Task 1 - 'Why am I here - What do I want to learn?

IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 REASONS WHY YOU CHOSE TO STUDY ON THIS PROGRAM

1. Interest in Graphic Design; however I didn't know what I wanted to do with it, this course is helping me find out what my strengths are rather than just being taught about the subject, it is providing me with experiences and projects which I both like and dislike to help identify my areas of strength and weakness. 
2. DETAILED COURSE - the course provided more information and teaching in areas of graphic design in comparison to other courses
3. CURRENT DESIGNING - many other courses, the modules were more about the history of graphic design, and a lot of theory work was involved whereas this course was more hands on, current and practical in relevance what we will need for when we leave
4. PREPARATION FOR JOB - this course provides a better understanding and preparation for going straight into a Graphic Design job straight from university and understandings in how to build a business, charge your rate, talk to printer etc
5. INSPIRATION - student, tutors, surrounding of LCA was all inspirations, being situated in place which is totally about Art and Design keeps you in a creative mind (rather that being mixed in with Academic students at a main University (not college). Inspiration and constant motivation from the other students in other years. 

IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 THINGS YOU WANT TO LEARN WHILE ON THIS PROGRAM

1. To gain a thorough understanding of Graphic Design as a business, how to manage myself in the working world
2. A detailed understanding of printing, how to talk to them, how to use the programs, and how to avoid making costly mistakes
3. How to be noticed when I leave LCA - how to catch the eye of the public and how to please my clients so that they will return for future commissions. 
4. TYPE & IMAGE - I haven't decided which one I want to specialise in at the moment, but I would love to have a thorough understanding of either one of these
5. Which type of Graphic Design industry I want to go into e.g. Packaging and Promotion, but also which type of company I will work best for.

IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 SKILLS THAT YOU THINK ARE YOUR STRENGTHS

1. Spacial Awareness/Layout - the arrangement and distance of type/image on a page, the size of it, how they impact on each other etc. This is something I have always both been very aware of and enjoyed since starting the course. 
2. Tighter briefs - I find that when I am working to a brief with more specification I work better, I find that larger more open briefs I can get distracted from what I am being asked to do, or get the wrong idea, no matter how much I ask or think I understand
3. Shorter time constraints - the shorter the amount of time I have, the tighter I can make my time management and planning, I then can measure exactly how much I need to do in a hour, day, week. However I have found that anything longer than a week I can loose track and start to not push myself as much as I can. 
4. Type - currently I am stronger at choosing appropriate typefaces than other techniques, this is something I would like to keep as a strength but there are other area which I would like to focus on developing as well. 
5. idea generation from visual stimulus - I work better from researching images/typography styles rather than from reading from text

IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 THINGS YOU WOULD LIKE TO IMPROVE

1. TIME MANAGEMENTS - especially with longer briefs; I want to be able to set my self goals within specific time limits and to be able to keep them. Not only this, I would like to constantly produce a good amount of work in the time limit provided
2. SOFTWARE - better understanding and skill in all the software, especially INDESIGN as this is where I am weakest, it will also help me produce better quality work. 
3. RESEARCH - I generally research my subject but then find one thing/idea that I like that get stuck on that which tends to impede on the rest of my reserach. Whilst constantly being told 'you can never do enough research'...I feel that by my 'locking' on one idea limits my research and closes me off to more beneficial ideas
4. QUALITY OF WORK - this is also helped through research, be influenced by other Graphic Designers out there, but the quality of work also comes through developing a style, this is something else I would like to improve. 
5. TONE OF VOICE/LANGUAGE - I have always found this area difficult, I find it difficult to know what to say which is appropriate to the audience, but also in the tone of voice that it is written so that it is relevent. This is key to producing good work. 

IDENTIFY AND EXPLAIN 5 WAYS THAT YOU WILL EVALUATE YOUR PROGRESS

1. TIME MANAGEMENT - create timetables of what I want to achieve in time periods; tick and cross which ones I do and don't keep to, then as the days and weeks go by, compare them to see if there is any improvement
2. Talk to tutors - make sure that I am on track and doing what is asked of me, and if there are more improvements to be made that I haven't spotted
3. Compare my each current project to the previous one, see if and what the improvements and changes is to the quality and quantity of the work and research. 
4. PPD blog - keep a constant personal stream of posts on how I feel each project is going, good and bad. 
5. Talk to other people on the course - compare the amount and quality of what they have been doing per project, if it is not up to scratch then I know what to improve

IDENTIFY 5 QUESTIONS THAT YOU WANT TO FIND THE ANSWER TO

1. After graduating from LCA - what is the best place to get noticed
2. Portfolio requirements, what I need to improve
3. Salary - the different salaries for the different areas and types of Graphic Design
4. How long does it take to establish yourself and make a life out of being a Graphic Designer after leaving Uni
5. I know the % of students that are taken on in work placements/jobs straight out of uni, but how does this compare to other graduates from Graphic Design courses across the country.