Professional Profile

Nick Buckle

            This professional profile is going to reflect on my time on the ‘Creative Digital Communication’ degree, why I joined the course in the first place, what I have got out of the course and the module, Critical Studies. SWOT analysis. What I have learnt on the course and how it is going to alter my future career aspirations. Finally what I’m going to do following the end of the course.           

I joined the ‘Creative Digital Communication’ degree course at York College because of the different direction the course was going in. Prior to this course I was on the National Diploma of Graphic Design at York College and the intention was to go straight on the BA Graphic Design for 3 years, but after being on the ND for 2 years and pasting with 3 Merits I decided that I wanted to stay in design but I wanted to expand the Design area. I also though that the Graphic Design Market as a business was getting more competitive and harder to make a living because of the fact people are doing design things themselves to save money and because it was getting easier with new programs and technolgy. So I looked at the design market and it was in new technologies where I thought there is money to be made. If you keep a head of time and make products to work on new technologies, that hasn’t been done before then you are on a winner. What this course offered was to look into new technologies and how to work with them. Thats what attracted me to the course, and the fact that I could do two years and get a foundation degree and then go onto the BA Graphic Design to get the BA originally wanted.

            My time on this coarse has been great and I’ve learnt a lot of different and new skills. Prior to this I had learnt how to use image editing program Photoshop to a high standard and layout programs Freehand and Illustrator, but I had never used web design programs. So when I started I found that most other students alreadly had used the program we were using like Flash, Dreamweaver, video programs like Premier Pro, Audio editing programs and others so found it was quiet daunting. Because I was behind in that aspect it made me push myself at first to learn the programs and get up to speed. I still like the design side of this so I really like using the program Flash to make websites and interactive products look great. I have also understood how the design business world works with work related learning and live briefs. I have also experienced how to budget jobs in the real world. I’ve also learnt how to research something well but efficiently. Also a big thing I’ve learnt is how to use social networks as a tool for a business, and how to start up on your own business and earn a living.

             The module ‘Critical Studies’ has made me look into ‘How new technology is changing and developing the way society uses information’ this started off as research into 5 different area which we thought this sentence was relevant to. Then we had to pick one of these and present it to the group. This helped me develop my research skills and my presentation skills. I presented Forums and when I look back on it now think that it not really pushing the boundaries. I then looked into Twitter and settled on using Twitter throughout the Module. I then looked at applications that use Twitter on the smart phone by apple, the iPhone. This lead me to my final product and brief

‘Looking at the technologies presented in class, you will be creating a product based on your findings. You must decide how these technologies will be used in the future as well as alternative uses for them. This should refer to the context of how the new technology is changing society, and in order for you examine that, you must look at the historical aspects. You will put together a proposal of your technology, the interface, the uses for it, the historical and the future. How will this alter future career aspirations?’ This lead me to designing my product ‘tweet-a-hob’ which is a application that works with Twitter on the apple iPhone. Here a link to my blog with all the information about this product http://tweetahob.wordpress.com/. This module has been good for me as it has shown me how much businesses can use Social Networks to broaden there contact bases, promote themselves or business and how you get make money out of these free serves. I’ve also improved my presentation skills which will really help me in my career.

            In a SWOT analysis I would say my strong points are Design. I would say I have a good eye for design, how things look and if they look wrong I can see what needs changing. Also the workings of thing, I can work out how to get something to work or to fix something that doesn’t work. I’m also very good with managing people in work like environments, I’ve found this out in a few different projects that I’ve had over this course where we had to work as a group. I also think my communication skills and sales are very good, this will help in future meeting new clients, proposing to a company and trying to get to work. My bad points are time keeping and meeting deadlines but can be easily sorted out. Also my skills and understanding of html and coding isn’t that good but during summer 2009 I am going to try and teach myself them from tutorials.

            I have learnt a lot over the last two year which are going to help me in my career and have changed my future career aspirations. Ive learnt the program Flash which I really like using and think that I want to use this program somewhere in my career, which before this course I had never used it. Ive also learnt that you don’t have to just go looking for a job you can make your own by freelancing.

            After this coarse I am going on the 3^rd year of the BA Graphic Design to get my full degree but in between now and then im going to start freelancing doing design work this will be from home as self employed small earnings. I have got a few small jobs lined up already and ive got connections with Peter Turpins Associates. They have commited to send some work in my direction and I in tend to keep the price very long meet the deadlines. This will be excellent work experience for me and if I do a good job then they will give me more work on a better rate of pay. After my year on the BA Graphic Design then I will start freelancing full time and really try to push my business by spreading my contact bases by using Social Networks.

             So overall I have had a good two years on the course and its given me direction with my next step in my career and life.