OUGD601 - Project Statement

Project Statement

For this module, I have been looking at the way on which graphic design impacts inclusivity within the fitness industry and the gym environment. The research conducted has shown that inclusivity is a recognised problem and there are a growing number of brands and campaigns that are looking at ways in which to solve the issue. Research into gender stereotypes and body image issues made it clear that the way in which the fitness industry advertises can have a big impact of the way that people perceive themselves. Gaining knowledge of this lead the design decisions to make something to diverts away from the use of photography and the use of models. This therefore would help to remove these stereotypes and the intimidation that people feel due to the choice of models.

The research and primary research suggests that some solutions should be discussed to change the way in which certain groups and individuals view the gym for it to become more of an inclusive environment. Some of the participants who took part in the primary research gave some different solutions that they felt would make the gym a less intimidating and more inclusive environment. The results from the primary research and responses that I gained led to the development of creating an App for beginners and people who struggle with confidence as this combined the different ideas that the participants had discussed. This also responded to the research as it gives a solution to the different issues that were discussed in my essay.

The research has shown that for any solution for the inclusivity issue to work it must be advertised well. This lead to designing posters for the App as without careful advertisement the App would not be known about and therefore would not be used. The research gave examples of the different advertising platforms that could be used to advertise the App to gain it some publicity. This would help spread the message of the need for more inclusivity and thought of others in the fitness industry and gym environment.

Both the App design and the poster designs were inspired by the practical research that I conducted when looking for inspiration and an understanding of the kind of designs that are already present in the market. This helped to develop my design decisions leading to the final outcomes of the printed poster and prototyped App.