SelfAnalysis

In order to fully analyze myself, It is important to mention a few things that may help to fill in the blanks. I am currently 23 years old and have lived in Colorado my entire life. As many young Coloradans do, I spend a large majority of my time in the outdoors. This has led to a passion of mine other than design that will be discussed later on in great detail. This passion is snowboarding. Snowboarding has probably been the most significant influence in my life other than my family. Throughout high school I spent much of my time on the mountain, whether it was after class or on the weekends. This is where the initial spark of Tyler as a designer began. I started to make snowboard videos of my friends. After high school I moved around a lot, looking for a places where I could snowboard and continue my education in a lighter manner. After exploring opportunities in places such as Steamboat and Breckenridge I decided it was time to start pursuing a career field. In recent years since I have started to pursue a career in graphic and motion design, I have learned a lot about myself. Although many of these things are positive, I have also found that many of these things are in need of improvement and development. One thing about myself that I have learned is there is no end to what I can learn. This applies to both my career and life in general.

I have many personality traits, many of these traits are positive. However, just like anyone else there is always room for improvement. I have found throughout the years that I have an extremely positive attitude. This trait is one that I have never found to have a negative outcome on my life. By keeping a positive outlook on things, life seems to become easier and more enjoyable. Another quality that I have found about myself that comes along with having a positive attitude is that I am very easy to get along with. Along with my positive attitude comes with the ability to give constructive criticism in order to help others on creative projects. The ability to help others is something that I have always wanted to achieve and continue to achieve throughout my life.

Another major component to my personality is the communication strengths that I can provide. Communication is one of the most, if not the most important part of the design field. Communication can be the difference between successful ideas and those that are not. I have found that one of my biggest communicative strengths is to produce ideas visually. Although design may be one of my strengths, I feel that my ability to express ideas without concrete visual examples or support can sometimes hinder my ability to fully express an idea or concept. This is something that I work at everyday in order to better prepare myself for the professional world of design, where this skill will be invaluable to my success.

Along with many of these traits have come both reward and failures. One of my most recent accomplishments includes winning a University of Colorado Denver “Digital Visions” award. This particular category was specified for introduction and public service announcement videos and motion graphics. This award is something that I would like to build upon in my career, and also something that I will continue to look back on and remain proud of the effort that went into producing the final product.

Some professional strength’s that I have acquired over the few years of experience include working very well on tight deadlines and the ability to communicate effectively with clients and coworkers. Over the last couple years I have become much more organized, which has helped me meet deadlines and create projects faster and more effectively. The combination of these two aspects has only increased my overall happiness in the workplace, but also helps me work more effectively with others. Although these aspects have helped to shape my professional knowledge, there is still much for me to learn not only about applications and technical skills, but also about the design industry and appropriate practice that I will soon encounter.

Some of the things that I am looking for when researching different organizations and firms is nearly just as much about the people as it is about the work. The working environment is something that is extremely important to me while working in a creative field. What I am looking for in an organization are a group of professional, yet laid-back people that are fun to be around. These individuals must have a strong work ethic that is creatively driven. Another aspect that is very important to me is that my ideal colleagues would be able to both give and receive constructive criticism in order to further increase the quality of a product or design. These are all elements that help to ensure my maximum creativity, production and overall enjoyment in the workplace.


The reason that I have chosen to pursue an active career and diploma in the Digital Design field is because it is something that allows you to stay on your toes and continue learning everyday throughout your career. I stumbled into the field of design after being offered a job from a friend who knew I had a limited background in video editing. After settling into my new and unique experience as a design intern, I began to meet new contacts within the field, who have become both mentors and close friends. Through this opportunity I was able to gain knowledge from experienced professionals that have helped me to jump-start both my education and career in the design field. However, as I began to catch on after a couple of years, I was interested in finding an opportunity where I could be tasked with more responsibility and a wider variety of projects and problems to solve. After leaving the origin of my design knowledge, I searched for a job where I was able to pursue the video and motion graphics side of design. I was able to track down an internship that an instructor of mine had recommended me for. Since beginning at the CU online media production department, I have been able to take on new projects that have helped the overall quality of my work extensively. At the CU Online media studio, I have been tasked with leading the motion graphics side of our department. This entails, creating motion graphic packages from the early concept stages to the delivery of the final product to the client. This has made me a stronger designer in the way that I think about aspects of a project such as planning, time management, communication with clients, and the overall polishing of the product. These skills will prove to be invaluable throughout my career.

I have learned a lot in recent years, not only of design, but also about myself as a person. As I further my career I hope to always be striving to improve both of these aspects of my life in order to reach the goals that I have laid out for myself now and in the future. One thing I cant express enough is the potential to be continually learning and observing the world around you. As a close friend and family member once put it it is important to think of yourself as a “perpetual sponge”.