First Design Projects at Hochschule der Medien

When I first came to Germany, I expected my projects at Hochschule der Medien (HdM) to introduce me to a new way of thinking about design. While I did gain some fresh perspectives, a lot of my biggest insights actually came from my work at the Design Factory—but I’ll save that for another post.

At HdM, the most notable project I worked on was the perfume project, where we had to design a perfume inspired by Caravaggio and create different media around it. I worked in a group of three, both of my teammates were German, and overall, we collaborated really well. We had weekly meetings, shared ideas, and created something I don’t think I could have worked on in the UK.

How HdM’s Design Process Compares to Coventry

The teaching style at HdM feels more relaxed than at Coventry. At Coventry, everything is structured, with clear deadlines and expectations. At HdM, it’s more like, "Alright, I need to do these things, and then I’m good for the next two weeks." It gives you more breathing room, but sometimes it’s almost too flexible, which can make it easy to lose track of what’s needed.

One big difference is the lack of independence. Coventry gave me more space to work on projects alone, which allowed me to be more creatively independent. Here, since most projects are group-based, I sometimes have ideas that don’t get used because we have to compromise as a team. It’s not necessarily bad—it’s just different.

Challenges & Key Learning Moments

One of the biggest challenges was understanding what my professor wanted from us. We would present an idea, and she’d tell us to change things, but sometimes without much explanation. That was frustrating at first, but I learned to navigate feedback and adapt.

The library became a big part of my workflow, even more than in Coventry. It’s honestly one of the best spaces I’ve worked in, and it helped me stay productive.

Skills & Mindset Growth

I’ve definitely become a better communicator. Working in a group where English isn’t everyone’s first language meant I had to be very clear and straight to the point when explaining my ideas. I also learned to present my work better, ensuring all key information is covered so nothing gets lost in translation.

One thing I expected was to see more of Germany’s design philosophy in our work, but surprisingly, we didn’t focus on it that much. Since we were working on perfume, a very international product, there wasn’t a deep dive into German design principles, which was a bit of a letdown.

What’s Next?

Going forward, I want to develop my 3D modeling skills. It’s something I’ve been meaning to learn for a while, and now that I have an iPad, I also want to explore Procreate.

I’m also looking forward to a new project with Stefan Brüller, who has experience at Mercedes. I want to learn more about how he works and what skills are valuable in the industry—especially if I want to become more employable to brands like Mercedes in the future.

Germany has already given me a lot of valuable experiences, and I’m excited to keep growing as a designer while I’m here.