Self Evaluation

Graphic Design

Self Evaluation and Professional Appraisal

Name:  Daniel Abraham

Date:    22/09/2011                                           

• Personal Skills Profile

First, complete the “Personal Skills Profile” that forms part of this assignment.  Depending upon your subject specialism, some sections may have greater or lesser relevance to you.

This process should help you to analyse your relative strengths.  Once you have completed the Personal Skills Profile, considered the results and reflect upon your relative strengths.  Then move onto the next part of the process.

• Personal Manifesto

Prepare a single paragraph  “Personal Manifesto” stating the things that are most important to you in your professional life and in your work. 

“A manifesto is a series of statements clarifying what you stand for in your life as well as what you won’t stand for.  Having a personal manifesto helps keep your focus on who you are and your purpose in life”.  (quoted from  www.yourbreakthroughtosuccess.com/blog )

• Your ideal job or role

Now imagine what you would like to be doing in about 5 years from now.  What would be your ideal job?  Or maybe you would prefer to be doing something else such as postgraduate study or voluntary activities?  Some of these might be design-related, but you might equally have other ideas. 

Be as specific as you can.  For example, “I’d like to be a designer” would not be very helpful.  What sort of designer?  Designing what?  In what kind of circumstances would you like to work?  For whom or with whom would you like work?  Where in the country or the world would you want to be working and living? Do you want to move into research or educational areas?

• Finding out more

Using information that has been discussed during visits, in seminars and during lectures and by conducting further research, complete the section on Intellectual Property Rights.

What further information would you need to find out to get into this ideal job or role?  Where (specifically) would you look for this information?  Respond to both of those questions giving details of books, journals, websites and other resources you might need to consult. If you aren’t sure of these sources then make efforts to research and find them out. Evidence these findings here.

Some of this might be very obvious, but still give the answers even if they seem obvious.  Other responses to this part of the assignment might be quite specialised and you might need to consider how you would seek support or advice or funding from professional institutions or other organisations.

• Five point action plan

Clearly state a five point action plan of the things you would need to do next in order to have a chance of success in attaining your ideal job or role.  Make the points in the order you would need to address them.

Some of these things might be directly related to the responses you gave to the previous question, but others might be aimed at improving your employability by (for example) addressing areas of weakness you may have identified when producing the “Personal Skills Profile”.

• Be honest

The purpose of this assignment is to rehearse some of the skills and tactics you might use when seeking a professional role beyond your current course to enable you to make a better job of that task. 

There are no marks for giving answers that you think tutors “might approve of” – and there isn’t any benefit to you in doing this.

When assessing this work, we will be looking for an honest and meaningful engagement with the assignment.

This research and reflection should be evident in your process of job selection and application.

We will look for the following when assessing your work:

An honest and meaningful personal skills reflection, showing evidence of self awareness

Knowledge and awareness of the relevant professional, institutional and legal framework.  This may include knowledge of relevant employers, unions, collaborative bodies, design and other educational institutions, copyright issues, image ownership and industry expectations, ethical and legal requirements etc.

Identification of appropriate employment and/or funding opportunities showing evidence of research and understanding

Creativity How well are you able to demonstrate :	poor	quite good	very good	great
·         Creativity and imagination in generating design ideas and concepts		*
·         Creativity and imagination in the development of your ideas			*
·         Creativity and imagination in technical / mechanical problem solving	*
·         Visual sensitivity through…
Making		*
Drawing				*
2D/3D computer graphics		*
Interactive Design		*
Research How well are you able to :	poor	quite good	very good	great
·         Obtain information from literary and electronic sources			*
·         Use practical testing and experimentation to support your ideas		*
·         Gain information from primary sources (interviews, questionnaires etc)		*
·         Derive useful research through personal observation			*
·         Synthesise ideas from your design research		*
·         Work creatively in response to your design research		*
Organisation How well are you able to :	poor	quite good	very good	great
·         Manage your time			*
·         Work consistently throughout projects			*
·         Meet deadlines for projects				*
·         Meet deadlines for non-project assignments			*
·         Use your initiative and work/study independently			*
·         Work with others – in teams for example		*
·         Anticipate and accommodate change		*
·         Manage and make decisions	*
Production of your work How well are you able to :	poor	quite good	very good	great
·         Work accurately and safely		*
·         Learn and apply new processes, skills and techniques			*
·         Understand, select and use materials and techniques with sensitivity	*
·         Solve problems through making or producing things		*
·         Create beauty or interest in your design work		*

Communication How well are you able to communicate :	poor	quite good	very good	great
·           In writing	*
·           Verbally		*
·           Visually			*
Presentation How well are you able to :	poor	quite good	very good	great
·         Articulate ideas and information		*
·         Present ideas and designs to audiences in various situations		*
·         Maintain clarity when presenting under pressure	*
Interpersonal and social skills How well do you :	poor	quite good	very good	great
·         Interact, collaborate and negotiate with others		*
·         Seek and consider advice		*
·         Listen to others		*
Critical awareness How well are you able to :	poor	quite good	very good	great
·         Analyse information and experiences		*
·         Formulate independent judgements			*
·         Articulate reasoned arguments through reflection, review, evaluation			*
·         Formulate reasoned responses to the critical judgements of others			*
·         Set goals and apply risk/challenge in your work		*
·         Identify personal strengths and weaknesses			*
Knowledge and context How well do you understand the context of your work :	poor	quite good	very good	great
·         Materials and related technologies	*
·         Production processes		*
·         Business and economic issues	*
·         Social and political issues			*
·         Ergonomics and human interaction with your designs		*
·         Consumers and markets	*
·         Historical, cultural and environmental issues			*
·         The work of other designers in your subject area			*

Continue on with the assignment by providing responses in the following areas.  Refer to the full brief for more information about what is expected in response to each of these questions.

Personal Manifesto   (A one paragraph statement of the things that are most important to you in your professional life/work) I like to put my all into every piece of work regardless of whether I am enjoying it or not. I also take pride in the fact I hand in everything in on time no matter what the circumstances are. However the main thing that is important to me is my ability to draw anything when I really concentrate, drawing has been a passion for me since I can remember and I would love to incorporate that into my career as much as possible.

Your ideal job or role   (What would you like to be doing in five years from now?  – be specific) My ideal job would be any job that includes drawing, animating really just putting my ideas on paper. However my one true goal in life is to design games, I play a lot of games and know that it is would be spectacular to see my ideas and concept art designs made into 3D models and played out by people all over the world, even if I don’t get payed all that much it would make me very happy. Another job I would love would be to make 2D animations, as a child I loved old style animation (Disney, Warner Bros ext) I was always interested in how they moved with such over action. The third and final job I’ve never thought about it, but I’m sure there are more jobs out there for me.

Finding out more   Explain and discuss briefly any issues surrounding intellectual property rights and copyright that may affect your life as a designer. I imagine it is of key importance to copyright every piece of work you do weather it be business or pleasure. If you do not then someone can take your work and profit from it then argue in court that they came up with that work.

Five point action plan   (The next five actions necessary if you were to have a chance of success in attaining your ideal job or role) 1.    Obtain certificate in chosen design field. 2.    Set a realistic goal: start small, think big. 3.    Apply everywhere. 4.    Think positive. 5.    Go for it.

Sheffield Hallam University : November 2011