Design Research Methodology - Final Compilation

25/9/2024 - 04/1/2025/ Week 1 - Week 14

GUAN YAXIN / 0370687

Design Research Methodology / Bachelor of Design (Hons) in Creative Media

 INTRODUCTION 

ASSIGNMENT 1: Proposal 

ASSIGNMENT 2: Critical Review  

ASSIGNMENT 3: Research Design - Primary Data 

Task 4：Research Reflection Report and Recorded Presentation

presentation slides

video presentation

FEEDBACK 

Week 1

Module introduction & briefing of all tasks

Week 2

Determine the research topic of the paper. 

-The teacher confirmed my research topic (exploring character OOC phenomenon and labeling phenomenon and how to create successful characters). 

-I plan to continue my thesis research on this research topic

Week 3

Make clear the idea of the paper research. 

-My lecturer pointed out that my thinking was not rigorous and perfect enough, and I needed to change it again.

-I continued to improve the idea of my thesis research according to the teacher's requirements

Week 4

Follow the given template to determine specific matters, such as research topics, research questions, research methods, etc. 

-My lecturer pointed out that my research problem was not specific and complete enough, and the research problem needed to have enough discussion, and the more aspects of thinking divergence, the better. 

-I updated my research question on the advice of my teacher and improved the parts that were not specific enough before

Week 5

Identify the text you want to parse.

-My lecturer asked me to read the article carefully, fully read and understand the article of my choice, and began to write analysis.

-After reading, I started writing the analysis as instructed in task2

Week 6

Continue to refine and revise what you write. 

-There are no major defects in my article, but part of the quoted content needs to be modified according to APA citation rules.

-I fixed these weaknesses and finished up

Week 7

Submit task1 and task2.

-The teacher did a final review and revision of my homework and corrected some grammatical mistakes. He said I had nothing to change and could submit it. 

-I submitted the files as required by the teacher

Week 8

Start writing task3

-The teacher affirmed the research method I chose.

-According to the template, I continued to write task three.

Week 9

no class

Week 10

no class

Week 11

Continue to improve task3.

-The teacher said that the questionnaire I made should be consistent with my research questions, for example, the research questions should correspond to 3-4 questions respectively in the questionnaire.

-I checked and improved the questionnaire I made, and began to collect and analyze data.

Week 12

Complete task3 and start task4.

-The teacher suggested that my analysis based on the data is good, but I need to add a summary of the survey data at the end.

-I accepted the teacher's opinion, and added a summary, and then made the final improvement.

Week 13

no class

Week 14

Submit task 4

-The teacher said that there was something wrong with the layout of the ppt I made, helped me make changes, and suggested that I make the document layout of task4 more reasonable.

-I made corrections according to the teacher's request.

REFLECTION

Experience

I conducted a series of studies on tagging and Out-of-Character (OOC) behaviors in character design, gaining valuable and comprehensive learning experiences. Throughout the process, I had the opportunity to delve into a topic closely related to animation, fully immersing myself in each stage and actively seeking effective solutions to character design challenges. However, I also faced challenges, such as conducting critical reviews, which required me to repeatedly read and consult various resources to complete the analysis effectively. This honed my skills in language organization and logical thinking. Designing a survey questionnaire was both challenging and rewarding, requiring careful consideration of research objectives, questions, and methods to ensure meaningful and accurate data collection. These practical experiences enhanced my problem-solving skills and deepened my understanding of research methodologies, equipping me with practical techniques for writing academic papers. I gained a profound appreciation for the importance of scientific and rigorous research methods in acquiring accurate data, significantly improving my research design abilities. While the process was complex and tedious, the insights gained were invaluable. This exploration enriched my understanding of the intersection between audience perception and narrative design, which will greatly benefit my future efforts in character development and storytelling.

Observation

Interacting with interviewees helped me realize the diverse perspectives of audiences and creators on character design. From interviews and surveys, it became clear that different groups have varying opinions on this topic. Younger participants were more vocal about their dissatisfaction with tagging and OOC behaviors, expressing concerns that these issues diminish character resonance and disrupt the immersive quality of storytelling. Their feedback highlighted the need to create multifaceted characters that evoke deeper emotional connections.  

For creators, balancing artistic integrity while managing external pressures—such as meeting commercial demands, editorial requirements, tight production schedules, or audience expectations—is a constant struggle. Avoiding these phenomena requires in-depth planning and understanding of characters’ backstories, motivations, and developments. The creative process is inherently complex and requires a collaborative approach that respects both artistic vision and audience feedback. Characters are the driving force of a story, and their actions and development must align seamlessly with the overall narrative logic. From the outset, creators need to establish clear backstories and goals for their characters.  

Overall, this project enhanced my understanding of the complexities involved in character creation, emphasizing the importance of balancing audience preferences with commercial pressures. Crafting compelling characters is undoubtedly a multifaceted challenge.

Findings

Reflecting on this research process, I realized that addressing tagging and OOC behaviors requires a multi-layered approach. This approach integrates audience insights, creators’ expertise, and innovative narrative techniques to enhance character development and storytelling quality. OOC behaviors often arise from a lack of coherence between a character’s actions and the broader narrative context, disrupting audience immersion and diminishing emotional resonance. By devising detailed character development plans and narrative frameworks, creators can ensure that character growth and transformations align naturally with plot progression.  

Tagging typically stems from oversimplification in the creative process. To quickly establish character traits, some creators resort to stereotypes or simplistic labels. While this may initially attract audiences, it eventually renders characters shallow and unoriginal, causing audience enthusiasm to wane. Therefore, creators must inject complexity and multidimensionality into their characters to ensure that their actions and motivations remain logically consistent with established traits and developmental trajectories.  

If creators incorporate these findings into their practice, they can craft characters that resonate deeply with audiences and enhance the overall narrative quality. Audience feedback indicates that consistency and resonance are key to forming emotional connections with characters, while creators must strike a balance between maintaining artistic quality and meeting commercial demands. Over-reliance on audience preferences or personal biases risks stifling innovation and leading to formulaic storytelling. Creators must carefully weigh various considerations, preserving their creative vision while incorporating audience feedback to develop distinctive characters.  

In summary, this research provided a deeper understanding of the complexities in character design, showcasing the intricate interplay between narrative innovation, audience expectations, and creative constraints. It also offered practical strategies to mitigate tagging and OOC behaviors, ensuring the sustainability and innovation of story creation. Creators’ expertise forms the foundation of successful character design. They need the skills to craft compelling characters, including precise behavioral logic, a deep understanding of personality traits, and adept story structuring. Maintaining clear character positioning, while listening to audience expectations and needs, is crucial. By consistently enriching storytelling experiences and creating characters that deeply resonate with audiences, creators can foster sustainable growth and innovation in the animation industry. This research not only enriched my academic knowledge but also provided valuable insights and guidance for my future endeavors in character development and narrative creation.