Transferable Skills

I think soft skills or transferable skills are very important for both life in general and the design industry. They are skills which are applicable to almost any career. They include skills such as time management, communication, leadership etc.

Communication
Communication skills are important for most jobs. In the design industry we are trying to communicate a message to it’s viewers. Presentation skills are useful for communicating an idea in a pitch scenario to a client.

I feel I need to practice my presentation skills before leaving the course. I feel I have become more confident within myself since presenting on the course. Presentation practice is a good exercise which has enabled me to express myself.

Time Management
Prioritising time is an important sub-skill of time management. We have restrictions on our time every day, It is important to plan and use it in the most effective and efficient way possible.

Leadership
I would say the ability to motivate myself and others is a vital part of leadership. Leadership, by personal example, together with experience is something which is mainly attained through practice and watching how others react in similar situations. I feel I need to build on my group leadership skills; I feel when managing a group I am too “soft” and am afraid to get my case across in case I cause upset.

Problem Solving
Being able to solve problems effectively is a skill which is needed more than ever in the website design and development industry. Every design job is effectively a problem which needs solving, every difficulty which arises when coding a website is a problem solving task. It is important to be Self Motivated as well as have the determination to solve problems.

These skills are often practiced within the background and are rarely noticed. I think it is important to build upon these skills whilst in education.