Wednesday 12 November 2008

Oh… and to listen to Steve!

This week we were fortunate enough to be paid a visit from The Design Mechanics co-creator, Dave Pannell and former HND Interactive Media student, Craig Burgess. They kindly took time out of their very busy schedule to enlighten us on the realities of the creative industry.

The guys gave a very interesting, informative presentation covering many aspects of the industry, from study and the humble beginnings right through to creation and running of a successful freelance design company. Both were armed with samples of previous projects, posing the perfect chance to take a peek at the work standard expected.

It came as a surprise to me when Craig announced that he had no previous design experience prior to joining the HND course. I know that Craig’s talents are well respected by both Dave and Steve, so for him to be able to progress to such a level in this short period of time from a background of no creative design knowledge instils confidence in me. Along with the fact that the HND Interactive Media course is highly regarded by the likes of Dave Pannell for producing students well equipped for the industry and able to hit the ground running.

As conversation ran on into time scales and project turnaround time, it was brought up that it’s considered common practice to be able to create such things as logos and business cards in as little as thirty minutes! Upon hearing this I was somewhat taken aback. However, after discovering the way in which The Design Mechanics approach their projects it soon became clear how this is possible.

The fact that they established a clear outline of the project brief, allows them to meet their targets fist time every time. This approach enables them to cut time and save the client money. Conclusively, this visit reassured me on my decisions, injected anxiety and excitement whilst also teaching me several valuable lessons… to work hard, fast, efficient and be disciplined.

Oh… and to listen to Steve!

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