FS297 Portfolio I

image of book This course prepares students for the transition to the professional world. This course will prepare students for job interviews by helping them compile a portfolio. Students will demonstrate their conceptual, design, craftsmanship, and other skills as they assemble and refine their portfolio pieces. Working individually with an instructor, each student will select representative pieces, showcasing work that reflects a unique style. Particular emphasis is placed on identifying short- and long-term professional employment goals, as well as related strategies and resources.

Class Information

Course Competencies:
Upon completion of this course students will be expected to demonstrate the following:

Review with instructor and advisor the direction in which the student has decided to specialize the portfolio.
Produce professional-level productions.
Demonstrate ability to make a presentation of work.
Complete personal letterhead and business cards.
Attend and professionally present your completed portfolio at the portfolio showing if you are an Associate level graduate.

Weekly Course Outline

Week 1:

Lecture: Review of requirements for completing portfolio for graduation. Second class; look at the work to date.
Lab: Collect what you have but weed it down to your best 15 to 25 pieces. List what you know you want to create for anything that is missing. Prepare this to be discussed in the second class.
Homework: Collect all potential portfolio pieces and organize.

Week 2:

Lecture: Present calendar and portfolio design plan at beginning of class for critique. Examples of Letterhead and business cards and resumes presented
Lab: Begin work on first area. Finalize portfolio projects and/or design unfinished areas. Those wishing to speak at graduation should submit first drafts of speeches to Career Services. Workshop on book binding announced.
Homework: Compose calendar plan.

Graduates: Schedule career consultation and email to Cori Miller Miyaki (comiller@aii.edu) your proofed first draft of resume to CSA.
Those wishing to speak at graduation should submit first drafts of speeches to Career Services.

Week 3:

Lecture: Individual design of portfolios discussed. Continuation of in-class presentations.
Lab: All content should be proofed for quality (images proper CMYK or RGB originals.) There may be one or two projects to add. Organization and layout of final portfolio pieces including Business Card and Stationery.
Homework: Continue work on unfinished portions of portfolio.

Week 4:

Lecture: Review by Faculty of portfolio to date and Business cards and resume and demo cover letter on stationery.
Lab: Continue work on portfolio. Finalize work on Business Cards and Stationery.
Homework: Collect all potential portfolio pieces and organize.

Week 5:

Lecture: Give away mini-portfolios and Business Cards and Resume on Stationery due for critique. In-class demo on making Acrobat PDF’s.

Lab: Resume due to Career Services. Creating PDF resume and portfolio representation.
Homework: Print and web portfolios should be underway and prepared for Week 7 professional review by outside designers.

Week 6:

Lecture: All portfolio additions should be completed. In-class portfolio critiques (mandatory attendance for graduates.) Reviews by outside guest advisors next week.
Lab: Clean up portfolio as advised or inspired.
Homework: Complete portfolio pieces and proof by outside source.

Week 7:

Focus: Industry portfolio review. Industry professionals, academic director and csa will review your work. Students receive points dependent upon type of degree or diploma, class status (graduating or continuing), and overall performance as discussed. Here is a sample of the grading rubric as it pertains to all: FS297/497 Week 7 Review rubric and the pdf version for viewing

Industry portfolio critiques:

Special guests:

Denise Hall, Recruiter from Creative Group

Thatcher Peskens, Lead User Experience Designer from dotcloud

Charles Wedge, Reading Producer for Leapfrog Enterprises. Chuck graduated from the AICA-SF Web Design program:

"I received a BA in History from the University of Kansas then worked on traveling event marketing promotional tours for about 5 years. That was when I decided to switch my focus over to Interactive Media Design and attended Ai. I was at Ai from 2003 - 2006 where I graduated with a BS in Interactive Media Design. While at Ai I taught at a Huntington Learning Center and got my emergency teaching credential for the State of California. Almost all of my projects at Ai had an educational theme and my last quarter I accepted an internship at RiverDeep, an educational software company. That internship turned into a full-time job and I continued there for almost a year until they had massive layoffs and moved many things back to Ireland. After RiverDeep I came over to LeapFrog, where I currently work as a Producer for the Reading team. I have been here at LeapFrog for just over 6 years."

Lecture: Print Portfolio Complete and printed in B/W. Show a mock up of your web portfolio. Show business card and resume.

You will be notified if you are "on track" to graduate or if you will need more time to complete the portfolio in an additional quarter.

Lab: Clean up and improve any areas designated by critique.

Homework: keep working, buy or make case. Completed linked .pdf due next week. Appointment from content approval must be made by week 9 AFTER I have proofed it myself. Get it to me asap.

Week 8:

Lecture: Individual Portfolio advisement. Faculty and/or industry professionals’ review work.
Lab: Take breaks as needed, always insuring someone is there to take advantage of this final review. Class room requirements and class work rubric are posted here.
Homework: Continue work on portfolios and make suggested changes. Complete leave behind piece. Don't forget informational interview presentations due next week.

Week 9:

Please email a link of your final online portfolio to me if not currently at Casabasa. This week you are responsible for an outside credible source evaluation, so consider who you may get to review your site. CC me the results.

Lecture: Informational interviews presented. All portions of Portfolios due for class critique next week. Have one outside professional critique.

Lab: Quick discussion on how to critique for next week: setting parameters.

Homework: Complete final details of website and print media. Complete any late homework including the informational interview and any identity items.

Week 10:

Lecture: Public presentation preparation with examples. Complete Portfolios Due for Faculty Review and “Best Portfolio” Judging.
Lab: Work on public portfolio shows presentation. Space design will be examined and discussed. All exit interviews and signature sheets should be completed by this time.
Homework: Prepare presentation signage

Week 11:
Lab: Presentations of portfolios. Public Portfolio Presentation for Associate degrees, SHOW TIME!

Grading is based on meeting all competencies, portfolio requirements, creativity, professionalism, and individual and class participation. You must maintain a minimum of a C to pass this course. Less will result in your having to repeat the course.

You must attend all reviews by faculty and outside guests. You must turn in your projects on time. (See calendar week one.) A printed and PDF resume and portfolio package must be given to Career Services for their assistance in getting you a job. You must present yourself and your completed portfolio in a professional manner at a public portfolio review. You will lose a grade for each element missed.

Helpful Links

(from Neil Tan) http://www.fuelyourcreativity.com/alternative-ideas-for-designing-a-web-portfolio/
(from Sebastian Jaramillo) http://freelancefolder.com/qualities-to-become-a-top-freelancer/

Graduation packet, phonetic spelling (for registrar). You would have already received these forms. These are just listed for backup. Newly added: Outline of what you need in writing your content (Word document)

Graduation Clearance Form (.pdf)
Key Dates for Career Services and Graduation (.pdf)

http://www.aicasfjobs.com/

Reviews of sites (checklist). As for your documentation, a process book usually will include the following items: Overview, Research, Target Audience, Competitors, Design Sketches, Usability and Technology, Flow chart, Prototype, and Final. A media kit might be used to package your resume, sample of work (screenshots of interface, coding, mind-mapping, sketches, assets, etc. can be included), business card, marketing statement and to emphasize your skills and what makes you unique. It's an abridged form of who you are.

http://www.resumonk.com/

http://resu.me/