digital portfolios: your digital narrative

Digital Portfolios

Your Digital Narrative

What is a Digital Portfolio? An electronic version of your work, accomplishments

and thoughts Can be in the form of PowerPoints, Adobe Acrobat,

Website… each having its own advantages and disadvantages Senior Seminar: Website digital portfolio

Ultimate Goal of a Digital Portfolio? Provide entry into the real world Structure the educational experience Demonstrate your knowledge and skills listed on

your resume

Why should you care? Internships Job Interviews Promotional tool

Why should I hire you? The question employers ask when they view your

portfolios Align yourself with the career/industry you would like

to pursue Structure your content to highlight your skills/knowledge

Create a list of potential skills you would need for your desired career.

Graphic DesignerPOSITION SUMMARY:The Graphic Designer will report to the Creative Services Manager. Together, with assistance from student workers, interns, freelancers, university vendors and other members of the Marketing Services team, the university's creative needs will be fulfilled. The team's primary focus will be enhancing student recruitment efforts, and enriching external-facing communications for the university's four colleges and high profile/revenue-generating departments including the President's, Institutional Advancement and Alumni and Family Relations Offices. Other departments on campus will also be assisted as needed.

This position requires superb graphic design and customer service skills and a keen sense of creativity. Print and digital projects will include marketing collateral, direct mail pieces and e-communications, publications and newsletters, advertisements, logos and infographics, web and social media graphics, event materials, stationery design, campus signage and more. Photography and videography projects will range from multi-day shoots for larger-scale marketing projects to quick snapshots or informal video clips to increase engagement on social media or the website.

Graphic Designer (cont.)ESSENTIAL DUTIES: Assist Creative Services Manager to produce collateral, photos and videos

that effectively showcase the brand "experience," working to achieve a consistent design approach across all mediums.

Be passionate about typography and information hierarchy. Be a brand warrior, ensuring that uniform branding is applied to all brand

communications. Possess the confidence to constructively discuss or deny projects that are

unnecessary, ineffective, or do not fall within brand parameters. Provide flawless press-ready final files to printers & approve printer proofs Assist the Creative Services Manager with print bids Assist with the scheduling of video productions and photo shoots. The ability

to touch up photos for optimal printing and display, as well as light video editing skills, are necessary.

Graphic Designer (cont.)ESSENTIAL DUTIES: Assist skills using Adobe Creative Suite/Creative Cloud (InDesign,

Photoshop, Illustrator), as well as a working knowledge of Microsoft products (Publisher, PowerPoint, Word and Excel).

Outstanding communication skills, with the ability to work positively and collaboratively with different types of people.

Strong organizational and time management skills, with the ability to work under pressure, juggle multiple priorities and stick to deadlines.

Knowledge of print and production processes. Flexibility in learning new skills. A good eye for taking or getting creative/compelling photography and

videography. A strong portfolio that reflects appropriate experience and skill level is

required. The willingness to be a team player

Next Step: Find & Organize Materials

Find & Organize Materials Collect your materials

Back-up and save your work! TWICE! Document the purpose of each piece, important concepts

and reflect on it (personal assessment) Explain your role Do not be afraid to make connections!(linking)

Conceptualize your thoughts Once you know the content/materials for your

website; then you can determine your direction

Example: ReadySET Enhance student recruitment Print & collateral

Direct mailings Newsletters Publications Advertisements Logo Stationary

Typography Information Hierarchy Branding Print Process Collaboration

Questions to Answer What is the piece of work? What did you use to create it? (Software/Hardware)

Group project/Production: What was your role? How is it relevant to the career you are pursuing?

Goal: 3-4 sentences Remember: You are not there to explain your

pieces of work, so you have to communicate it in your portfolio.

Think about your best piece of work and write a quick description.

Your Digital Narrative

What do you mean by ‘digital narrative’? The portfolio should tell the story of you Creating and maintaining a dynamic resume of your

experiences Life Work Study

Information Architecture The combination of:

organization, labeling, and navigational schemes

Categorize your sections to best organize your information and gives an overview of what you do

My Website

Original Redesign

About Speaking Syracuse U. Slippery Rock U. Duquesne U. Portfolio Vita Contact

About Bio Vita Speaking Publications

Teaching Slippery Rock University Syracuse University

Portfolio Contact

NavigationRule of 7, +/-2

Who am I? Professional Profile

Graphic Designer Web designer/developer Social media enthusiast Instructor/educator

Education

Both of these areas are highlighted in my about, courses, & portfolio sections

Doug Strahler Academic/Teaching Experience

Syracuse University Web design Multimedia Graphic Design

Onondaga Community College Web design Graphic Design

Slippery Rock University Web design Social Media

Doug Strahler Professional Experience

ThreeOneFive Design Freelance VLN Partners

Make sure to get approval from the client to post the work to your portfolio website!

Doug Strahler Presentations (Speaking)

Conferences Blog postings about experiences and discussions

National Press Foundation Designed the flash presentation for the Excellence in Online

Journalism Award & attended the awards dinner Rotary International

Discussed Social Media & how they can benefit from using it

Begin creating info architecture and categorizing your content.

Developing Your Portfolio

Portfolio Website Options

Marketing your Portfolio

What else should you do? Begin to manage your digital identity

Resume YouTube Blog LinkedIn Twitter

Be familiar with what is going on in your field! Tailor your portfolio for the job you want

Drive Traffic to Your Portfolio

Digital Portfolio

Business Card

Email Signature

Digital Portfolio Review Checklist Did the candidate highlight his or her best work? Are the work samples relevant? Is the digital portfolio up-to-date? Is it intuitive? Is it aesthetically pleasing? Is the digital portfolio free of errors? Is meaningful context provided?

Digital Portfolio Review Checklist, The Creative Group