My mastery journey timeline

1. My Mastery Journey Timeline
February 2014 to January 2015
Anna Hancq
Media Design MFA
Full Sail University

2. February 2014: Mastery
My goal is to understand what elements comprise a true Master, and draw
inspiration from this knowledge to begin my own journey in earnest.
1. Gain confidence in my own abilities, and learn to grow from failure, not
just survive.
2. Begin to integrate what I learn into my everyday experience, and
especially at work.
3. Draw inspiration from Masters to practice greater patience.
4. Learn to use iMovie using a Lynda tutorial.

3. March 2014: Defining Client Needs
I would like to grow in my ability to communicate with clients more
effectively and better understand target markets.
1. Apply principles to my current job projects whenever possible.
2. Learn methods of testing design solutions.
3. Create a multi-media campaign for a work project.
4. Grow my personal design skills in a concrete way by beginning to learn
Illustrator and take these types of classes at Lynda.com.

4. April 2014: Brand Development
My goal is to develop a clear understanding of branding, which I will be
able to implement in the future.
1. Learn and utilize some basic marketing tools, including how to better
leverage LinkedIn and Twitter to build a brand.
2. Present a branding idea to senior staff at work.
3. Utilize the Full Sail library to read articles about how to build branding,
starting with this article.

5. May 2014: Effective Copywriting and
I hope to hone my skill in writing for advertising, as well as presentation
and corporate styles.
1. Build upon my knowledge of advertising writing by reading articles on
the subject, including this one in the Full Sail library.
2. Read advertising language more carefully in magazines and in
publications, evaluate them for success.
3. Implement these new skills by offering to write additional
advertisements and corporate pieces at work. Perhaps I can even find a
fellow student or mentor to review my efforts.
Communications

6. June 2014: Design Research
My goal is to improve my ability to research and evaluate design options in
the field.
1. Learn at least 3 new techniques for researching in the field.
2. Apply a new tool for research for a work project.
3. Continue to grow in my Illustrator understanding by taking one, or
more, of these Lynda trainings:
1. Illustrator CC One-on-One: Mastery
2. Creative Quick Tips
3. CS6 One-on-one: Advanced

7. July 2014: Organizational Structures
Taking my recently improved research skills, I aim to learn to synthesize
this information into creative and innovative design solutions.
1. Use new information just learned to increase the professional standard
of my work.
2. Read Creative Confidence, by Tom Kelley, from the Full Sail library,
with an aim to spark continued creativity.
3. Use feedback on my work from peers and teacher to grow and increase
my abilities.

8. August 2014: Design Strategies and
In this course I hope to learn to refine my ideas. Often I have ideas but
am not sure of the best way to present them – I hope to learn how to
better share my ideas in this class.
1. Use a new technique learned and implement at work – sharing one of
my ideas with a senior staff member.
2. Work on my own ability to refine and critique my work in the final
stages, something I struggle with now.
3. Read The Importance of Graphic Design in Marketing
Communications, by L.D. Myers, from the Full Sail Library, to increase
my ability to communicate the importance of graphic design at work.
Motivation

9. September 2014: Design Integration
My goal is to work on my flexibility and open-mindedness as I strive to
accept and integrate critiques and feedback into my design.
1. Integrate new skills into the workplace by successfully apply at least one
workplace critique into my designs without sacrificing the quality of the
design.
2. Explore new directions in the field of Media Design.
3. Begin to learn more about website design by introductory Lynda
tutorials like these.

10. October 2014: Multi-Platform Delivery
My goal is to enrich my understanding of a multi-media campaign, and
put into place practices to enable me to create a well-rounded campaign.
1. Utilize critiques to work on areas of weakness, and better exploit areas
that come naturally to me.
2. Increase my patience through the different iterations, and work to carry
this over to the workplace.
3. Read “Search, Failure, and the Value of Moderate Patience” by O.
Baumann from the Full Sail Library in an attempt to improve one of my
greatest challenges: patience.

11. November 2014: Measuring Design
I aim to develop my higher-level critical thinking skills to projects, and
develop a capability to view work from multiple points of view.
1. Utilize exercises to refresh my experience of a design by considering
different points of view successfully for one work project.
2. Work on my presentation skills to achieve a greater comfort with
presenting my ideas fluidly and effectively.
3. Read Develop Your Presentation Skills, by T. Theobald, in the Full Sail
Library.
Effectiveness

12. December 2014: Thesis: Presentation of
My goal is to clearly and effectively deliver my presentation of my thesis,
following all the goals set forth in the class.
1. Look for an opportunity at work to practice my newly acquired
presentation skills.
2. Know my topic and feel confident in the worth of what I am presenting.
3. Utilize additional resources like these from Lynda.com to design an
effective and powerful presentation, geared toward the audience.
Design Solution

13. January 2014: Professional Practice
Take the final step in beginning to integrate what I have learned into the
professional sphere.
1. Continue to work on articulation of my ideas to people from unrelated
spheres at work.
2. Consider some of the outside factors that effect design: the legal and
ethical ramifications, as well as cost and time effectiveness. This can be
done by talking with a mentor at work.
3. Plot out my future goals in my career, and read How to be a Graphic
Designer, by A. Labudovic, from the Full Sail library.

14. Reference
Lynda.com software training and tutorials. (n.d.) Retrieved from
https://www.lynda.com