Finding Inspiration in Work – Singapore Polytechnic

-by Kelvin Yang

Sporting casual clothes and easy-going personalities, they look just like any other teenagers along the busy streets of Singapore, coming across as both unimposing and friendly.  “They were fun to create; I hope the public finds fun in playing them too”, Trey, the leader, says with a chuckle.  Yet beneath the relaxed demeanor lies an easily discerned pride about their project, which is what makes this group of final year students at Singapore Polytechnic’s School of Digital Media and Infocomm Technology (DMIT) stand out among the crowd.

And stand out they really do.  Ms Elynn Chee, a lecturer at DMIT professes that the School is selective about choosing students to participate in the NDP journey, NDP being a project on the national scale.  This has been the policy since 2006, when DMIT first participated in NDP.  After experiencing success that year, its role was greatly enlarged at NDP 2007, when it undertook a massive project titled “The Making of NDP” – students covered the entire NDP 2007 journey, from initial planning all the way to the climax of the parade itself, giving the public an insight on the work and planning that NDP involves.  This year, DMIT’s participation includes interactive flash games and various forms of animation, including E-Cards and E-Banners available on the NDP 2008 Website when it launches in May.

Have no illusions that these eye-catching designs and animations are simple work though.  Trey and his team highlight the importance of groundwork in the design of the flash games they are responsible for - Rou Xiu, the member in charge of doing ground research made trips down to the Marina Bay area in order to gain first-hand impressions of the buildings there.  Facts about prominent Singaporean symbols such as the Merlion also had to be dug out from the Internet and other sources.  In the effort to create games that are well received, no idea was spared the trial of close scrutiny and criticism by the team – Trey speaks of one game that was abandoned for a simpler and more engaging one because the original was too confusing.  “Not to say that it was a bad idea; it was good, too good in fact”, he says with a good dose of humour.  All in all, it was “difficult yet motivating”, in the words of the team.

“Taking what was learnt and pushing it further”, what then are some thoughts that the team has about their project and NDP 2008?  “It was passion and the Internet that made our tasks possible”, quips Mark, the assistant leader.  Music too, he might add – Mark composed 2 songs on his own for use in the project.  “We learned a lot and gained much experience”, admits Trey.  At this point, Ms Elynn asks, “Do such projects help you, and do you enjoy them?”  “Great help – the practice after all that theory in class was important”, says Mark.  Ms Wendy, the lecturer-in-charge of the team, “felt very happy” at the achievements of the group.  Rightly so, in the opinions of the members – “Our lecturer helped us a lot”, comments Rou Xiu.  The others nod firmly in agreement.

Equally passionate about their work, yet undoubtedly different in style is the team under Ms Janny Chan, which handles the E-Cards and E-Banners for the website.  These second year students come across as lively and vivacious, and just as willing to spread this energy into their work.  Xuan Sheng, a member of the group, emphasises the “sense of satisfaction” upon seeing their work being “sent to the whole world”.  The pragmatic side of Singapore too is not lost on this group of teenagers – Yu Guang, another member, embraces the “hope for a better economy” as an inspiration for his designs, while Xuan Sheng justifies the appearance of high-rise buildings in his animations, believing that they show “how Singapore can get together and build the economy”.  Another point of inspiration for the team was when Ms Janny took them down to the Asian Civilisations Museum – everyone was of the same opinion that it provided many ideas for their E-Cards and E-Banners.  Amidst the inspiration, one could also see their ability to adapt – lacking the confirmed NDP 2008 logo, the team responded in the true spirit of innovation: using a simple one in its place.

Standing outside the gate, eyes transfixed on DMIT, thoughts easily wander to the NDP 2008 journey once again.  Indeed, this long journey is but an amalgamation of numerous little journeys that take place day in, day out all around Singapore – one such journey involves DMIT and its contribution to the website of NDP 2008.  Quoting Gerald, a member of a third team concentrating on the animation of the NDP 2008 logo: “Having our works viewed by the general public, there is always a possibility of the reaction going both ways”.  The effort to attract and entertain the public truly provides only a thin line between success and failure.  Yet through all the effort put into NDP by these diligent students of DMIT, and many other Singaporeans across the island, one already sees a different kind of success – the ability of NDP to bring together people of various backgrounds for a common cause.  Contemplating this togetherness that NDP 2008 brings, perhaps one might be vindicated in proclaiming another case of the process being much more important than the end product.