ConnorMoldeStrategicReport

Chapter 01 - IntroductionMy specialist skills are in the web design and development industry. Once I have graduated I hope to pursue a career within the web industry. My short term plan is to work for a web agency as a web developer focusing on coding and layout design. Then, once I am an established web designer, I will be using this report as a hypothesis to decide if it’s a better choice to stay with an agency or go freelance.

My approach to creating an effective portfolio is to interview different web practitioners. I will also thoroughly research the web industry; looking at what it takes to get my foot in the door, the pros and cons of working for an agency and as a freelancer. Also, I will be looking at the companies currently employing and the skills required. I have created a questionnaire, which I have sent out to many people who work in the web design industry to give me valuable feedback and advice.

I already have a basic knowledge of working in the industry as a freelancer and working for a company. I have been working freelance on the side of my studies for almost three years. Most of the clients have been local businesses. I currently work part-time for a furniture company called ‘Gascoigne Designs’, where I develop and maintain their website.

Chris Spooner a web designer from ‘SpoonGraphics’ stated in an interview with ‘Smashing Magazine’ he states; “I would recommend that designers first seek out employment, which will give them professional experience and knowledge of design”. (Snell S, 2011, p.142)

Chapter 02 - Short Term Plan (12-18 Months) In an interview with Keith Robinson the founder of ‘Total Jobs’ he was asked to give advantages of working for an agency. He reveals; “safety net of regular salary and pension.” (K. Robinson, Founder of Total Jobs, 2011). Keith also went on to list more advantages such as; “career progression, training funded.” (ibid)

According to the website ‘TechnoJobs’ there are jobs currently available in the Nottingham area, which are suitable for graduates. The job title is ‘Graduate Web Developer’ for a ‘Circle Recruitment’. The skills and qualifications required are stated on the website, which consist of; “2:1 degree, HTML, CSS and JavaScript.” (Technojobs,1999)

Overall, it seems like working for an agency would be the best route for a graduate web designer. As research suggests it would be the best way progress your career. Another positive is jobs are available and the skills required are all feasible for young web designers.

Chapter 03 - Long Term Plan (4-5 Years) In an interview with ‘Smashing Magazine’ Soh Tanaka was asked to give advice to graduates about what they should consider before taking the freelance route. He quoted “when choosing freelance have some experience under your belt and be ready to be on your own.” (Snell S, 2011, p.141)

The website ‘Kalexiko’ looks into the advantages of becoming a freelancer. The site states; “Freelancers normally go freelance due to the fact they specialize in a niche which isn’t required on a regular basis in an agency; thus allowing them to work on what they are good at for their clients.” (Kalexiko, 2013)

However, further on in the interview with Julie Towers, she believes that working as a freelancer has its disadvantages, which might make web designers think before going freelance. She states; “Some disadvantages of working freelance are; becoming your own business developer, finding work and ensuring a consistent income.” (Towers J, CEO at Penna, 2014)

Overall, most of the research suggests that going freelance is the best route for experienced web designers rather than staying with an agency as they can work on projects that focus on the skills they specialise in. However, research also suggests there is a lot more responsibility for web designers to go freelance as you have to ensure some kind of consistent income.

Chapter 04 – Portfolio Content

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To create an effective online portfolio it is important you know the current trends in the industry so you can implement them into your structure and design. The website ‘Elegant Themes’ posted an article, which shows a selection of the latest web design trends. One trend is ‘Responsive Design’. The website states; “Over the last few years responsive design has solidified itself as the new standard for web design.” (Elegant Themes, 2014)

The website ‘Creative Bloq’ believes that ‘flat design’ is also becoming a very popular trend in web design. They describe the trend as a; “minimalistic design approach that emphasizes usability. It features clean, two-dimensional/flat illustrations.” (Creative Bloq, 2014)

It is a good idea for web designers to look at other web designer’s portfolios as it can give them inspiration for their own website. The portfolio of ‘Charlotte Tang’ is an example of a successful online portfolio as it has gained a good reputation by being published on a web design blog called ‘noupe’ in an article called ‘40 Must-See Portfolio-Websites’. (Noupe, 2012)

(Charlotte Tang, 2014, Photograph)

One reason for the website being an example of a successful portfolio is due to the use a lot of graphics, especially on the work examples section. The hover effects work really well and are an interactive way of displaying information. The contrast of the colour scheme works well together with all the different elements of the website. Also, the layout structure is very simple and responsive, which means it would work very effectively on a mobile, tablet or other devices.

‘Ice Lab’ is another example of a successful online portfolio. ‘Ice Lab’ is an interactive design studio based on web and graphic design.

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(Ice Lab, 2014, Photograph)

This website uses ‘infograpghics’, which is another current trend. An ‘infographic’ is a representation of information in a graphical format. On their website they have annotated a visual of a helmet as it shows the different services that they can offer their clients. For example, one aspect of the diagram is ‘thinking’ and they have attached it to the brain of the helmet. As a design it works really well and is a more interactive way of displaying information.

One important element of creating a successful online presence is ‘Social Media’. On the website ‘Duct Tape Marketing’ there is an article called ‘Creating a Strong Online Presence’. It talks about social media and how it is a powerful aspect for ‘Search Engine Optimization’ (SEO). The website states; “Social Media is an important part of your online presence that improves your chances of generating additional revenue.” (Duct Tape Marketing, 2014)

Web designers should definitely look at the portfolios of ‘Charlotte Tang’ and ‘Ice Lab’ for inspiration as they are both good examples of successful portfolios because they have both used the latest web trends, which were previously, stated on web design blogs. Also, they both use social media, which as stated previously is an important element of creating a successful online presence.

Chapter 05 – ConclusionIn Conclusion, I believe the research I have undertaken throughout the report helps clarify that both my short and long term plans are achievable and that gives me a lot of confidence of breaking into the industry as a graduate.

The research into my short term plan, which is to work for a web design agency, makes me believe that there is a place for me in the industry. I believe I have got good knowledge of the skills required for the advertised jobs previously stated in the report.

The research undertaken for my long term plan, which is to gain sufficient experience and set up as a freelance web designer is the right path to take once you have the work experience from an agency. In an interview with and Paul Molde, a Nottingham based Freelance Project Director; he gives a good summary into the industry and reflects on how the industry has changed from when he started. He states; “Freelance was not so much in demand back then. However, due to the unstable economic environment freelance is very much a demand. I would work for a company for 3-5 years to gain experience then go freelance.” (P. Molde, Freelance Project Director, 2014)

As part of the report I have created a SWOT which shows my Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats as a web designer.

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(Connor Molde, 2014, Diagram)

Based on the research undertaken in my report it is clear to me that if I want to succeed in my short and long term plans I need to work on my weaknesses conducted in my SWOT. However, the research in the report shows that my strengths listed in my SWOT are what companies who are currently employing are looking for, which gives me great confidence to achieve my short term plans.

I believe if I work on my weaknesses and make the most of the opportunities the threats shouldn’t be a problem, because I will be trying to develop as a web designer to help me become more employable so I stand out from other web designers who are applying for the same jobs. For more details on my SWOT analysis see document ‘ConnorMoldeSWOT’.

Overall, as my research and SWOT analysis shows, I strongly believe that starting my career working for an agency is the best choice because it gives me a great opportunity to gain experience in how the industry works and how projects are managed from start to finish. I also, believe it will help me further my skills and knowledge as a web designer. I too believe that once I have worked for an agency for a few years and gained the knowledge and experience of working with demanding clients, becoming a freelance web designer is definitely the best option to take as a long term plan as it will allow me to have complete control of projects and make a good salary.

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Chapter 06 – Bibliography/ReferencesCreative Bloq, 2014. The beginner's guide to flat design, What is flat design? [online]. Bath: Creative Bloq. Available at: http://www.creativebloq.com/graphic-design/what-flat-design-3132112 [Accessed 24 October 2014].

Duct Tape Marketing, 2014. Creating a Strong Online Presence for Marketing Success [online]. Duct Tape Marketing. Available at: http://www.ducttapemarketing.com/blog/2014/04/25/online-presence/ [Accessed 27 October 2014].

Elegant Themes, 2014. Web Design Trends To Look Out For In 2015, 1. Responsive or Go Home [online]. Elegant Themes. Available at: http://www.elegantthemes.com/blog/resources/web-design-trends-to-look-out-for-in-2015 [Accessed 24 October 2014].

Ice Lab, 2014. Icelab · An Australian Design Studio [online]. Available at: http://icelab.com.au/ [Accessed 28 October 2014],[Photograph].

Kalexiko, 2013. Web Design Agency Vs Freelancers [online]. Available at: http://www.kalexiko.com/thoughts/web-design-agency-vs-freelancers [Accessed 03 November 2014].

Molde, C., 2014. SWOT Analysis,[Diagram].

Molde, P., 2014. Freelance Project Director in the Web and Graphic Design Industry: Interview with Connor Molde, Nottingham, 29th October 2014.

Noupe, 2012. 40 Must-See Portfolio-Websites. Available at: http://www.noupe.com/inspiration/showcases/40-must-see-portfolio-websites-of-photographers-illustrators-and-photoshop-artists-72893.html [Accessed 03 November 2014].

Robinson, K., 2014. Founder of Total Jobs: Interview with Connor Molde, Nottingham, 29th October 2014.

Snell, S., 2011. Smashing Magazine, Professional Web Design, What should new designers consider when decided between working for an agency and freelancing? West Sussex: A John Wiley and Sons, Ltd, Publications. Pp 141-142.

Tang, C., 2014. Charlotte Tang | Toronto Web & Graphic Designer [online]. Available at: http://charlottetang.com/ [Accessed 27 October 2014],[Photograph].

Techojobs, 1999. Graduate Web Developer/Nottingham 2014 [online]. London: Technojobs. Available at: http://www.technojobs.co.uk/job.phtml/1753269?utm_source=feed&utm_medium=aggregator&utm_campaign=indeed [Accessed 23 October 2014].

Towers, J., 2014. CEO at Penna: Interview with Connor Molde, Nottingham, 29th October 2014.

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