Finishing touches

Favicon: creating a tiny logo to be displayed at the top of the page load. Also known as a bookmark icon.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favicon

Coverletter

This is my coverletter: It is double sided ad i've mixed fonts which was intentional, but I'm not sure if this has the desired effect. It is indended to be a 'teaser', and would hopefully create enough interest to get them to take a look at my website. It should also stand out from other applicants, as it is very different from the standard cover letter. I couldn't find a huge amount of existing examples.

Designing my portfolio cover letter

I have decided to design a graphical cover letter to go alongside my project, to hand out during my presentation, and i decided that it would be a good idea to tailor it to an actual job listing that i found to create more realism.

I found a posting for a interaction designer based in Enfield, London, which suited my skillset.

http://www.greaterlondonjobsonline.co.uk/detail/i-285465/interaction-designer-jobs-in-enfield

I also found an internship programme with IDEO, that i can now apply to with  full online portfolio. http://www.ideo.com/careers/interaction-design-internship-summer-program1

It was important for me to get a job/internship posting to work towards, so that i could tailor the cover letter to it. I am intending to put a QR code on it, which would form the 'CV' part of my application.

IMPORTANT: If the CV will be accessed by employers on iphones/smartphone via a QR Code, i CAN'T use FLASH in any part of the website as it is incompatible with the iphone. This was a consideration when building the website, as i want it to be compatible. I have tested the website on my iPhone and on a few different smartphone browsers to ensure compatibility.

IMPORTANT: Signposting for the introductory page: it is just an image, and although it matches the logo i will use on my cover letter, i am unsure as to whether this adds to the experience, or removes from it as an extra barrier to get to my content.

I have just found a second advertisement, speificaly for a junior interaction designer, and also based in London http://www.ujob.co.uk/job/junior-midweight-senior-interaction-designer.htm?utm_source=Indeed&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=Indeed

I may use this as part of my application for a short work experience posting this summer as it is a recent posting.

My aims:

• Thematically and aesthetically similar to my postfolio
• Short and sweet
• Possibly mention my skillset briefly
• Contact information
• QR Code

Research:

Looking at existing graphical cover letters

 http://img.thedailywtf.com/images/200909/graphic_design_resume.gif

NORMAL COVER LETTER: Looking at it for 'usual' content

 

http://www.twc.state.tx.us/graphics/jhgcoverletter.gif




http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4711830966_725394dc8b.jpg

Context of use

The who:

1. potential employers: internships
2. Teachers/Examiners
3. Other Students
4. The rest of the world

How would they come across it? What Are their Neds? Do i meet these needs?
1.  potential employers: internships

• Email with cover letter & link
• Postal with cover letter & QR CODE 
•  Their needs are: ACCESS TO FINISHED PROJECTS/DESCRIPTION OF SKILLSET
• Do i meet these needs?

2 Teachers/Examiners

• Disc access (when reviewing the entire project-so link must be made available easily from here on the disc & i will put it on my sketchbook cover heading)
•  Their needs are: ACCESS TO ALL SECTIONS OF PROJECTS, CLEAR DISCTINCTIONS BETWEEN THEM ALL. SELF ANALYSIS, LEARNING OUTCOMES
• I do meet these needs

3. Other Students

• URL Link
• Their needs are: ACCESS TOOUTCOME SECTIONS, ACCESS AT DIFFERENT LEVELS: MIGHT NOT WANT TO READ THE TEXT, SO MAY WATCH THE SHORT VIDEOS INSTEAD
• I do meet these needs

 4. The rest of the world

• Google/Search engine 
• Their needs are: EASY SITE NAVGIATION FOR BROWSING
• I do meet these needs

 Potential Employer Diagram (access route) & comparison to other access routes. Demonstrates expected paths: allows me to see if the website is easy to use for these paths, and if any improvements could be made.

Additinal path diagrams.

Site Changes

-Small Error Tweaks (Wrong page headers, broken link finders)
-Emphasised site hierarchy: Project two is the immediate focus, and the user is gently guided towards initially viewing these
-Resized Elements
-Better Singposting
-Editing Fonts
-Blog links are all black, and near the bottom for continuity