Whitby Yard
Church Street, Whitby
Fortnight spent at Whitby Yard
My "mini placement" has consisted of:
Receiving a research brief
Creating a bubble chart and Gantt Chart
- To understand the demands of a full brief (from research to design to manufacturing to product in store) and the time restraints involved with this whilst also identifying the risks involved with the process
Competitor analysis research
Both for direct competitors and brands adjacent in positioning to Whitby Yard
Taking a trip to Leeds to complete market and competitor research
In industry this is called "retail" research
Conducting research for mood boards, trend boards and key detail boards (Conducted on WGSN)
Accumulating this research into portfolio pages and presentation boards
Using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
Accumulating the "marketing" research into a formal presentation
My research brief for this placement required me to complete market and competitor research, mood/concept boards, trend boards and key details boards.
Completing a research driven placement has provided me with the opportunity to understand the time allocations related to a live industry working brief whilst the creation of bubble chart allowed me to understand the risks involved at each stage of the process, how these can be categorised but also how the risks can be mitigated.
Working on a research brief has provided me with the opportunity to strengthen my portfolio presentation skills (using Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator) whilst also allowing me to apply my marketing knowledge to an industrial setting. The placement has allowed me to further develop my presentation and research skills, subsequently leading to a growth in confidence within my abilities.
Summary of Experiences
Although brief, I feel that my time at Whitby Yard has allowed me to gain confidence in my skills with regards to the presentation of work, whilst also allowing me to incorporate a variety of aspects from my degree modules.
I feel that the research brief allowed me to consolidate my knowledge whilst gaining an understanding of how the research stage underpins all other elements of an industry brief. I have also realised the importance of "marketing"(and all which that encompasses) for a brand and how the research collated for this provides a visual of where the brand is positioned within the industry; often allowing for growth within their sector.
