EEP Recap 2025
Safety Bull Rope
Rendering created using AI tools (Vizcom/ Adobe Firefly), guided by original design and prompts.
Team FFlex Apparel Campaign
Rendering created using AI tools (Vizcom/ Adobe Firefly), guided by original design and prompts.
Business Skills
Other Skills
End-of-Semester EEP Reflection
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Overall: This semester felt less like a class and more like working a job where I was responsible for keeping everything on track. There wasn’t a single, specific project or deliverable to focus on. Instead, I was balancing product design, apparel work, micro-business responsibilities, marketing coursework, and software upskilling all at the same time. A lot of the pressure came from knowing that if something didn’t get done, there wasn’t anyone else to pick it up. I had to manage my own schedule (which has always been difficult for me), decide what mattered most each week, and keep projects moving forward even when motivation dipped or things didn’t go as planned.
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Was it similar to co-op in any way? This EEP felt very similar to my previous co-ops. The work I did this semester was primarily self directed, and my projects' success depended on how well I could organize myself and stay disciplined. There wasn’t planned feedback or immediate guidance, which forced me to trust my own judgment more than I sometimes feel comfortable (or confident) doing. I spent most of my time switching between different types of work in the same day, designing, learning, researching, answering messages, and revising (something that felt very familiar from professional environments). This definitely helped me stay interested in the work that was being done. By the end of the semester, I felt more confident in my ability to juggle multiple projects without losing track of what needed attention.
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What was learned? One of the biggest things I learned was how important it is to stay flexible. Even though I started the semester with a plan, almost none of the projects followed it exactly. Some ideas changed once I got deeper into the work. Some timelines shifted. Some deliverables ended up looking different then I originally imagined. Even less planned, I was lucky enough to get opportunities that I wasn't expecting to be doing. Instead of trying to force everything to exactly match the original plan, I learned to focus on the end goal, to fulfill the skills I needed to develop, and adjust how I got there. That ability to pivot without completely losing momentum was something I hadn’t fully trusted myself to do before this semester.
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Bull Rope Project: The Bull Rope safety release project stood out to me because it involved real risk and real users. Talking to bull riders and seeing how existing gear was actually used made me realize how easy it is to over-design something if you’re not careful. Every small decision mattered, and that was honestly intimidating at times. It forced me to slow down, think more about what this project would really need to go into any sort of production, and think about the responsibility of a project like that. That project changed how I think about designing for safety and trust. It also showed me that even if a project is a really great idea, there is likely difficult caveats (like legal holdbacks) that need to be addressed.
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Team FFLEX Apparel: The Team FFLEX apparel project was a different kind of challenge. It pushed me to think about how design communicates identity and confidence, not just function. Seeing the pieces come together as a system helped me understand branding in a more practical way. It also made me more comfortable working in a space that sits between industrial design, fashion, and marketing.
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Micro-Businesses: Working on the micro-business side of this EEP was one of the most eye-opening parts of the semester. Managing my word of mouth embroidery orders and contributing to the Josh Ziehmke LLC Etsy shop and website showed me how much behind the scenes work goes into even small businesses. Communicating with clients, managing expectations, and following through consistently mattered just as much as the design itself. It made the connection between design and business feel very real, not theoretical. I also witnessed an experience this semester involving someone who has given me a lot of advice this semester, Jessica Flick. She had an incredible experience where her art went viral on her social media, but shortly after listing on Etsy and Facebook, thousands of knock offs of her products exploded into the market. This made me really think about creating an Etsy myself and if there could be a better platform to work on it with. It also gave me a huge insight into the value of social media and art, and how quickly it can generate interest.
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Marketing: On top of all of this, marketing coursework and managing social media for Orange Tractor Retreat gave me a better sense of how storytelling and consistency actually play out over time. Adobe upskilling helped me communicate my work more clearly, which made a noticeable difference in how confident I felt presenting ideas.
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Reflection: Overall, this EEP didn’t feel flashy or "perfect", but it felt honest. I learned how I work when things get difficult (I have had some health issues I've had to manage), how I handle uncertainty, and how I adapt when plans change. I’m leaving this semester feeling more prepared for my final year and more realistic about what I think professional design work actually looks like.
Mid-Semester check-in
Sept 26th Check in:
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Weekly Progress Analysis:
Bull Rope & Team FFLEX Apparel
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Looking at my weekly schedule for these first five weeks, so far I see a balance of structure and flexibility that has helped me continue to move forward on multiple fronts. My plan helped keep me grounded, but I also noticed how some projects developed more quickly than others. The Bull Rope research and prototyping, along with the Team FFLEX apparel research and drawings, were the two areas where I was able to build steady momentum, and I want to reflect on how they have shaped my learning process.
Bull Rope Research and Design
Starting at Week 1, I decided to dedicate time Thursdays to Bull Rope research, allowing myself about four hours each week to look into materials, design, and functionality. Spending more time than I planned really understanding the history and current applications of bull ropes gave me more context for how my design might fit within or clash against existing designs. I also realized that these ropes aren’t only tools, they carry cultural weight, safety implications, and HUGE performance demands. By around Week 3, my main focus shifted from background research into actual design. I began roughly sketching some possible variations, thinking about materials and abilities, and comparing the ease of use to traditional bull ropes. Week 4 gave me another potential design block, and I began to pay attention to making my drawings more refined and intentional. I was moving from exploration to iteration, which is always an fun stage for me as a designer.
Week 5 brought light prototyping into the mix. This was the most hands-on part of the project so far, where I could test release, hold, and useability. Using a simple model helped me identify problems that research wouldn’t really reveal, like how the rope could twist under strain or how the release could work or if it would get stuck after use. Trial runs helped reinforce the importance of physical testing, and helped me get set up for potentially clearer next steps. The progress across these weeks shows how consistent time blocks can lead to tangible results when I commit to a steady rhythm.
Team FFLEX Apparel Research and Drawings
Tuesdays became the home base for my work on Team FFLEX apparel, with six to seven hours carved out each week. This structure gave me the time and mental space to fully immerse myself in apparel design, from researching trends to producing drawings that visualized potential directions.
Early on, I explored a wide range of influences, sportswear, streetwear, and performance gear, to see where Team FFLEX could position itself. I was definitely interested in finding the overlap between functional design and expressive identity. Team FFLEX apparel shouldn't just be about clothing, it should be a representation of energy, teamwork, and presence. Researching what other teams and brands are doing helped me identify gaps and opportunities.
By Week 2, my drawings started to find more fashion-like personality. I really tried to look specifically at clothing silhouettes, where the logo placement should go and how to add it in a cool, trendy way, (to represent the brand), and how the pieces would work during critical moments like before walking on a stage or during a workout. I'm trying to use drawings as tools for storytelling, not just static design studies. Weeks 3 and 4 added in even more ideation, and I tried to think about material choices and how the garments should move with a body. I wanted to capture a balance between bold graphics and wearable forms.
The longer Tuesday sessions were challenging, but they also pushed me to stay in flow. I could see ideas evolve within a single day of work, from quick concept sketches to more polished renderings. By Week 5, my drawings started to feel like a cohesive set instead of disconnected experiments. This progress reassured me that the steady investment of time each week was paying off, and it gave me a clearer sense of how the apparel line could develop.
Reflection on Progress
I think I feel good about where both projects stand at this stage. The Bull Rope project (still unnamed and needs testing) moved from research to prototyping, which was a clear milestone. The Team FFLEX apparel grew from exploration to refinement, with a stronger design identity starting to take shape. Both projects benefited from the way I structured my schedule, setting aside consistent, focused blocks of time and committing to progress each week.
If anything, I’ve learned how important it is to balance research with hands-on experimentation. Reading about bull ropes gave me a foundation, but building prototypes gave me real insight. And, looking at sportswear trends was helpful, but actually sketching and refining Team FFLEX apparel started to bring the designs to life. This combination of analysis and trying to make feels helpful to my process as a designer, and it’s the approach I’ll continue carrying forward.