail or links on social networking websites.
Accompanied Shops & Wardrobe Audits (Primary): Accompanied shops are great for ethnographic research. If you are experiencing the way your subject lives then you will gain a lot more in depth information that you may not have picked up on just by talking to them. Remember to take lots of photos!
Ethnography (PRIMARY & One Of The Best Research Methods!):
- Surveys
- Interviews
- Questionnaires
- Diaries
- Recordings
- Visiting the subjects habitat
- Meeting the subjects social groups
- Experiencing the subjects likes and dislikes- Ask subject to record information themselves: By asking the subject to record their own information you will be able to get a very in depth source of information, wheatear its asking them to take their own video's, photos, or for them to make mood boards or write a diary.
Brainstorming / Mind Mapping (Primary): Note all initial ideas and thoughts down, you never know how they could progress.
Start a blog (Primary): Write down all your thought processes and events you have been to on your blog. A blog is a great online diary of what you have been up to and your tutor can also see what you have been up to if you don’t see them all the time. This is also good for when you have a tutorial so your tutor will already know where you are so they can think of ways to encourage you to progress.
Video / Photos / Recorded Sound (Primary): Record everything, once again not everything will be useful but you will at least have a lot of research to select to move forward.
Go out and research at the same time (Primary): A good excuse for a day/night out is for research. Take your camera and a small notebook (or store notes on your mobile phone). You will find loads of new trends within fashion / lifestyle / culture ext from meeting new people and seeing new things so get yourself out and about (I found specific student nights good for this!). Maybe even hold your own night somewhere and have a party on a basis of research.
Brand association (Primary & normally used in marketing): I.e. if your product was a car what car would it be. If say Victoria Beckham was a brand of alcoholic drinks what drink would she be?
Mood Boards (Primary): Use all recorded information (Image, Photos, Tear-outs, Words ext) and make a mood board. This could be used to come up with a trend or brand or to illustrate trend or brand. If you are experimenting then go nuts, good things and new ideas may come out of it. Remember! Always photocopy or scan your images in case you want to use them again!
Experiment on Photoshop or any other design programs (Primary): Mess around with image and text, cut, paste, add effects, change colors, sizes and layouts. Again this may be used more for creating trends or displaying trend ideas.
Web Searches / Dictionary (Primary & Secondary): When writing dissertations or researching trends always type in the associated word into a search engine or look it up in a dictionary. Dictionary definitions work great on presentations and in dissertations. It also enables you to fully know what the word means and to be able to create your own definitions to explain to others. (Your consumer / client / company will need to fully understand what you mean when you are explaining a word).
Watch TV Programs / Film / Documentaries / Clips on You Tube / Catch Up Tv (Secondary): Television can be a great use of research especially if you are researching trends.
Bookmark all interesting websites and articles found online on an online book marking page (Secondary): obviously if you are on your own computer you can bookmark the page you have found interesting or save it under your favorites on your browser, however if you are out and about on other computers then it is good to save websites on online bookmarkers such as Delicious: http://delicious.com/ Digg: http://digg.com/
Go to Museums / Exhibitions / Shows / Performances / Talks / Lectures (Primary): Any other information that could help your research that is academically displayed and available to you should be taken advantage of. From this you could get some fantastic images, fresh ideas and inspiration.
Use online social networking (Primary): Online social networking is now one of the most used ways of communication. This can now be seen as key to find new trends, social groups and dominant hubs. This can also be used as a strong research aid for ethnography.
E-mail companies (Primary): E-mailing or getting in touch with companies and businesses is another great way in getting some strong factual information. It would be great to ask questions that are short and precise so you will get maximum information from the companies with minimal effort. Some companies will be bombarded with e-mails everyday so if you do not get a reply then it might be best to ring the company and arrange a time when you can call back and talk to the right person. If this is the case then recording the conversation would be a good idea so you can fully concentrate on the call without having to keep pausing and writing down notes. You will then have the conversation to go over and over again in your own time.
Keep a box to store all physical research (Primary): I.e. items found in charity shops / when out and about / flyers / leaflets / images / photos / magazine and journal tear-outs / articles. Keeping all your findings in a box will help to later group and arrange items and decide what you think is strong and what needs to be eliminated.
Read Books / Magazines / Journals / Newspapers / Articles Online (Primary): Research from a wide range of literature will be a lot stronger. There will be a range of opinions, images, facts and statistics that you can work with.
Visit Libraries (Secondary): The best libraries to visit are your university's library....but of course try as many as you can...Libraries are also good for use of computers, photocopying, scanning, binding, and printing.
Read other peoples Blogs (Primary & Secondary): You can get some fresh ideas from other peoples interesting finds, ideas and creativeness...also other peoples blogs are a good source of ethnographic research...it will also show you what is popular within particular cultures / social groups.
Surveys / Questionnaires online and in person (Primary): Questionnaires are a great way to find out quick information from a group of people....ask informative questions that will give you maximum information from minimum effort. Questionnaire answers if multiple choices can be great to make graphs from too. A good online survey maker is: www.stellarsurvey.com
This site will analyze the results for you and you can send the link out through e-mail or links on social networking websites.
Accompanied Shops & Wardrobe Audits (Primary): Accompanied shops are great for ethnographic research. If you are experiencing the way your subject lives then you will gain a lot more in depth information that you may not have picked up on just by talking to them. Remember to take lots of photos!
Ethnography (PRIMARY & One Of The Best Research Methods!):
- Surveys
- Interviews
- Questionnaires
- Diaries
- Recordings
- Visiting the subjects habitat
- Meeting the subjects social groups
- Experiencing the subjects likes and dislikes- Ask subject to record information themselves: By asking the subject to record their own information you will be able to get a very in depth source of information, wheatear its asking them to take their own video's, photos, or for them to make mood boards or write a diary.
My Tips: Key Tools (to have at home and to use when necessary)
- Mobile Phone
- Camera / Video Camera
- Note book
- Mini Sketch book
- Voice Recorder
- Diary
- Computer
- Scanner
- Photocopier
- Binder
- Photoshop
- Web building tools
- CD’s to record onto
- Memory Stick
- Magazines
- Travel Card
- A-Z
- Microsoft Office
Get over the shyness of Asking & Doing!: You are not going to get very far in a career or as a researcher if you don’t ask questions or do things on impulse. For instance there is a really interesting piece of graffiti scratched on the wall of the ladies toilets…..you might think everyone will think I’ a right weirdo taking a photo? Take that photo! Even if you wait until the toilets are empty, it’s better to have the image then regret not taking the image when you want it for a mood board.
- Mobile Phone
- Camera / Video Camera
- Note book
- Mini Sketch book
- Voice Recorder
- Diary
- Computer
- Scanner
- Photocopier
- Binder
- Photoshop
- Web building tools
- CD’s to record onto
- Memory Stick
- Magazines
- Travel Card
- A-Z
- Microsoft Office
Get over the shyness of Asking & Doing!: You are not going to get very far in a career or as a researcher if you don’t ask questions or do things on impulse. For instance there is a really interesting piece of graffiti scratched on the wall of the ladies toilets…..you might think everyone will think I’ a right weirdo taking a photo? Take that photo! Even if you wait until the toilets are empty, it’s better to have the image then regret not taking the image when you want it for a mood board.
Master the skill of Elimination!: Not everything you think of, make or do will be brilliant at first. In a lot of cases Less is More and some of your work will make more sense, look better or portray a meaning better if there is less fuss. Remember though to keep all of your work, later on you might use it again for something else. Don’t get upset if your work isn’t seen as good to someone else as it is to you. Your work is your own and a reflection of your creative skills and personality so it will be a lot more important to you. Your ideas must be justified to work! There is nothing wrong about any of your ideas as long as they are justified!
Sometimes Change is good!: If there is a piece of work that you have done but are unhappy with, it might keep bugging you in your mind that it is not right. You won’t be confident about your work unless you are completely happy with it so sometimes it is best to know when something needs to be changed (despite how long it took you to do in the first place).
Create your own study area: A creative area can help to creative thinking. Make sure you have plenty of space to work and organize your materials effectively. One good thing I found was to have a board next to my desk to pin up inspirational images that I had found.
Laying out work and planning how you are going to conduct your work or research is key to taking the next step. Make a plan, draw out how your work will be laid out in a sketch book or folder, or how your exhibition could look.
Carry an A to Z with you (or use GPRS on your mobile): You never know when you might get a free afternoon and remember that exhibition you wanted to go to but don’t exactly know how to get there.
Always BACKUP your work!: store on e-mail or web based storing programs if you are out and about or don't have a USB stick with you. Save to disc if you are worried about a USB stick or your computer messing about on you...photocopy precious work so if you lose it you will still have your work to copy again or even enhance!
Learn how to use PowerPoint!
Never use Wikipedia as a reliable source!
Talk to as many people and make as many contacts as possible!
Use a database (excel sheet) to store contacts: Store the company name, the company contact, telephone number, address, e-mail address and note the communication you have had with them and the dates that the communication has happened. This could be vital in the future to keep in contact with certain people within the industry and know what industries are interested in you and your work (who have taken time to communicate with you).
Remember to switch off and sleep well: keep note book to hand if you come up with any unexpected ideas so you can jot them down but don’t let work run you down too!
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