SOFTWARE
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I would say I’m comfortably a 7/10 when it come to Photoshop. I’ve used it more than any other Adobe product and am familiar with most of its features.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
Sprung Studios specifically mentioned textures, patterns, layer effects and blend modes. These are features I know, but my confidence level with these features is not as high as it could be. I could focus my attention on learning these aspects of the software through my own trials, as well as online tutorials.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
My Photoshop skills are most obviously on display in my graphic design work, where I’ve used the textures, patterns, and other features to full effect, but this work is not directly related to this job field. My skills would be more directly applicable to these positions if I used them to mock up some potential designs for game UIs.
ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR
Required by:
My Skill Level:
It’s been a while since I’ve used Illustrator with any regularity, so I would need to brush up my skills with this software. I would say I’m a 5/10 with Illustrator.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
It would be good to review the work they’ve done in the past and try to mimic the look and attributes of their work in my own versions. I could also watch some online tutorials by graphic artists.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
An employer likely wants to see graphic UI elements rendered in Illustrator. My old work probably isn’t what they’re looking for, so I would need to generate some new material.
FIGMA
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I’m very comfortable using Figma. After making quick sketches, it’s the first piece of software I use when I’m designing. I’ve used it for making flows and wireframes, as well as presentations and full interactive mock-ups. There’s still room to learn, but I would say I’m 8/10 on Figma.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I feel like my skill with Figma already meets the requirements.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
The job description specifically mentioned flows and wireframes, so that is what I need to be able to show using Figma. I can include some of my past wireframes, but it would be good to make some new ones that are directly related to this field.
AXURE / OMNIGRAFFLE / ADOBE XD
Required by:
My Skill Level:
It’s been a while since I’ve used XD or Omnigraffle, and I’ve never used Axure. 0/10 for Axure, 2/10 for Adobe XD and Omnigraffle.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I might refresh my memory on these, but I hope that leaning more on Figma will be ok.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
I will try to show my UX design skills though Figma, while being open to using different tools if that works best for the company.
HARD SKILLS
VISUAL / GRAPHIC DESIGN
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I consider myself more adept at UI layouts, than visual design. I struggle to make things visually friendly and pretty. My intuitions always take me either to cold minimalism, or abrasive chaos. Realistically, I would say I’m a 4/10 at Visual Design.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I feel like this is less an issue of knowledge and more about forcing myself to try new things that are out of my comfort zone.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
I need to take a look at the visual designs in a wide variety of games that have inspired me. Then I need to channel that inspiration into developing work that successfully meets the desires of potential clients, but that I also feel reflects aspects of what I will actually bring to the company.
FLOWS AND WIREFRAMES
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I’ve done a fair amount of wireframing and flow design, but I’m not sure my wireframes are anything special. 7/10
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I should reread my notes and the readings on wireframes to see if I can try to bring my wireframes to the next level.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
I don’t think anyone will want to spend too much time looking at my wireframes, but I’m sure making custom wireframes for a game would go far to show I understand the gaming systems.
PROTOTYPING
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I’m probably a 6/10 on prototyping.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I’ve primarily been using Protopie for prototyping, and I’ve mostly stayed in the most basic zone of complexity, but it might help to get more familiarity with its more in-depth features.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
Again, creating a small game prototype, tailored to the studio, would probably make a good impression.
ANNOTATED DOCUMENTS
Required by:
My Skill Level:
7/10
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I could review notes on annotation and do some research on annotation techniques specific to this industry.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
I’ll need to search my past work to see if anything looks presentable. If not, I’ll have to construct a mock-annotation.
INTERACTION DESIGN
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I haven’t taken IAT 438 yet, so I’m not sure how much I’m missing in terms of interaction design. I’ve done fairly well so far. I would guess that I’m at 6/10.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
This feels more complex than I can succinctly state in this context.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
Portfolio material, like prototypes and wireframes, will show my interaction design abilities.
CONTEXTUAL INQUIRY
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I don't know what this is. 0/10
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
Need more info.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
Need more info.
CARD SORTING
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I don't know what this is. 0/10
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
Need more info.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
Need more info.
USER JOURNEYS
Required by:
My Skill Level:
7/10
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I can research the latest advances on how to make user journeys more engaging. I can also think back to other people’s user journeys that I really enjoyed and try to incorporate some of what made those great into my own work.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
I should make new user journeys tailored to this industry.
PERSONAS
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I enjoy the process of constructing personas and I think I’m pretty good at it. 8/10.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I could do some research to see if personas have shifted in any certain direction lately, since common practices around personas seem to morph quickly and follow trends. I should also see if there are any industry-specific treatments of personas.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
I can show past persona examples, but it might be best to construct new personas more in line with what the studio might be expecting.
STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I need to figure out if this is the same as user interviews, or something else.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
Need more info.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
Need more info.
WORK IN A VARIETY OF STYLES
Required by:
My Skill Level:
This is a challenge, as I tend to stick to certain styles in my own work. 4/10
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I need to practice applying different styles in my work. I should seek out work that looks very different from what I’m used to, but that I still think is good. Maybe when I can really identify what is good about it I can start to find ways to change my style habits.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
The only way to show this is to make the work in multiple styles. I should research the company’s previous work to get an idea for the styles they tend to use.
UNDERSTAND GAME SYSTEMS
Required by:
My Skill Level:
This probably seems like the easiest one for most people, but I don’t actually play games that much anymore, and I was never very good at a lot of the more popular competitive types of games. This is a weakness. 5/10
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I can spend a bit of time on forums or Twitch, observing people playing about and talking about the games, to get an idea of what aspects I might be missing.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
This is something that will likely come out more in an interview than in a portfolio.
SOFT SKILLS
COLLABORATE WITH A TEAM
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I struggle with unstructured collaboration, but I do well in more structured collaborative settings, which is what I would expect to find at one of these studios. 7/10
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
It could probably help to to some research on group behaviour theory, to see if there are certain behaviours I should be adopting to make myself a better collaborator.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
Having group work in my portfolio and quickly explaining my role, as well as how decisions and conflicts were resolved, would be a good way to show how I work in a group.
PRESENTATIONS
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I’m an anxious person, and I have trouble speaking in public, but I’ve made efforts to be more natural when giving a presentation. Compared with a lot of my peers, who read text quietly on their phones, I’m doing pretty good. 7.5/10
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
If I really wanted to up my game here, I could do something like join Toastmasters to really work on my public speaking. Watching Ted Talks is another way to get inspiration for great presentations.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
I’m not sure how this can be shown in a portfolio. I could include slide decks, but that doesn’t seem like it would be that effective. I need to do more research on this.
INTERPERSONAL SKILLS
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I’m anxious and awkward around people, so this is a problem area for me. It is somewhat of a relief to remember that quite a lot of people in this industry are the same. I’d say I’m fairly average for the industry. Maybe 6/10.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I should probably go to more meetups for people with shared interests to get more practice with just chatting with people.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
I think this is something that will be revealed in an interview, not my portfolio.
WRITTEN AND VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Required by:
My Skill Level:
I am fairly good at communicating through writing, less so at speaking, and I struggle to be timely in my communication. So, it’s a mixed bag. I’d say it averages out to 5/10, so not great.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I’ve been trying to figure this out for a while now. Haven’t had a lot of success.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
My initial contact with the company will be in writing, where I tend to do well. I just need to make sure to follow up on any communication and be clear and pleasant in my communication. I sometimes run my planned communications by a neutral third party before I proceed.
PASSION FOR GAMES
Required by:
My Skill Level:
As I previously mentioned, my gaming habits have waned over the years. It might be difficult for me to be confident in talking about current games. 5/10.
How I can develop this skill to better meet the requirements:
I can try talking to people about the facets of games that I still find interesting and inspiring. I have to remind myself what it is I like about games and reignite that passion.
How I can demonstrate this skill in my portfolio:
Besides expressing this in my cover letter and a possible interview, my portfolio can contain references and gestures towards games that bring me joy and show my engagement.