My job was to create an informational story about my skills and accomplishments for any potential employers, mentors, scouts, followers, etc. I began my process with taking some notes on what my general skills are and then my more technical ones. I then experimented with the idea of drawing one scene encapsulating all my skills but I thought it might be more clear to show the skills more separately. Then I began to think about some of the visualization tools I wanted to use, so I chose a mind map, a timeline, a table, a pie chart, and a bar graph, five visual forms to meet the requirement and also just to enhance my message. I thought of ways I could show my communications expertise through my resume itself, which would further my marketing strategy. I suddenly had the idea to model my resume after an Instagram profile, with a profile picture, a bio, posts, etc. I had to pull from Instagram in order to get the circular profile picture, and I even had to change my profile image for this but I actually love it and am so happy I had the inspiration to do so, seeing as it now represents my communications direction. Also, I thought I would include a section like Instagram Highlights, where I could show multiple skill circles as if somebody could click on it to see what was in it, and then I thought I could even make my mind map from the circles, but I realized that went against the mind map format. I also struggled with which information to put in which location and within which visual tool. I played around with the idea of having posts and dates like a timeline and showing different images to represent different skills, like people for social skills. I then realized this would take up unnecessary space on a page that really should be about me and my data. I did like the idea, however, of taking the concept of “Saved” photos and memes on Instagram and having an archive symbol on my infographic representing past, or “saved”, experiences. I overall tried to make each piece appear as though it was actually on Instagram and I played around with different setups in my thumbnails sketches.
As you can see, however, I had to let go of some of my rigidness in my idea, mainly due to my technical abilities and time. The struggle came with needing the mind map to look a certain way that is not exactly like Instagram and also I could not capture a picture of the mind map in a bright enough way for it to blend in with the poster, so it does stand out. I also realized that when it came down to it, the spacing of the data sets would take up most of the room so I would not be able to be as elaborate as having it organized into posts, etc. I did manage to make the top section match the Instagram format though, even adding a “Edit Profile to Hired” button, which is similar to the “Edit Profile” button on Instagram, which I thought was unique and playful. I struggled also with a tag line and with going back to space it all out so the tag line could be at the very top, which I had to let go of because I did not want my images to start moving all around, so I made the tag line like a bio of sorts, stating, “Ask not what you can do for me but what I can do for you”, which I think is short, concise, and familiar to those who recognize the original quote. Even my font I tried to make social-media-y.
My visual uses a timeline to help describe the basic experiences and where they fell or fall on my timeline, adding COVID as a reference point. I used a bar graph to show my three most important passions and how many years I have been doing each. I used a table to describe my Volunteer and Job experiences, which I think was a clear and concise way of showing both concepts in a similar space so my experiences are all together but broken up by year and type. I used a pie chart to show my percentage of interest in each career I have been considering. Lastly, I incorporated an image of a Rotary Award and I described why I got such award many years back, due to my dedication to SketchUp, my favorite platform, and my dedication to building the strongest bridge out of wood and super-glue, something I stayed halfway into my next class for, because I was so dedicated to having my bridge hold the most number of textbooks. I think this is a unique visual that might make someone think more about my resume because it might make them want to interview me to find out what my Rotary Award was for.
I think my message is overall clear, and my technique shows my dedication to appealing to a communications crowd or audience. My message is that I have a many different interests and skills within communication, and it is beneficial to see them altogether, because it makes people consider how they could incorporate my skills into their work setting. I think the Instagram format at the top will draw people in. I did not include social media links, regrettably, but similar to the lighting of my photo and the decrease in Instagram formatting on the second half of the page, I would have done more with more time. I think it is hard to take an idea that seems so exciting and then have to come to terms with what is doable and what I know how to do, as well as what I have to get done for the guidelines. As for my other struggles, I would say I was able to overcome them pretty easily, examples being making the “Edit Profile to Hired” button and my timeline, both of which I used Google Slides to do and then screenshotted them and saved them, adding them to my final document. I did the same from Google Sheets with my graphs. My “aha” moment was definitely seeing the pieces come together and see how I had effectively chosen which data to go in which visualization format. I think making information graphics of any kind helps me draw in what I have learned in the reading and also consider on a larger scale how I can use these tools in my daily and future life, something I often have not had a chance to think about. I think this is the first time in a long while where I have had the setting to use my creativity and also be provided guidelines, which is exactly what a career in communications or design can be about.
gwilson424 