Major Project 1
23.04.2026 - 29.07.2026 / Week 1 — Week 15
Fig 1.0 Module Information Booklet
Major Project 1 is a self-directed module where we pitch and execute a project of our choice. As a graphic design student, this is my chance to apply what I have learned so far. While we have the option to work in pairs, I decided to take on the project solo. My goal is to create a full conceptual development for things such as product, branding, social media, or print design, depending on what I decide to focus on.
Chan Zhi-Ren Zenndan / 0369069
Major Project 1 / Bachelor of Design (Honours) in Creative Media / Taylor's UniversityTable of Contents
1. Instructions
2. Process
3. Reflection
1. Instructions
Fig 1.0 Module Information Booklet
Major Project 1
Major Project 1 is a self-directed module where we pitch and execute a project of our choice. As a graphic design student, this is my chance to apply what I have learned so far. While we have the option to work in pairs, I decided to take on the project solo. My goal is to create a full conceptual development for things such as product, branding, social media, or print design, depending on what I decide to focus on.
2. Process
To streamline my workflow and avoid double documentation, I will be keeping all detailed progress inside the required Project Management Document. Figure 2.0 illustrates my full timeline from Week 1 through 14, mapping out where all project ideas, sketches, and weekly supervisor consultations are recorded.Fig 2.0 Project Management Document
Project Proposal (Week 9) can be found here & embedded below.
Fig 2.1 Project Proposal
Final Presentation (Week 15) can be found here & embedded below.
Fig 2.2 Final Presentation
All of my Major Project 1's artefacts can be here.
3. Reflection
I initially thought this module was going to be the most troublesome one this semester, and juggling it alongside three other modules only added to that worry. It turned out to be challenging, but not in the way I expected. Once I had a clear direction from Week 2 onwards, things moved with purpose.
My original proposal was a chess lifestyle brand targeting Gen Z Malaysians. Ms. Anis was strongly against it, and looking back, she was right. The idea lacked a real problem statement. Instead, she pointed me toward the Malaysian Chess Federation, an organisation that had a genuine identity problem and a real need for a refresh. As someone who plays chess casually and is competitive in other game genres, I felt this was a challenge worth taking on, as it combined two things I actually care about.
The logo development phase was the most demanding part of the process. I went through several directions (a tiger, a hibiscus, a knight) before arriving at a mark that genuinely meant something. The moment I found a way to fuse two identities into one mark, bringing together chess authority through the king piece and Malaysian identity through the federal star and songkok, everything clicked. Ms. Anis saw the potential in it and we kept building from there.
A significant turning point was Professor Cleaver's workshop, which came in just before the proposal presentation. His third-party perspective caught design errors I had become blind to and surfaced potential I hadn't considered. I am genuinely grateful for that session, as it pushed the work to a level I wouldn't have reached on my own.
One thing that also helped was taking the time to properly understand competitive chess, specifically the ELO system, the difference between FIDE and MCF ratings, how Grand Prix circuits work, and what a real tournament looks like on the ground. That research made every design decision more defensible and more accurate, from the score sheet to the leaderboard to the event poster.
Setting up a fictional Grand Prix Finals event as the context for the rebrand was one of the better decisions I made early on. It gave every collateral a purpose and a place to live. And since Major Project 2 runs around early next year, which lines up with the fictional event date, I can treat this as a real project with real deadlines and real physical outputs to produce.
All in all, this was one of the heavier modules I've taken, but one of the more rewarding ones. The process of going from a rejected idea to a brand system I'm genuinely proud of taught me that a strong problem statement is the foundation of everything. I also want to acknowledge Ms. Anis, who was consistently lighthearted, easy to talk to, and always pushed me further without making the process feel overwhelming.
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