on top of your game
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- wasps
hello again, another broad-reaching question for you all:
at what point did you feel, as a designer, you were "on top of your game". that is to say, at a stage (taken from when you began) where your imagination was matched by your technical ability and therefore not hindered.advanks tanks.
- fusionpixel0
hummmm
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yeah...did you get the memo?
- chossy0
never and it never will
- wasps0
never and it never will
chossy
(Sep 23 05, 09:11)you don't think? i would imagine people reach a plateau, as such, after some years....
- kelpie0
about a week before my birth.
hey Chossy how goes it?
- Engage0
I agree... NEVER... i thought knowing actionscript made be techically proficient... but now i'm learning php and mySQL... and time learning them means you lose the edge on other stuff...
all about getting a balance... although knowing database stuff totally changes your view of web design
- Toasterboy0
Oh man, I didn't realize......
I am embarassed to have read this.
- mg330
Well, I felt about 95% on Tuesday. Had a big meeting with our managing partner and ceo, and my marketing boss, to discuss my work thus far on our website redesign/redevelopment. Also to discuss the project moving forward, show my design work, etc.
I guess I felt really on top of things because of how much research I've done over the last year, and how I've been learning ASP, CSS & XHTML.
If I would have done this project a year ago, I gurantee that my design work and coding work would not have been what it is right now. That made me happy. Happy to know that a year ago, it would have been horrible. Now, I've been told by the managing partner "The shackles are off, go for it and show us what you can do. You have no limitations."
Pretty awesome.
- wasps0
Pretty awesome.
mg33
(Sep 23 05, 09:21)excellent to hear. how long have you been involved with web dev sturf? it seems like an extremely steep learning curve...
- chossy0
I will never be able to match my imagination with my ability.
- fusionpixel0
you cant tell when you are going downhill, unless you are really lame and a bad experience makes you feel like a looser and that you are going down.
In reallity you never know when you will have your big break, you might be doing something really cool but this might not be it. Specially if you are some one always looking for that big opportunity, you will never be at the top of your game.
I believe that question is for people that are now retired playing golf all day long, no for thos of us who are still looking for the best oportunity.
- wasps0
I will never be able to match my imagination with my ability.
chossy
(Sep 23 05, 09:26)of course man, that would be fucking boring, wouldn't it? there will always be limitations on manifesting something from one's bod to reality, but i meant more as in technical ability *within* your chosen software/field. i should probably have been more specific, judging by some responses...
- wasps0
I believe that question is for people that are now retired playing golf all day long, no for thos of us who are still looking for the best oportunity.
fusionpixel
(Sep 23 05, 09:27):) aaah, visions of tartan trousers...
i meant more your technical ability, not necessarily pushing yourself career-wise. i cant imagine not always striving to better myself with every project in some way.
thanks for the response.
- mg330
Well, I mean pretty awesome in terms of making a good impression on people who control my opportunities here. Our law firm really extends open arms to people's ambition here.
I started here as the receptionist, and did that for two years. Then got promoted into Marketing, did very basic stuff, but started expressing my desire to do more...now I pretty much run our web site and am the main person here feeding people ideas about how we can improve.
I expected the meeting to go well in the first place, but when people have many questions about your abilities, you have much to prove. I created a 45 page plan/outline and recommendations book for them, including screenshots of good sites, bad sites, my mockups for the new site. I was very well prepared, and I love doing this stuff so it's easy to talk about.
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Anyhow, I have been involved with web work since 1999 in college while majoring in Advertising. Once 2000 arrived and new media really started taking off, I focused on that, and Flash specifically. I've been a moderator on Flashkit since June 2000, mostly critiquing design, but back then I was really involved in the Flash 5 forums.Don't use Flash that much anymore, though.
It's just nice that (and I'm not being conceited) I feel confident I've built a really well rounded set of skills and knowledge that spans design, coding, standards, SEO, usability, organization, IT related work, etc. It's all really fun, and trust me, I couldn't have had that meeting be successful if I didn't have that under my belt.
- wasps0
mg33
(Sep 23 05, 09:37)thats it i think - the aspect regarding a decent size tool kit of skills, and mastery of them. in real terms, if you began in 99/2000 thats not really that long to have reached a stage of confidence. there is hope!
sounds like a combination of drive and opportunity has paid off man! good stuff.
- tkmeister0
when i start my weekend on thursday i feel on top of my game.
the ability to enjoy life and balance work and personal life.
- mg330
wasps,
See, that's why it frustrates me when I see people complain about not understanding CSS layout. I'm still learning it, I'm no expert, but it's really great stuff. Having several years behind me of just general stuff makes it easier.
I couldn't imagine just starting out in this stuff! 99/2000 was a good time to get started. Get in while it's fairly easy and evolve as things progress.
Half the battle is just keeping up with new topics and technology, whether you're using it or not.