ah teaches web design & development (Being the Unicorn lecture)
Being the Unicorn
Lecture outline
Portfolios... just portfolios. Lecture slides will be made available on the day of the lecture (June 28).
Becoming a Unicorn
Step 1: Apply waffle cone to forehead
What makes you different?
- Who do you want to work for?
- What 'makes you unique' (but employable)?
- How do you reconcile all these years of us telling you to be programmers, but designers, but artists, but content strategists, but makers, but animators, but sound designers, but cognitive scientists, but architects, but creators of virtual worlds, but game designers, but storytellers, but video editors, but photographers, but creative entities, but researchers, but ...?
Creating an Ethos
This week's labs
A(n) ethos is the understanding, characteristics and definition of oneself as a ____________.
Visuals
Who are you visually?
Let's look at a couple of examples:
Showcasing Your Work
Help us understand why it is good
Ensure your project overviews cover:
- What is the project?
- What was the context?
- Who was involved, and what did you do?
- Show us your process
- Tell us why it matters (i.e. what did you learn or accomplish)
Language
Speaking like your professional self
The process analysis allows us to guide potential employers through our process. It should:
- Describe the project
- Analyze and explain the project
- Identify problem(s) and resolution(s)
- Evaluate the effectiveness
Process Analysis
A process analysis:
- Describes the project
- Analyzes the process
- Identifies problem(s) and solution(s)
- Reflects on the solution(s)
Step 1: Describe
- How would you describe and explain P2?
Step 2: Analyze
- How would you describe and explain P2?
- What might be some 'problems' encountered?
Step 3: Evaluate
- How would you describe and explain P2?
- What might be some 'problems' encountered?
- What did you learn?
Let's Analyze
- How would you describe and explain P2?
- What might be some problems you encountered?
- What did you learn?
- How would you explain them to our audiences?

Potential audiences of our portfolio
Why Should I Care?
Industry and learning
Portfolios are all about reflective practice, and learning well always involves self-reflection.
P3: What Do They Want?
How employers approach applications
How employers approach your application:
- Skimming the cover letter (5s): Well written and custom?
- Look at the resume (10s): Well designed, clear branding, good typsetting?
- Read the resume (20s): Have skills and experience relating to job?
- Look at web portfolio (30-60s): Want custom URL, non-templatey website
Care of "Burn Your Portfolio"
An Extreme Do-not-do Example
Let's head over to The Worst Portfolio Ever.
The Work Never Speaks for Itself
It's just that awesome
What does this one say?




More coming soon!
This slide will be up shortly.
Sameyness
Make that framework less framework-y
"I'm sick of seeing the same damn buttons. I'm sick of seeing that same damn toolbar up top. It's driving me crazy.""Customize Twitter Bootstrap to Not Look Bootstrap-y" by Antonin Januska
Personality
Identifying how you want others to see you
How might you communicate that you are 'efficient' without using text?
Code Plagiarism
Be wary
You are allowed to use frameworks (ie. Bootstraps or Foundation web UI frameworks), JavaScript libraries to make working on the site easier, but the final design must be your own work. All materials must be cited.
When in doubt, ask the TA or instructor.
Self-Plagiarism
Be wary
If you have a pre-existing portfolio that you are revising or redesigning for this project you are required to provide a URL to the original by July 5. This just helps us ensure that there is no self-plagiarism occurring in the project.
Self-plagiarism will result in grade of zero. No exceptions.
Identifying employers
Remember every website has an audience, in this case your potential employer is your audience. Hence we'll be having you identify who you might want to work for in the future, to help you focus your site.
Keep it real
For the employers you look at and the job descriptions you find, please be realistic.
Next week's lecture
The Coding Quiz
This entire lecture will be our time for completing the coding quiz.