Prepping yourself for Mixed Media
We regularly receive requests from those of you trying to break into the industry on what you can do to prep yourselves for your first mixed media job, or how you can improve once you’re there. Below are a few suggestions that we give to our new designers. Take it with a pinch of salt.
Research Projects
Gain an all-round understanding of web issues by daily reviews of industry related websites. Read at least one article a day that will give you a further insight into the industry, related technologies, design issues, navigation, colour use, software developments and other issues. Know what tools are out there and what they do.
Start to develop your own research project. Incorporate it either into your company’s site (if they let you!) or think about building it into your own website. For example, you may think about researching video and audio streaming. Begin at the granular level, finding out the basic principles and processes. You could then look at what’s available now, how it works, what is required to run it, what developments are being worked on or are in the pipe-line.
It would be beneficial to also start presenting experimental sounds, music loops, video images etc. This in itself could be your own resource site. It is important to start developing your own work now, incorporating design and programming issues that you will be learning from your research.
Like any project, it is essential to begin by planning out your goals, objectives and aims. Ask yourself what it is you are trying to do by presenting this information; what it is you are attempting to achieve; how you can do it; has it already been done; can it be done better and if so, how and why? Constantly re-evaluate what it is you are doing. This should ensure a well conceived and thought-out project.
Whatever theme you decide to research, think about it in terms of presenting the information on the web and building your own knowledge base. You need to gain a niche skill that will set you apart from the thousands of mediocre web designers that are out there. As you may have no formal training in design, it is unfeasible to think that you can become a great designer overnight, so build on other strengths and incorporate them into a design style that you are comfortable with and that ultimately functions. You need to think about how you are going to present the information clearly and concisely, so work on site maps and delve into articles about site architecture.
As we are working in a business environment, it is pertinent that whatever you research is relevant to the company you work for. Think about 'adding' something to the company as a whole, progressing the team, attracting new business. Again there is a lot to think about here, and it cannot be stressed enough, that forward planning is key to delivering a worthwhile and successful project.
Sideline Skills Development
Apart from continually looking at websites and appraising their attributes, look closely at those that have been acclaimed for their design and try building on elements of the sites you particularly like. Let great sites inspire you!
Build up a folder of experiments that you might later be able to implement into your work. Generic montages, icons, template ideas, buttons, images all come in useful. Bare in mind that you should take lead from ideas that work well to begin with before you start to change source material that is poor. This is particularly important when it comes to Flash movies.
