Personal Development Plan and Self-ReflectionJustin Hazelton A00230001
DSG101 · August 2026
Justin Hazelton, A00230001
Fig. 1. 3D model representing my current studio space and it's ongoing evolution (Hazelton, 2026, Personal Collection)
The designer I want to become
Once I complete this course, I want to have acquired the knowledge and skills needed to take on projects with confidence. I am interested in commercial interior design, so I want to have built up a broad knowledge of materials, suppliers, builders and manufacturers that could help me succeed with my projects.
My primary goal
Once I complete the course, I want to start freelancing and collaborating initially, with the long term goal to set up a design studio that focusses on delivering thoughtful, memorable and multisensory spaces for commercial clients.
I'm excited to work on retail, hospitality and boutique accommodation projects. I understand that this can be a more complicated field than residential design, so I will continue to work on my professional development to ensure that I have the qualifications and knowledge to achieve this goal.
A secondary goal is to be nominated for the DIA Graduate of the Year Awards.
Actionable steps to reach my goal
- Build my website and portfolio
- Find work experience and internship opportunities
- Complete the Advanced Diploma at a high standard
- Network, build relationships with other designers and people in the retail and hospitality industries
Knowledge
I'm confident in my design skills, and my ability to communicate a specific idea, both verbally and visually. I have determination to succeed and am very keen to learn.
I have previously worked in creative studios, and I already have a lot of knowledge of much of the Adobe Creative Cloud suite. I've used some 3D software before so I understand basic concepts, the learning curve won’t be too steep. I have gained enough professional experience to feel confident in my design decisions.
I have also started to build a knowledge base; it's a place for all my notes, research, photographs and ideas. I also use it to store information about suppliers, materials and products.
Areas for improvement
I'm missing the industry-specific knowledge. For example, I need to understand business processes; how does a project begin (pitching, tender process), and how does it get delivered?
I need to learn how to create technical drawings, understand all the roles in the supply chain, and get insight into a typical "day in the life" scenario.
I'd like to continue to refine my style and develop my personal brand to make my work more distinctive and have a clear point of view. I would also like to get more hands on and find out what materials I like working with; I'd like to understand more about what combinations of materials often work together.
Strengths and Gaps
In terms of setting up the studio, my design experience and technical ability will be advantageous, but I need to strengthen my business knowledge. Having a really strong understanding of processes, roles and materials will serve me well; it will give me the confidence I need to work with others.
I feel that the more knowledge I gain about materials, the more creative I can be with the way they are used.
My Goal:
Develop industry and business knowledge needed to confidently manage commercial interior design projects.
Actionable steps to reach my goal
- Compile a list of designers and studios whose work I really like. Follow them, study them, reach out.
- Attend at least one industry event / presentation / exhibition or professional talk each trimester, and take notes.
- Get work experience. Do an internship or arrange site visits with a commercial interior design studio before completing the course.
- Find a mentor
Goal #1
Develop a stronger understanding of commercial design documentation, technical drawing standards, and professional visualisation techniques.
Use the holiday breaks between trimesters to sharpen my CAD, technical documentation, and 3D visualisation skills so I can produce professional commercial interior design presentations.
I also want to stay aware of how AI is transforming the way in which interior designers work (both the positive and negative aspects) so that I will be able to use it effectively in my own practice.
Goal #2
By the end of the course, I want to have expanded my personal filing system/notes archive by adding 40 commercial products (approximately 10 per trimester) suitable for retail and hospitality projects. These products will generally be surfaces, joinery, and fixtures rather than general furniture. This will be supported by ongoing photography of interiors, products and materials that I find inspiring - references that I could draw upon for my own projects.
This will help me to strengthen my understanding of commercial materials, manufacturers, and material combinations while building a well-organised reference library I can use in future projects. This will support my goal of creating distinctive retail and hospitality spaces and give me confidence behind my design decisions.
Weekly materials research habit
Each week, add one commercial material or supplier to my library: product image, supplier, use case, examples in real life.
Regular technical-skills practice
Set aside a recurring two-hour session each week for CAD, documentation, or 3D visualisation—working through a series of YouTube (or similar) tutorials.
My support network
Family - My wife and parents
Mentor - (Find a mentor)
Student Support - Ask for help when needed
Industry Organisations - Attend networking events to meet other students and professionals
Join Design Institute of Australia, attend Creative Mornings and search for local design communities. Immerse myself in annual industry events: NoVacancy, The Big Design Market, Sydney Design Show.
Self Reflection
This year has been a significant period for personal discovery and growth.
I've had the opportunity to pause my career to take on most of the family duties that come with raising two young children. It's a busy period, but there's also a lot of downtime while they are at daycare and preschool for 3 days of the week. I've always had an entrepreneurial mindset and a strong motivation to 'keep moving forward', creatively, and professionally. I quickly learnt that I was going to need to find ways to be productive during the days that I'm not looking after our children.
I used the time to look at my interests. I've had a couple of businesses before, so I was looking at opportunities to start projects that could eventually grow and produce income. I already had knowledge from working in various industries, so I felt that direction made sense. So I got started on something. I had the initial 'new, exciting project' enthusiasm, but quickly learnt that I didn't have the passion - it wasn't something that I could see myself doing for the long term.
One night in June, my wife and I were enjoying a drink, listening to records when she suggested I consider studying interior design. It made complete sense! It seemed so obvious, yet it took somebody else to see it. I find that an interesting concept, as it can be so pivotal towards achieving personal growth.
Returning to studying has been great. I now have measurable goals, and a clear pathway towards reaching them, which is something that I've not had for a long time.
In my first assessment, "Discovering My Why?", I tried to identify three challenges: time management, keeping organised, balancing family life with study. I was surprised to see that such a large proportion of students also felt that time management was their biggest challenge. It made me feel more comfortable that we shared similar challenges.
Being aware of these three challenges early on has helped me avoid their pitfalls.
Time management and study/life balance haven't been too difficult, partly because of my schedule, but also because of my support network: my wife, and parents.
Keeping organised is an interesting one. It's ongoing, probably only going to get worse if I can't control it, and something that I can't rely upon anyone else to help. I've been mindful of my organisation strategy this trimester as an effective strategy is going to help me with studies and future success. So, I trialled Apple Notes to see if I could get by with a simple, 'off the shelf' solution. I soon realised that I would quickly outgrow it, and I didn't like using other more complicated systems (for example, Notion). I took this challenge as an opportunity to create my own note-taking app, which I've documented in my self-reflection journal. A big part of this project has been reflecting on who I am as a designer and thinking about how I can shape the app so that it can help me become the designer I want to be.
Despite already having had a long career in design, I have grown a lot during this trimester. For me, the value of Introduction to Design Studies has been less about workplace best practices and more about personal exploration and discovery (both creative and otherwise). I'm excited to keep moving forward.
View My Self-Reflection Journal Here.
AI Statement of Acknowledgment
Generative AI (OpenAI Codex 5.6 Terra, August 2026 version) was used to assist with the technical development of this assessment, including aspects of code structure, implementation, and site architecture. All design decisions, written content, and 3D models are my own original work.