David Malouf writes: Q: Like Jonas I have another question regarding education. When you speak of "junior designers" have these designers been through at least a formal bachelor design education like yourself? Are there things that designers should look for in that formal education, such as strong foundation skills.
A: Some, but not all. One was educated as a traditional architect and picked things up brilliantly. Some have come from writing and film back grounds and have similarly been adept at learning how to design and document interactive products and software. Where these individuals are likely to differ from someone with a more formal design education might be their ability to pursue or address issues beyond simply the interactional aspects. Such as (for example) branding and graphic design, or development of physical models (for physical user interfaces), or other design skills and knowledge that could be introduced in a formal design education. I think that the kind of solid design education that you are talking about is incredibly valuable. Q: Lastly, when you review portfolios to understand the potential of a junior designer (future apprentice) what are the clues in that portfolio that highlight their potential. A: I'd look for several things, including what they might have done previously (documented work, particulary in the area of documented interaction). I'd interview them about roles they might have played on teams, and ideas they might've wanted to try but were not allowed to or unsuccessful in pursuing. A candidate's deeper background is also very helpful in understanding why they may be seeking to work in particular ways. Some designers I've met will show an enormous range and number of things they've done, all in creative areas. Those designers are proving that they have broadly applicable creative and thinking skills, so that's a plus. A knowledge and familiarity with the field, and larger development history is also valuable. And a lot of time with a new candidate or teammember is simply discussion, rather than a Q and A grilling session. The kinds of people we look for to work with aren't being sought to fill a formally-described slot. We're looking for a flexible associate with potential to contribute in a variety of ways and grow as we also continue to learn and grow ourselves. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Posted from the new ixda.org http://www.ixda.org/discuss?post=37669 ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
