The third question for my media studies evaluation task

1. Evaluation Question 3
What have you learned from your audience feedback?

2. Frontcover
Feedback

3.  Whilst having a solid idea of how I wanted my front page presented from the
get go, some of the changes and additions made to the page during later
stages of development are down to audience feedback.
 Despite knowing I was going for a much more minimal look in regards to the
amount of text that appeared on the front page of my magazine, there were
numerous comments made from across my focus group that suggested that
that addition of maybe just a little bit more text would help to fill out my
page. I did a demo of this, and found it helped to fill out some of the areas
that felt rather blank. Here I have learned that I can still keep to my
minimal doctrine whilst adding a little bit more.
 Without a huge amount of other community feedback additions on my front
page, there were a few minor text movements and changes to the header
that were also made due to community feedback. The text movement was
primarily a result of the addition of further text, but the addition of a small
black divider between the header and the main image was added at the
suggestion of someone in my focus group, to help divide the two. The
addition is subtle, yet works well.
 Some of the focus group had initially questioned the use of a main image
that showed Margate beach/pier in the mist, however upon further
inspection, the clear display that the magazine was a winter edition soaked
in and people understood the picture. Some members of the focus group even
liked the fact that the image/area hadn't been glammed up, and that it was
a nice picture of the pier at winter time.

4. ContentsPage
Feedback

5.  The changes made at the request of the focus group were even more
impactful on the contents page than on the front page for my magazine. My
initial plan was very much bare bones, keeping in theme with my idea of
minimalism, however it was pointed out on numerous occasions by my focus
group that actually the initial draft may have been a bit too simple, and the
suggestion was made to add more text alongside the page references, a
convention outlined during my research stages. I added more text to the
page references and then presented it once again to my focus group, who
were very happy with how the product ended up.
 From this I have learned to accept and more fully apply my product to the
conventions in which I found during my research stages as the use of these
conventions within my own work make for a more authentic product. It has
also further allowed me to realise I can fit my work into my own personal
conventions of minimalism whilst applying to product to wider conventions
at the same time.
 On another note, the presentation of the page references and display of the
imagery was praised. Many people within my focus group (who fit into the
age brackets that outlined who my target audience would be) Felt that the
reliance on imagery for much of the context was a good idea, and that the
page overall fell very easy on the eye. The primarily bright colouring of the
page gave a positive a warm feeling to the contents page, giving an overall
positive feeling to the magazine.

6. AdvertPage
Feedback

7.  Before completing my final draft, I presented an earlier draft (as seen
to the left) to my focus group. The right hand page was received very
well by my focus group, with the idea of dividing the two images
praised. One person said, "It works very well because we are, in a
sense welcomed to the shop by an image of someone associated but we
are also given an idea of what the store looks like." In a sense the
reader is not only given a glimpse of a formal meeting with someone
who works in the shop, but also given contextual imagery, making the
shop feel more familiar.
 The left hand page wasn't initially received too well however. The
group was split, but a small majority decided that the large text going
down the side of the page didn't quite work, specifically so because of
the store that the advert is trying to advertise. Therefore I went back
to my research and saw the Audi advert, which still remained minimal
in text, yet gave the information it needed. So I transformed the left
hand page into providing a small block of text, an image of a rose
(similar to the one that appears on the side of the store in real life) and
a social media link. This provides information, gives a feel for the vibe
and identity of the shop through the rose and gives follow up contact
information through the link provided. Not only was the new page I
had created ticking off all the checks on the list but it received praise
from my target audience, saying that the left hand page 'now fits the
vibe of the other page.'

8. Billboard
Feedback

9.  In regards to initial plans, the billboard is where I had a far more
limited idea. I primarily relied upon 'The Resident,' one of the
examples that I had found during my research phase, and very early
drafts tried to follow this. Upon consulting my focus group on ideas of
where to take my billboard, someone suggested styling it similarly to a
post-it note. An idea I liked, I did I trial. I displayed the trial to my
focus group but the idea was no longer so popular. As much as the idea
of a post-it note sounded good, we are trying to advertise a magazine,
and the style of a post-it note hadn't quite gone with the character of
the brand that I had already built up. "It looks good, but not as
professional as some of the other stuff. It doesn't quite fit." Knowing
what they were saying was right, I continued to make adjustments,
changing the colour scheme to black and white and implementing my
product displayed on screens on the right side of the billboard.
 The turn away from the post-it note idea, the transition into the black
and white colour scheme and the addition of the product preview not
only made for a much sleeker and professional look, but also
contributed to the creation of a house style, something that would not
have been as effective had I not listened to the feedback of my focus
group. The black and white colour scheme is also effective in catching
the eye of someone who is passing by, making the billboard more
effective at advertising my product.

10. Website

11.  During the production stages of my webpage, there was limited
critical response, if any from my focus group, and feedback was
almost entirely limited to positive praises. This doesn't mean
however that the feedback from my focus group hadn't had any
impact at all on the creation and lay out of my webpage. Previous
feedback on other elements of my coursework, such as the praise
of the use of imagery on the contents page and the suggestion of
keeping the billboard similar to other products that I had already
created allowed me to follow a similar pattern. Using past
feedback I was able to build up a layout and colour scheme that
appeared familiar to the user, and fit in well with the previous
products. The consistent use of serif fonts also helped to build up
this Home style that had been gradually created and adapted
through the feedback of my focus group. I was also able to build up
the home and features pages in a way similar to that of the
contents page, with a heavy reliance on imagery to carry much of
the contextual background information, and also drawing in from
my response to the feedback on the page references, and added
small brief descriptions of the articles.

12. FurtherNotes
 As well as the critical responses which have been
documented in the previous slides, feedback from my
focus group hasn't been entirely critical and has
allowed me to do a great many things. This feedback
has allowed me to remain consistent across all of my
media platforms, create a house style, apply my work
to conventions, produce a more authentic product and
make sure it applies well to the eyes of the audience in
which my product will be primarily catering for.
 On top of this, I have also had a great many positive
responses, which have allowed me to pinpoint various
ideas that I am implementing and keep them
consistent across all of my production. This can be
about things such as the use of images, fonts, colours
schemes and the formation of a house style.