top of page
The Game of my Life
The Game of my Life was a project undertaken whilst studying for my Master's in Graphic Design. The brief was to create a process model summarising my design skills, the skill gaps I wish to fill and how I intend to do this.
Process model as a game
The brief given to us as part of my first module in my MA Graphic Design was to summarise the design skills that I currently possess, the skills gaps I have and wish to acquire and how I intend to do, this through a process model. There were no set parameters around medium, only that it needed to clearly communicate my design journey effectively.
With this in mind, I saw the project as a chance not only to present this information but to actively begin developing the areas of improvement I would highlight. So, I approached the research and experimentation stages with three clear goals:
✦ To create something creative and fun – step away from the functional, branding and corporate design I often produce
✦ To push my use of colour – trying new palettes and styles to expand my visual language
✦ To design with more confidence – making bold, unapologetic creative choices to reflect my voice
.png)
Project development
My first thought for developing a process model of my design skills and goals was to create a board game – something similar to The Game of Life. The idea: to guide the viewer on a journey that reflects my past experiences, current skills, while also highlighting areas I want to improve and how I plan to get there.
I gathered visual references from various board games to begin exploring ideas. Most follow a path-based format
where players encounter both positive and negative experiences, and some include extra elements like cards, in-game currency or purchasable advantages – features that I thought could be fun to incorporate into my own concept.
For the visual style of the game, I researched Neu Brutalism - a contemporary design style rooted in the Brutalist architecture of the mid-20th century, known for its raw materials and functional, unadorned aesthetic. Neu Brutalism breaks conventions of symmetry, spacing and elegance to create content-first, disruptive experiences.
I decided to reference Neu Brutalism when designing my board game as its bold, unapologetic aesthetic feels like a great fit for the humorous tone I wanted to explore in the content. Visually, it shares some qualities with classic Monopoly boards but feels much more contemporary, raw and authentic.
When designing the board for my process model, I wanted the player to feel like they were on a journey – so I laid out the board as a path that advances from bottom to top, starting with my existing skills and leading toward future goals. The format mirrors a road or ladder, with positive experiences earning points and challenges losing them. This upward path, on a portrait artboard, became a visual metaphor for growth in my design career.
bottom of page