creating a creative community

FMP ProPosal 2011

creating a creative coMMunity:exPloring the Potential oFnetworking aMongst designers

anna MagoMbe

Project aims & rationale

To discover how current issues regarding social mobility for pre- and post-graduate students of various cultural and class backgrounds can be addressed by looking into the importance and effectiveness of various methods of self-promotion and ways in which students can easier integrate into the graphic design industry through collaboration and new ways of networking, such as utilising digital media, supporting printed material and ‘word-of-mouth’.

To use my findings from secondary research and experimentation with visual outcomes to inform the graphic means with which I could promote collaborative working and inter-organisational communication and networking, particularly within the field of graphic design, and to offer students and graduates the opportunity to participate in group work or to initiate their own creative projects that others can join in with.

Focus

I hope to find out more about how students and graduates can benefit from the systems and resources available to them. The world is changing at a rapid pace - economic and political structures can directly affect the benefits students from different backgrounds gain from higher education. The effects from the fluctuations of these variable factors can be minimised by creating the potential and possibilities for young people to find empowerment through systems of their own control and making. By taking advantage of the creativity inherent amongst students of design and the creative arts multiplied by the potential of sharing ideas and skills, the possibilities for us to design and create our own futures are great.

RetuRns by subjectsource: Walker and Zhu (2002)

The Gateways to the Professions Report, 2005, Sir Alan Langlands

Distinct from the “return” (just the benefits) of a degree, is the “rate of return” which reflects both the benefits and the costs to the individual. On the benefits side, individuals not only enjoy higher earnings, but also a greater likelihood of being employed and also receive an interest subsidy from government on their loans. These are then compared to the costs. As well as the tuition fee and the loan repayments students also forego three years earnings (longer in the case of some degrees).

context

The economic recession has left students and graduates in the UK severely affected by cuts, particularly to the Arts. In order to maintain funding for universities, tuition fees were raised in December of 2010. As well as directly affecting courses and tuition for students, the huge cull of quangos by the government has seen public bodies like the Youth Justice Board and the Film Council abolished. Writing for the Independent, English graduate Kieran Yates noted that arts graduates are finding it particularly tough to forge a career in the current economic climate. “Many of these organisations provide a platform that support young people, who are often told a future in the arts is one that will come at sacrifice and cost,” she wrote.

There is great debate over how to preserve the social and economic mobility of young people with the changes occurring in education and the economy. Social mobility in Britain has already been declining since the 1950s. Reports have shown that building a career is even tougher for students and graduates from working-class backgrounds. Graduates from lower social classes earned significantly less than their fellow students of higher social status, no matter which university they attended, a report commissioned by the Council for Industry and Higher Education (CIHE) found. Richard Brown, Chief Executive of CIHE said that students from poorer backgrounds may be losing out to their better-connected classmates because they lacked the confidence and social skills to impress at job interviews. “Employers want to recruit individuals who have confidence and social skills as well as academic capabilities,” he said. “Individuals from non- traditional backgrounds need help to improve how they learn, plan how they acquire the skills needed and how they present their experiences and capabilities.”

It has been suggested that a range of experience leading to the development of soft skills such as teamwork, leadership and problem solving are vital for those looking for graduate jobs. Finding relevant work experience can be just as difficult and time-consuming as getting paid work in creative industries due to high competition and many students willing to do voluntary jobs and unpaid internships. For those from working class backgrounds, this can be particularly difficult without the social networks and contacts that those from more privileged backgrounds may have. There is already a 30% gap between the percentage of students from upper-middle class families and those from working class families going on to higher education. Those from working class backgrounds who do go on to university are more likely to be concerned about funding their education and therefore are more likely to

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=18531

be working whilst studying to cover expenses (according to a study into the experience of working class students by Veronica Gonzalez, 2009). This in turn can affect time allocated to study and gaining work experience in their industry of choice, and the development of a portfolio for future job applications.

Gaining soft skills and creating a rich portfolio of work can be aided by creating a networking system for students that they are able to access and use for self-promotion and contact-building. By finding new ways of developing creative portfolios in collaboration with other students and graduates, people can also build on their business, professional and personal skills like communication and delegation, as well as qualities like self-confidence, flexibility, and motivation. By working with others within a supportive community, the range of creative output can be expanded and new artistic avenues can be explored. Potential access into creative industries can be boosted with portfolios of work generated by self-initiated and creatively engaging projects and challenges.

http://www.socialistworker.co.uk/art.php?id=18531

The I Know a Guy group was founded in 2010 with the aim of creating great design through collaboration and sharing of skills, contacts and resources. We wanted to take advantage of the talent we found on the graphic design course we were on. We realised that due to the competition within the industry, many people on our design course at university might find it difficult to get established without developing a creative portfolio. As a group we would have a lot more fun developing a portfolio by working with like-minded people on projects that were not necessarily commercial or profitable but gave us the opportunity to learn a variety of transferable skills through interesting, thought-provoking and self-initiated briefs. By establishing ourselves as a group, we could approach other students and clients to work on briefs and be able to tackle them knowing that our different skills and abilities would lead to outcomes that we may otherwise have not come out with. I Know a Guy therefore allows us to grow as designers individually but also functions as an agency to enable our peers to get involved in projects that can be worked on collaboratively. The group has already worked on several projects. The processes are recorded on the blog: http://iknowaguydesign.tumblr.com/ We also have a Facebook group where members are informed of projects and can see what the I Know a Guy group are up to: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=127217617318368

There are many students in the same position as us who want to design in ways that challenges our own abilities and the mindsets of others. We want to develop new ways of getting designers and artists to work together, and use their skills to encourage each other, develop their portfolios, and promote graphic design as a creative and innovative field that is not simply about selling commercial products but also about self-expression, style, important messages and beautiful design.

i knowa guy

outcomes

There are many possible ways that students can overcome social situations to enter their industry of choice. Outcomes will be determined by further research into what will be most beneficial for the target audience. One idea that has arisen from pilot research and discussions with other students is to develop an I Know a Guy website that will be a point of call for students or graduates wishing to participate in collaborative projects or network with other creative people. It will be a place for people to post creative projects that they would like to run, and showcase the work that they produce. Design industry professionals and organisations can use it as a place to find talent with evidence of creative outcomes as well as soft skills shown through the documentation of group work on the website. It can be a place for joining in with projects for the development of portfolios and skillsets, or just for fun. Individual profiles for members can identify specialisms, so whether you are looking for a photographer or a typographer, you can find the person you are looking for on the site. One of the ideas for projects on the site is to have one day briefs, where designers can collaborate on a project and produce an outcome within a day that will be documented on the website. Currently such briefs have been recorded on the I Know a Guy blog, but with contribution from other members, a more extensive collection of creative projects can be collected and showcased through the I Know a Guy website.

Pilot research

Surveys have been carried out to find out how graphic design students and graduates try to get in to the industry to find out how collaborative work or new ways of networking could benefit them (http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FJ7Q3PH). They were asked how they currently promote themselves, what their career goals are and which methods of self-promotion they feel are most effective for these aims. They were also asked how often they collaborate with their peers, and what kind of experiences they had, and how useful they thought collaboration could be in developing their careers. Some of the results of this survey are shown over the next few pages. Results show that collaborative working is underutilised although many of the participants said they would like to work more with fellow students and graduates. Following on from this the I Know a Guy group discussed the ways a website could work to promote, showcase, and document collaborative working.

CURRENT METHODS OF PROMOTING OR SHOWCASING WORK

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FJ7Q3PH

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FJ7Q3PH

One that demands a range of different disciplines.

Ones that involve a wide range of design skills and various input.

i don’t really know, but sometimes i think it would be nice to collab on a site or magazine or just something to stay busy and keep a creative buzz going.

Things that require multifaceted talent like producing a magazine. Photographers, stylists, models, makeupartists, art directors, designers, illustrators. I did this all myself for my final major project at uni to showcase as many skills as possible but in a group of about 3-4 people and/or more time it would probably be a huge campaign.

One’s with open briefs, be it for a museum or design competition. Big up I know a Guy!! for eg. they pull together and share their skills and intrigue :)

For a big project, where you would need a team, or simply collaborating to create something beautiful.

I think projects where more than one thing needs to completed, as then each person in the collaboration can be responsible for certain things, instead of one person trying to do everything and not being able to manage the workload.

When you need a variety of styles and techniques for a project and perhaps you need someone elses talent to assist part of the project. It is also useful for constant feedback, as it is always helpful letting someone else review your work and give you their constructive criticism.

Entering competitions and working with clients.

Working with a team can help improve and collective view that holds an appreciative background that applies to many backgrounds the more backgrounds and collective design your increasing your chances of appealing to a larger audience due to a piece for everyone.

An illustration project, but something that’s on a big scale.

When everyone has different skills and competences. You can learn from each other.

The beginning stage, where your getting ideas..

It is important to work with others, but I prefer to work on my own.

It is important and I would like to work more with other students/graduates.

It is quite useful to work with others, but not very important for my career.

It is important to work with others, I already do it quite a lot.

It is extremely important, I would not be able to make it without working with others.

SITUATIONS OR PROJECTS WHERE COLLABORATIVE WORKING IS CONSIDERED TO BE MOST USEFUL

METHOD OF ACHIEVING CAREER GOALS BELIEVED TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE

Personal website

blogging

sending out cVs and portfolios

entering competitions

twitter

Facebook

Meeting people

Requesting work

Word of mouth

Physical portfolio

using showcasing websites

ooh i don't know!I want to network at my

work placement and then start applying for

after i graduate

My aim is to have a few internships lined up after I graduate,

and then start looking for a job, experience

is my main goal.

something bigger and more important than graphic design

I'd like to work in the USA and become a director/

manager eventually. Want to do one or two years

here in my job first though so I become a proper art

director rather than junior.

I would love to be part of a team within editorial

design, be it for illustrations, typographic layout or even

photographic manipulation. Or just some freelance

creative promotions: music, shows, events…

Set up own company brand

after I have graduated.

save some money for bread/ rent/ transport

To get a job at a magazine,

preferably one focused on music

Mainly to continue developing my skills

and learning alot more techniquesEarn enough

experience and continue to

collaborate with talented people.

yes, I aim to work in advertising

but currently i'm making money

making websites

Work in London for a few years, in design. Get experience, then

move abroad.

SPECIFIC AIMS/GOALS FOR GRAPHIC DESIGN CAREER

Main Aims for Website

* Enabling designers to promote themselves and showcase their design projects

* Collaboration on cool projects!

* Networking - Designers can find other creative people to work with on projects - Clients/organisations can see who’s working on certain projects and be able to advertise or contact creatives directly

* Forum - share ideas, tips, jobs, advice relating to graphic industry e.g. IKAG FB group or GMD 10/11 FB group < http://www.facebook.com/home. php?sk=group_149558631759211 >

What else could be included:

* Ongoing and recent projects - gallery, blog or external links Projects tagged or colour differentiated for easy viewing of different fields e.g. illustration, web design etc.

* Gallery or list of designers and clients with rating system

* Simple search system for projects or people using tagging (like in blogs, to organise posts) or search tools that use templates to ask specific questions

* Other methods of showcasing work e.g. blog or stream of top voted projects/work Active publication e.g. issuu, created by participants that could be edited monthly

* Reviews of design sites, events, showcasing opportunities

Other considerations:

How much work will we put into website maintenance once the site is created?What is the appeal for both creatives and clients to want to visit and use the site? How much effort will be required from either of them for it to be beneficial to them? The less effort required to make this site work the better. How are the IKAG team portrayed on this site?It should be easy to use and buffff! Let’s do it!

Possible inspiration:

www.facebook.comwww.flickr.comwww.booooooom.com/www.creativepool.co.uk/www.deviantart.comwww.linkedin.com/www.youtube.com/www.itsnicethat.com/www.ffffound.comwww.arts.ac.uk/student/careers/http://www.craftster.org/

Share other links or ideas please!We will then discuss and create final mockup of website on Wednesday 9th Feb.The final idea will be used to gain support from UAL, ECCA and other sources, and hopefully get other [web]designers on board to make this an awesome site.

consulting the team

The I Know a Guy group agreed that a website was needed, as well as non-digital methods

of promoting networking and collaborative working. We started looking at how content of

the site would be relevant, user-friendly, and easily combined with other social networking

media. After discussing our aims, we decided to create some mockups. Below is a summary

of requirements and considerations for the website design which I forwarded to the team

after a brief meeting.

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_149558631759211

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_149558631759211

i knowa guy

community projects discussion links

i knowa guy

i knowa guy

ABOUT

I Know a Guy aim to facilitate the creation of amazing design by empowering designers to create their own community of creative collaboration, the sharing of skills, ideas, and knowledge of the visual communication industry.

If you have a creative project that you would like to work on with other creative people, or for people to work on for you, get to know and get in touch.

[email protected]

work with some creative people

Click here to find a whole host of awesome creative types to work on projects with, or to work on projects for you. Whether you are a student, graduate or client, you can create a profile to show off what you’re all about!

get some creative projects rolling

Post projects for people to join, see past projects, and share new ideas.

share ideas and tips for work in design

Visit the forum to chat with other students, designers and companies, read reviews on art and design events, and other useful and interesting topics.

check out some great links and blogs

Click or contribute to the list of cool blogs and other inspirational links. Have a browse or share your own digital portfolio.

YOU ARE HOME.

i knowa guy


i knowa guy

i knowa guy

IKAG

ERS

OF

THE

MO

NTH

ABOUT



[email protected]

YOU ARE IN THE COMMUNITY. creatives

Create a profile to showcase your self, or see who you could be working with on future projects!

SEE MORE

clients

Whether you are an organisation or a designer, if you want to start a project you can post it here and create a profile.

SEE MORE

These guys have been ikaging hard! Click on their

pics to find out more.

TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY

CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY

MEET THE IKAG TEAM

i knowa guy


i knowa guy

i knowa guy

ABOUT



[email protected]

YOU ARE IN THE COMMUNITY. > CREATIVES > KRISTAPS BOLSAKS

creatives

SEE MORE

KRISTAPS BOLSAKS (3 IKAG projects)

Current position: StudentDesign for Interaction and Moving Image[London College of Communication, UAL]

Specialisms:Getting high

Links: http://kr1smas.tumblr.com/

tags: illustration, photography, typography

i knowa guy


i knowa guy

i knowa guy

ABOUT



[email protected]

YOU ARE IN THE PROJECTS. new projects

past projects

SEE MORE

PRINT & EDITORIAL ILLUSTRATION & VISUAL ART

BRANDING & IDENTITY

TYPOGRAPHY

INFORMATIONINTERACTIVE & MULTIMEDIA

creatives

Create a profile to showcase your self, or see who you could be working with on future projects!

clients

Whether you are an organisation or a designer, if you want to start a project you can post it here and create a profile.

TAKE AN OPPORTUNITY

CREATE AN OPPORTUNITY

What we like

Clear text boxes, but minimal use of text• Focus on images• Clear information on benefits of joining IKAG community• IKAGers of the month - competitive element• Concept of creating or taking and opportunity - highlights positives for both clients and designers• Showcase for all members• Simple navigation• Images for new projects on the home page, like a news feed• Sense of community, informal portrayal of IKAG team• As much input from IKAG community as possible - ability to comment and tag everything• Tags to create categorisation• Featured designers - people can send us links and images• Reviews and interviews with industry people• Tips on entering the industry• Linking with other social networks through a side bar•

What we don’t like

Too minimal• CMYK colour scheme - irrelevant, cliche. Maybe stick to simple IKAG scheme (black, white, pink) • and incorporate a stronger hierarchyRating system - could be seen negatively, judgement of work and ability is relative and will vary • according to taste. Could be difficult to execute. Not having ratings could encourage people to explore work rather than judge according to mark out of 5.Too much scrolling• Using alternative logo or colour scheme - stick to IKAG identity• Century gothic (font used for some IKAG material) not ideal for body text. Research into more • appropriate web fonts is needed.

assessment of the possibilities

As a group, we looked at the positive and negative points of all the suggestions and came up

with a list of things we would like on the website, and things we thought might not work that

well. The next step was to look at how we could create a website that had these features -

whether we would need to look for a web designer or if it would be possible to do it ourselves,

using wordpress software for example.

action Plan

My pilot research into potential ways of creating a community of designers will need to be further developed. I need to carry out more surveys to find out what features of social networking and showcasing sites people prefer as much of the work I Know a Guy has done in developing ideas for the website is based on assumptions about what would work.

I plan to contact organisations and individuals that may be interested in supporting a project like this, or just for advice on the best ways to encourage entrepreneurship, self-promotion, and collaboration amongst design students and graduates. This will be done when I have some kind of prototype to show the potential of what this kind of project could achieve and how it could function.

I also need to read more on similar projects, looking at why some of them work or don’t work, and alternative ways of showcasing work other than the website which will hopefully act as a base for interaction and a source for inspiration.

I have attended workshops on building websites and will begin constructing the I Know a Guy website. The group will do some one day briefs to create content for the site. This, and the creation of promotional material that will be tested around London College of Communication and through I Know a Guy social networks will hopefully help to gain more members that will use the website. Once more projects have been done, industry professionals can be invited to use the site to check out the design work on show and the profiles of members. The functionality and effectiveness of our methods will need to be continually assessed.

Week 21 Surveys and research of target audience.Research of organisations and individuals relating to research.

22 Constructing website, continue one day briefs, involve members of IKAG through social networking sites (beginning to create community and analysing process and outcomes).Contacting organisations and individuals relating to research.

23 Researching other potential ways to create design work communally and promoting collaborative working.Use findings to create promotional material via graphic means.

24

25

26

27 Hand in Major Project and PPD MP Presentation.

bibliography

http://www.cihe-uk.com/

http://www.ecca-london.org/

http://www.designcouncil.org.uk/

http://www.bis.gov.uk/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12339401

Langlands, A., 2005. The Gateways to the Professions Report [online]. Available at: http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/corporate/migratedd/publications/g/gateways_to_the_professions_report.pdf

TheYouArchive2010, 2010. Nick Clegg on social mobility (1-2)(18- Aug-10)(POLITICS IN ACION series - UK) [video online]. Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt-2KrWDxeQ

http://www.gradplus.com/graduate-news/arts-graduates-need-quangos-for-social-mobility-800013150.aspx

Macionos, J.J. and Plummer, K., 2008. Class, poverty and welfare. Sociology: A Global Introduction, chapter 10. Pearson Education Limited, UK.

Thomas, L. and Quinn, J. (Society for Research into Higher Education), 2007. First generation entry into higher education: an international study. Open University Press.

Ball, S.J., 2006. Education policy and social class: the selected works of Stephen J. Ball. Routledge.

Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Innovation, Universities, Science and Skills Committee, 2008-2009. Students and universities: eleventh report of session 2008-09, Volume 2