Design Research Dissertation /DST60804
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Lecture: Dr Noorhayati Saad
MODULE INFORMATION
Task 1: RESEARCH IMPLEMENTATION - DRAFT DISSERTATION
Overview
This task initiated the academic foundation of my research, titled "Exploring Fast Fashion Branding: Consumer Engagement and Purchasing Behaviour among Malaysian Young Adults." The objective was to build a robust theoretical framework, design a methodology, collect empirical data through surveys/focus groups, and compile them into a comprehensive Draft Dissertation (around 7,000 words).
Progress
Getting this dissertation started was definitely a whirlwind. I kicked things off by diving into the literature matrix to map out my core themes, which initially felt a bit overwhelming until the scope started to click. From there, I moved into drafting the first three chapters, setting up my research objectives, and mapping out the methodology. The real heavy lifting, however, came when I had to transition into data collection, launching surveys and running focus groups to gather primary data from young adults in Malaysia. The absolute hardest part of this entire phase was trying to weave all these massive moving parts together into a coherent 7,000-word draft while switching my citation styles and restructuring the chapters to meet the institutional guidelines. It felt like a constant balancing act between staying academically rigorous and keeping the momentum going.
Reflection
The initial scope was overly broad as the selected sources did not adequately support sustainability ethics, leading to mismatched chapters. Additionally, interpreting localized data in Chapter 5 proved difficult when Malaysian young adults exhibited conditional, habit-based loyalty that diverged from international literature. Guided by my lecturer, I streamlined the scope by focusing purely on branding and purchasing behavior. I restructured the chapters to align with Google Classroom guidelines, converted all narrative citations to parenthetical format, and meticulously anchored every regional data analysis back to my primary sources to maintain academic rigor.
Task 2: VISUAL DESIGN E-PUBLICATION
Progress
Transitioning from a text-heavy academic mindset to a pure design mindset for Task 2 was a massive shift. I started by setting up the foundational grid systems and typography hierarchies, trying to figure out how a 7,000-word essay could actually look visually engaging in an A4 publication format. A huge chunk of my time went into iterating multiple cover designs and testing out different visual narratives during our class critiques. For me, the most difficult part of this task was overcoming the initial "creative block" when my layout felt too traditional and commercial. It was incredibly challenging to break away from safe, expected design choices and find a radical visual language that felt both sophisticated enough for an academic project and edgy enough for a fast fashion theme.
Reflection
Translating a massive text into an engaging digital magazine without looking cluttered was highly challenging. Initially, the layout and commercial fashion imagery lacked dynamic energy, appearing too safe and conventional for a trend-driven topic like "fast fashion." Following the professor's feedback to push creative boundaries, I initiated a radical aesthetic pivot. I moved away from traditional model/outfit pictures towards a conceptual, minimalist black-and-white photography style capturing human behaviors. This strict B&W palette stripped away superficial brand illusions, successfully forcing the audience to focus directly on the social issues and behavioral patterns discussed in the text.
Task 3: FINAL DISSERTATION
Overview
Task 3 was the critical optimization phase of the research journey. The primary focus was to systematically polish the Draft Dissertation based on the extensive feedback PDF provided by the professor, pass all institutional compliance checks, and secure the official submission for this 20% component of the module.
Progress
This task was all about precision, execution, and dealing with a lot of administrative pressure. I took the professor’s feedback PDF and went through my draft line by line, tightening the structural flow and ensuring my references perfectly matched up. After getting the text where it needed to be, I integrated the mandatory cover pages and official declaration forms. I then utilized the Turnitin practice link to test the waters before officially uploading the final file through the primary portal today. Without a doubt, the hardest part of this task wasn't even the writing—it was navigating the sheer stress of the multi-layered submission process under a tight deadline. Knowing that I only had one shot at the official upload made the formatting checks feel incredibly high-stakes. However, managing that anxiety and staying organized ultimately got it across the finish line. While it feels amazing to have this major component submitted, this isn't the final stop for the module yet, as I still have Task 4: Article Journal ahead of me, which I will be jumping into and documenting very soon.
Reflection
The main hurdle during this final stage was managing the complex, multi-layered submission procedure under a strict timeframe. Balancing deep text editing with strict administrative file formatting (cover pages, declarations) could easily introduce unexpected technical delays if rushed. To mitigate risks, I leveraged the practice submission link early, giving myself complete peace of mind regarding the AI and similarity scores. By treating the formatting checklist with extreme care and allocating dedicated time for procedural workflows, I successfully locked in the final upload today without any technical or compliance issues, effectively concluding the research dissertation stage.
Task 4: ARTICLE JOURNAL
Overview
Progress
Reflection
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