OP-Process Reflection
What was good?
After a long brainstorming phase I knew clearly which skills I would like to learn and I started writing. In the beginning I did not use a design process, because I wanted to follow my intuitions and I wrote down all my ideas. After that phase I actually felt done with my OP, although I had the feeling there was something missing. When I realized that it is essential to give my work a design-process, things cleared and rearranged themselves. Although I had thousands of questions after I went through the design process SADI, it felt a lot better and more complete.
What was challenging?
The first step of brainstorming was kind of challenging. This is the reason why I did more brainstorming days. Sometimes it was a bit overwhelming, because I recognized how many opportunities I will have.
The other very challenging situation was, when I received the feedback from my LCR and I knew clearly what to do differently in the LIPD. During the first days I did not feel capable to start with something, because of the many requirements I did not have implemented so far. I had no idea how to improve my written text. After my thoughts had settled to a certain extend, I just started to write a conscious design for my OP and my LCR. Step by step I improved my LIPD. But still it is challenging to decide at which point I am done, because I could improve it more and more, probably a never ending story.
Next steps:
I really want to learn how to improve my OPs more and more. The feedback from my Peer associate and my Main Advisor will be very helpful for that.
Wordcout
Specification & Abstract: 473
Core Report & Supporting evidence: 3003
In total: 3476
Please note that all PDFs, XMinds, Excel-tables , Journal entries and the Reflection are not included in the Wordcount.
Digiphon
To create my OP I used my laptop. I used “Libre Office” for writing and “Google Docs” for my Peer Meetings. For a resilient documentation I used "Dropbox" and an external hard drive. For visual charts I used “Xmind” and “Excel”. My OP is presented on the Mahara site and I added some self-made pictures.
Some journal entries
08.02.2016
I became more or less clear about my focus in the next seven months. It was ahard consideration and still it is not sure. I decided to focus on everything which has to do with soil, like composting ( terra preta, worm compost,, human manure), soil building through crop rotation, building with clay, liquid manure/ comfrey or nettel tea and soil as a filter.
Futhermore I will be in the process of learning how to keep in an alternative style bees.
And I will be part of a natural learning space for children and be as a teacher in permaculture (especially in how to grow food).Up until now it is not sure if this learning are will take place in year 2016 so I can not focus on that in my mind now.
It was very challenging for me to collect my first projects, because I had too many ideas and was captured in a bit like a knot. I tried to be a strategic for myself and asked me: Where do I need esential knowledge/skills? What is an important basis of life? Where do I need a deep understanding?. And soil was the answer for me. Here in Lebensgarten Steyerberg we have a lot to do with soil and I can connect my project work with the permaculture area.
10.03.2016
For some days I received my LCR-feedback. It was more helpful than I thought in the beginning and I am so thankful that I received it. In the last weeks I steadily kept working on my LIPD. I was thinking and writing the whole time, because I think now I got a real awareness how powerful it is to design whatever you want by yourself. On some days that was very motivating for me and on others I kind of thought:" What happens if my design fails...". But I reached the point where I am just happy about a design challenge and even if it would fail, it would be part of my design and a powerful learning experience. So I did all writing intuitively without designing my OP. I knew that I need to put more conscious design in my work, but I felt myself unable to do so. After I received my feedback I just felt confirmed in my assumption and started to think how I can turn and adapt my written text in a conscious design. So I just started with writing an overall design for my OP and for my Core Report. I looked at some different portfolios to get inspired and get an idea how they make their design process visible. After I had a rough framework I felt so much better. Today I am working a bit more on my framework and design to get it good. That makes a lot of fun but is also challenging because of my lack in experience on how to design an OP. But I see it now as a great design challenge and I am feeling that I am on the right way to practice.
16.03.2016
Everything is more clear now and the most of the work is done. Now I need to put my whole content into Mahara, which might become a longer process, since I have so much material and not so much experience, but I will see. Before that I have to shorten my text, because I am a way to long. Yesterday I had a peer-guild meeting with Juli, and I was happy to hear her again after almost two silent weeks. It was very supportive to talk with her about the creation of our OPs' and our lifes. I want to start to visualize my pathway in form of a drawing.