Letter  of  Transmittal      To:  Elizabeth  Allebach,  Student  at  Lebanon  Valley  College    From:  Elizabeth  Allebach’s  Portfolio  Company    Date:  December  10,  2014    RE:  Designing  and  creating  a  portfolio  for  Elizabeth  Allebach      

Thank  you  for  asking  me  to  submit  a  proposal  to  develop  a  portfolio.  I  have  

been  eager  to  get  started  on  working  on  a  portfolio.  As  we  have  discussed  in  

previous  meetings,  it  is  imperative  for  a  college  student  to  have  an  excellent  

portfolio  to  show  his  or  her  peers  and  future  employers.  Having  an  excellent  

portfolio  will  set  you  apart  from  the  rest  of  the  crowd,  a  dire  need  in  a  hectic  job  

market.    With  in  the  trends,  simplistic  and  efficient  design  is  something  that  we  will  

be  focusing  on  for  this  portfolio.    

Attached  is  a  proposal  that  outlines  how  this  portfolio  project  will  come  to  

light.  It  also  includes  the  methods  that  I  will  use  to  complete  this  portfolio,  contents  

of  the  portfolio,  costs,  schedules,  and  my  qualifications  for  creating  this  portfolio.    

 Please  call  me  at  215-­‐208-­‐1847  if  you  have  any  questions.      Thanks  so  much,      Elizabeth  Allebach    Attached:  Proposal                      

 

Proposal  to  Create  a  Portfolio  for  Elizabeth  Allebach    Introduction    

Being  a  Digital  Communications  student  is  a  reward  and  a  struggle  at  the  

same  time.  Clients  who  come  to  us  are  having  trouble  labeling  themselves  as  a  

prospective  candidate  because  of  the  nature  of  their  education.  Digital  

Communications  is  a  broad  spectrum  that  has  to  be  narrowed  down  into  a  field  that  

can  be  understood  by  every  employer.  Creating  a  versatile  but  specific  portfolio  will  

help  our  clients  get  a  step  ahead  in  the  job  market.  Digital  Communications  students  

have  skills  in  programming,  graphic  design,  user  experience,  usability,  videography,  

and  business.  Creating  a  portfolio  that  compiles  all  these  aspects  into  one  efficient  

portfolio  is  where  my  company  specializes.    

 Problem  Analysis      

Recently,  we  have  discovered  that  our  clients  require  a  portfolio  that  helps  

exemplifies  their  skills  as  a  Digital  Communications  student  at  Lebanon  Valley  

College.  The  job  market  requires  candidates  who  can  go  above  and  beyond  in  

everything  that  they  do.    Workplaces  are  looking  for  candidates  who  can  be  

excellent  in  all  areas  of  digital  media  to  get  their  money’s  worth  out  of  a  future  

employer.  The  job  market  is  a  tough  area  for  college  graduates  because  employers  

have  to  select  less  people,  so  they  want  to  get  the  most  versatile  person  possible.  

The  value  of  completing  this  portfolio  project  with  professionals  is  indescribable  

because  of  the  rewards  that  will  be  reaped  in  the  form  of  economic  and  professional  

success.  We  are  aware  the  job  posting  in  interest.  The  Philadelphia  Union  wants  a  

graphic  design  intern  for  the  spring  of  2015.    This  proposal  will  base  its’  examples  

on  the  needs  of  the  Philadelphia  Union.    

 Audience  Analysis      Intro  

Someone who is interested in hiring a Graphic Design Intern may consider

various elements during the hiring process. Employers may want the employee to sit still

and simply do work, or he or she may want the employee actively involved in the

company. It depends on the company atmosphere. Additionally, employers try to

understand the work of a student. Students may need a more flexible schedule and

instruction. A job application intended for a student, will show that the internship could

be remote, or in office with a flexible schedule. While the employer takes the time to

understand the applicant, they will expect an applicant to be a good communicator

through the application and in person. If an intern is not willing to communicate well,

they will not be looked at as highly. To look closer into these scenarios depicted in the

paragraphs above, personas will be made to show the inter-workings of hiring influences.

Below are personas that represent the audience of who will receive the application first,

second, and last.

Discussion    Audiences have values, different ways for solving problems, and goals for the

newest employee. Below explains the concerns and important points that each audience

possesses.

The goal of the Primary Audience is to make sure the company, Philadelphia

Union, hire the correct person to help create and develop graphic designs. The Primary

Audience is focused on finding employees who meet the criteria of being a student and

willing to learn. The primary audience also wants responsible people who do not have a

criminal background because this idea corresponds to the Primary Audience’s values.

The Primary Audience will also be looking for an applicant that mastered the use of

Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and converting images to different needs. The

primary audiences understand that stellar graphic designing is needed to present the

company in a positive light. Because employers need the cream of the crop to work with

their business, the Primary Audience may look into an applicant’s personal social media

accounts to see if they are considerable for an interview. Employers will look everywhere

they can to find out about a job applicant. Keeping cursing, religion, and alcohol

consumption out of personal social media will help tremendously in job search efforts.

When people are applying for jobs, the Primary or Secondary Audience tend to

look at applicant’s social media accounts. For some people, this helps them because it can

highlight their values of family and volunteer work, but for others it can show drinking

habits and other less than desirable traits. In some cases, it causes people to not receive a

job offer. Most people, when they are looking for a job, tend to clean up their social

media profiles, but some people think that this idea is unfair to applicants.

The Secondary Audience is more driven to look at the specifications of the

applicant. They will be looking for someone who can create and produce responsible

postings and someone who can use certain software’s such as Microsoft Word,

PowerPoint, Excel, and the Adobe Creative Suite. Some of the tops skills needed are

listening skills, pattern recognition, visual thinking, statistical analysis, improvisation,

and a great sense of design. They will also be looking for someone who can produce

reputable material that can gain the Union’s awareness. The secondary audience will

want someone who agrees that effective designs are the key to an effective and

impressionable company.

The Tertiary Audience is mainly concerned with how the company looks from the

outside, with disregard to the finer details. They would be more focused on growing the

Philadelphia Union’s popularity. They value a job well done and will appreciate how

efficient and quickly the job can be completed. They do not understand the inner

workings of graphic design, but they will appreciate how it affects the Philadelphia

Union. The tertiary audience wants a team of employees who have respect to the idea of

being on a team. They want to see a staff that works together and has a fun time

completing the job, because of the nature of the team like mentality.

The goals of the Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Audiences are all different.

The application and portfolio must reflect the values, goals, and possible concerns that

each of the audiences portray.

Project  Description    

This  portfolio  project  will  take  place  as  a  website.  Because  our  client  is  a  

graphic  design  concentration,  we  want  to  make  a  fun  and  upbeat  website  while  

keeping  the  accessibility  elements  needed  to  create  a  functional  website.  We  want  to  

create  a  site  that  is  as  bubbly  as  our  client.  The  homepage  will  be  a  static  page  that  

takes  the  user  to  different  pages  of  the  portfolio  when  clicked  on.  There  will  be  a  

feature  for  the  user  to  filter  through  the  designs  with  minimal  effort.  We  want  this  

website  to  be  functional  before  the  aesthetic  elements  are  met.    

       

Research  Plan      Questions  for  Research:  

1. Do  they  look  for  applicants  who  use  different  graphic  design  software?    2. Do  they  look  for  applicants  with  a  design  style?    3. Is  this  company  looking  for  new  ways  to  create  graphic  designs  or  updating  

existing  designs?    4. Did  the  company  have  an  existing  graphic  design  intern?    5. Does  the  company  understand  the  importance  of  consistent  graphic  design?    6. What  was  the  largest  advertising  campaign  this  company  has  done?  7. If  the  company  has  done  one  at  all,  was  it  a  success  or  just  something  that  

happened?    8. Do  they  hire  people  from  small  colleges  or  bigger  colleges?    9. Do  they  require  certain  certifications  for  this  job?    10. Is  there  any  software  that  is  required  for  the  job?  11. Does  this  company  look  for  a  lot  of  experience?  12. What  software  does  this  company  use  already?  13. Does  this  company  check  personal  social  media  accounts?    14. Will  my  personal  social  media  account  effect  my  life  as  an  employee  here?    15. Will  this  job  be  a  9-­‐5  or  have  unexpected  hours  and  commitments  because  of  

the  spontaneity  of  postings?    16. Does  this  company  have  a  general  marketing  strategy  with  their  graphic  

designs?    17. Is  this  company  looking  for  new  ways  to  be  innovative  with  their  graphic  

designs?  18. Is  this  company  willing  to  hire  interns?    19. Will  this  company  consider  someone  without  references?    20. Will  this  company  support  further  learning  about  graphic  design?    

 With  these  questions  in  mind,  my  research  team  and  I  will  examine  the  

resources  that  the  Philadelphia  Union  may  have.  After  searching  within  the  realms  

of  the  Philadelphia  Union,  my  team  and  I  will  look  for  outside  influence.  We  will  look  

at  similar,  reputable  companies  and  the  information  they  provide.  By  doing  this,  we  

are  creating  a  basis  of  understanding  for  what  these  companies  want  in  a  person,  

and  consequently  a  portfolio.  We  will  find  out  if  we  want  to  go  with  a  creative  route,  

or  a  more  cut  and  dry  portfolio.  The  way  an  applicant  presents  their  portfolio  will  

impact  the  hiring  decisions.  To  be  positive  in  our  research  and  portfolio  decisions,  

my  team  and  I  will  conduct  usability  tests  to  ensure  a  functional  and  effective  

portfolio.    

Qualifications      

My  team  and  I  are  eager  and  ready  to  take  on  this  project  because  of  the  

skills  we  acquire.    My  team  has  business  experience,  people  skills,  and  experience  in  

graphic  design.  Elizabeth  Allebach,  the  company  owner,  has  run  her  own  Mary  Kay  

business  for  a  year  and  understands  how  the  business  sector  operates.  Within  her  

Mary  Kay  business,  she  is  in  charge  of  her  personal  branding  for  her  company.  She  

has  an  understanding  that  the  first  impression  has  to  be  the  right  impression  for  any  

job.  Our  team  will  use  this  idea  to  make  your  first  impression  the  only  positive  

impression  a  future  employer  will  need.      

Additionally,  she  has  been  a  receptionist  at  a  museum  and  understands  how  

to  communicate  with  others  to  get  answers  to  questions.  She  also  has  had  two  

graphic  design  internships  and  understands  what  the  employer  is  looking  for  in  a  

candidate.  Having  a  team  with  people  skills  and  a  desire  to  create  beautiful  and  

effective  work  is  the  ideal  scenario  to  any  job,  big  or  small.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Work  Plan  and  Schedule      Creating  a  portfolio  will  be  a  three-­‐month  process  with  important  milestones.    Audience  Analysis  

Preliminary  Wireframes  

Mockup  Wireframes  

Approval   Website    Development  

Testing   Approval  

1/20   2/7   2/15   2/17   3/5   3/10   3/20    Resources  Required  to  Complete  Project      

This  project  will  not  require  a  lot  to  be  completed,  but  listed  are  necessities  

for  appropriate  work.  My  team  and  I  will  need  Mac  laptops,  Adobe  Dreamweaver,  

and  access  to  printing.    

Budget    

My  team  and  I  work  off  an  hourly  pay  scale.  We  charge  10  dollars  an  hour  

and  expect  to  work  10  hours  a  week  on  this  project.  Over  a  three-­‐month  period,  that  

would  be  9  weeks.  The  total  of  the  9  weeks  would  be  900  initially.  We  ask  for  an  

additional  10%  for  overage  charges.    

Works  Cited      "Internship  |  Spring  2015-­‐  Graphic  Design  Intern."  InternMatch.  Philadelphia  Union,  

18  Aug.  2014.  Web.  21  Nov.  2014.    Closing      Thank  you  for  considering  my  business  for  this  project.  I  hope  that  you  approve  my  

proposal  and  consider  beginning  this  project  as  soon  as  possible.  You  can  reach  me  

anytime  at  215-­‐208-­‐1847.    

 Appendix:    1.  Client  Needs  Analysis                                            

 Appendix                                  

 Elizabeth  Allebach  Client  Needs  Analysis    Elizabeth  Allebach  

Dr.  Pettice  DCOM  280  Technical  Communications  

October  17,  2014      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To:  Portfolio  Design  Team  

From:  Elizabeth  Allebach  

Subject:  Client  Need  Analysis  for  Portfolio  Creation    

Date:  October  17,  2014    Intro:    

The  purpose  of  this  memo  is  to  explain  the  needs  of  my  client  and  the  advantages  of  

her  competitors.  With  this  information,  we  will  be  able  to  create  our  client  the  best  portfolio  

possible.  In  order  for  her  to  get  the  internship  with  the  Philadelphia  Union  as  their  Graphic  

Designer,  we  will  have  to  work  efficiently  to  create  a  master  website  based  portfolio.    

Discussion:    This  analysis  looks  at  the  needs  of  our  client,  the  objectives  and  goals  the  portfolio  

has  to  accomplish,  a  detailed  analysis  of  the  strengths  and  weaknesses  our  client  and  her  

future  portfolio  has,  an  analysis  of  our  client’s  competitors,  and  a  rationale  on  which  

medium  our  client  should  host  her  portfolio.  Our  client  expressed  her  needs  when  looking  

for  an  internship.  The  Philadelphia  Union  makes  some  of  the  requirements  our  client  needs  

and  the  Philadelphia  Union  lacks  in  some  areas  as  well.    However,  the  research  concluded  

that  the  Philadelphia  Union  is  looking  for  an  applicant  who  can  deliver  designs  while  

working  as  a  team.  Additional  research  looking  into  the  strengths  and  weaknesses  of  our  

client  found  that  she  has  a  lot  of  experience  in  graphic  design,  but  needs  work  on  deciding  

what  is  ideal  for  the  portfolio.  Finally,  our  client  has  decided  that  the  best  medium  for  the  

portfolio  would  be  a  website  because  of  being  accessible  by  majority  of  people.  The  rest  of  

the  analysis  discovers  how  our  client  and  I  have  found  these  ideas.    

Client  Needs  Assessment    Intro:     This  Client  Needs  Assessment  will  be  an  internal  document  between  my  client  and  I  

explaining  the  needs  of  my  client  to  her  preferred  internship  preferences.  The  internship  is  

with  the  Philadelphia  Union  in  Chester  PA.  This  document  will  look  into  what  my  client  

needs,  what  the  company  needs  from  my  client,  how  well  the  internship  fits  with  me  client,  

and  how  my  client’s  resume  is  sufficient  for  this  position.    The  internship  posting  is  

attached.    

 Discussion     My  client  has  specific  goals  when  it  comes  to  her  internship  preferences.  These  

preferences  involve  aspects  of  professional  and  personal  life.  My  client  needs  an  internship  

because  of  needing  it  to  graduate,  gain  experience,  and  help  narrow  down  her  field  of  

choice.  An  internship  is  required  for  graduation  at  Lebanon  Valley  College  so  my  client  

would  like  to  find  the  perfect  fit  for  her  needs.  Getting  an  internship  will  help  my  client  gain  

valuable  experiences  that  come  with  this  new  responsibility.  She  will  gain  skills  that  she  can  

add  to  her  resume  after  her  internship.  My  client  will  also  be  able  to  tell  if  Graphic  Design  is  

something  she  wants  to  commit  her  concentration  on.    Along  with  all  of  these  positives,  my  

client  has  some  requirements  for  choosing  an  internship.  She  needs  less  than  a  half  hour  

commute,  minimum  wage  or  higher  to  cover  travel  expenses  and  work  attire,  hands  on  

experience  that  does  not  require  fetching  coffee,  and  work  schedule  that  can  be  worked  

from  home  and  in  office.    

  Along  with  my  client’s  needs,  the  company  also  requires  certain  things  from  their  

interns.  The  Philadelphia  Union  requires  their  employees  to  have  knowledge  in  graphic  

design,  be  able  to  create  layouts  for  various  programs,  complete  assigned  projects,  work  

nights  and  weekends,  and  work  all  home  Union  games.  A  graphic  design  intern  needs  to  be  

able  to  use  Adobe  Photoshop,  Illustrator,  and  InDesign.  According  to  Joel  Reyes  of  Design  

Reviver,  he  believes  that  graphic  designers  need  to  be  able  to  have  a  design  style,  be  

organized  in  project  management  skills,  understand  the  importance  of  effective  typography,  

understand  the  printing  process  of  created  documents,  have  sufficient  skills  in  web  design  

and  understand  the  process  of  creating  a  website,  social  media  marketing,  and  an  overall  

sense  of  creativity.  Graphic  designers  understand  that  clients  do  not  know  how  to  make  

something,  but  clients  know  what  they  want  to  see.  A  graphic  designer  needs  to  translate  

thoughts  between  client  and  project  goals.    

  After  reviewing  what  my  client  wants  and  what  the  Philadelphia  Union  wants,  I  will  

analyze  how  well  this  internship  will  fit  for  my  client.  The  percent’s  represent  the  

effectiveness  of  the  internship  compared  to  the  needs  of  the  client.    

• Internship  for  graduation:  100%  • Minimum  wage  or  higher:  100%  

• Gaining  experience:  95%  • Narrow  Down  field  of  choice:  80%  

• Hands  on  experience:  75%  • Less  than  a  1/2  hour  away:  25%  • Work  from  home  and  office:  10%  

 

There  are  a  lot  of  positive  aspects  for  this  job,  but  also  some  drawbacks  in  relation  

to  the  criteria  of  my  client.  This  internship  will  count  for  credit  through  Lebanon  Valley  

College,  so  it  received  a  100%  on  the  scale.  This  is  also  a  paid  internship  so  it  received  a  

100%  on  the  scale  as  well.  However,  some  aspects  are  not  as  direct.  Gaining  experience  is  at  

a  95%  because  my  client  will  be  gaining  a  lot  of  experience  in  commercial  graphic  design.  

The  5%  that  is  missing  will  be  the  lack  of  complexity  in  the  work  my  client  could  be  

designing.  The  Philadelphia  Union  wants  advertisements  and  roster  cards  created.  These  

are  very  important  to  the  Union,  but  they  do  not  require  a  lot  of  creativity.    Another  minor  

drawback  to  Interning  with  the  Philadelphia  Union  is  it  may  or  may  not  narrow  down  the  

field  of  choice.  It  received  an  80%  because  a  lot  of  work  could  be  focused  on  other  areas  of  

sports  production,  such  as  marketing  or  public  relations,  not  just  graphic  design.  The  

atmosphere  of  this  employer  may  take  away  some  of  the  graphic  design  elements  and  force  

my  client  to  work  on  other  aspects  as  well.  This  is  not  a  bad  thing;  it  just  may  not  narrow  

down  her  future  employment  wishes.  This  job  also  requires  my  client  to  work  Union  soccer  

games  on  the  nights  and  weekends.  This  could  mean  working  a  concession  stand  or  

collecting  tickets.  This  breaks  away  from  graphic  design  and  focuses  on  other  logistical  

necessities  for  the  Philadelphia  Union.    That  is  why  I  gave  hands  on  experience  a  75%.    This  

job  does  not  allow  my  client  to  work  from  home  and  the  drive  is  around  an  hour  from  my  

client’s  home.  These  are  two  important  factors  when  considering  this  internship  because  

they  can  take  away  from  the  experience  of  the  internship  in  a  negative  light.    My  client  will  

need  to  evaluate  if  she  can  forgo  those  two  requirements  in  order  to  take  this  internship.    

The  goal  of  my  client’s  portfolio  will  be  getting  an  internship  from  the  layout  and  

content  of  the  portfolio.    Her  resume  will  help  get  her  a  first  and  second  interview,  but  the  

portfolio  will  help  exemplify  the  skills  of  my  client.  My  client’s  portfolio  will  need  to  have  

example  of  advertisements  that  she  created,  content  that  shows  simplicity  because  of  the  

growing  trends  of  simplicity,  and  a  functional  portfolio  layout  to  show  organizational  skills  

to  the  Philadelphia  Union.      

Objectives/Goals  Statement    Intro:  

The  objective  and  goal  of  this  client  needs  analysis  is  to  look  at  what  my  client  has  to  

offer,  and  with  what  the  Philadelphia  Union  has  to  offer.  My  goal  is  to  combine  those  needs  

to  make  sense.    The  goals  of  my  client  and  the  Philadelphia  Union  have  conditions,  a  specific  

audience,  behavior,  and  a  degree  in  which  the  audience  will  perform  the  behavior.  With  the  

current  job  posting  in  mind,  my  client  needs  a  portfolio  to  reflect  the  requirements  of  the  

Philadelphia  Union  to  result  in  an  internship  offer  after  the  second  interview.    

 Discussion:     The  goal  of  getting  an  internship  with  the  Philadelphia  Union  after  the  second  

interview  has  to  do  with  the  conditions  of  my  client.  My  client  is  a  sophomore  at  Lebanon  

Valley  College  studying  Digital  Communications  and  hopes  to  pursue  a  concentration  in  

graphic  design.  A  sophomore’s  portfolio  will  look  a  lot  different  than  a  portfolio  of  a  senior  

or  late  junior.  There  will  be  less  advanced  work.  There  will  be  more  reflecting  the  ability  to  

use  different  programs  rather  than  being  advanced  in  one  area  of  design.  A  college  

sophomore  may  also  have  work  that  my  client  has  done  for  free  to  add  to  her  portfolio.  

These  could  be  small  aspect  such  as  business  cards  or  wedding  invitations.  Because  this  is  a  

spring  and  summer  internship,  my  client  will  be  interested  in  getting  paid  because  it  will  

not  be  remote.  These  conditions  need  to  be  introduced  to  the  Philadelphia  Union  and  made  

apparent  in  the  portfolio  of  my  client.    

  The  person  who  would  be  looking  at  my  client’s  portfolio  would  be  the  Human  

Resources  Director  for  the  Philadelphia  Union.  Because  the  Philadelphia  Union  wants  an  

intern  who  is  up-­‐to-­‐date  on  software,  understands  the  importance  of  typography  and  

creativity,  has  a  creative  yet  practical  mind,  and  someone  who  can  time  manage  efficiently,  

my  client’s  portfolio  has  to  reflect  these  ideas  directly.  Because  my  client  is  a  sophomore,  

who  is  younger  but  is  more  familiar  with  the  finer  details  of  programs,  that  work  has  to  be  

presented.  My  client’s  portfolio  has  to  have  booklets  to  prove  knowledge  of  InDesign,  vector  

images  to  demonstrate  knowledge  of  Illustrator,  and  edited  photos  to  show  proficiency  in  

Photoshop.  Along  with  the  art  showing  knowledge  of  software,  it  also  has  to  be  esthetically  

pleasing  to  the  eye.  A  portfolio  has  to  be  purposeful  so  the  employer  understands  the  

intensity  of  the  intern  about  the  position.  To  show  effective  time  management  skills,  the  

resume  has  to  prove  an  intense  course  load  while  trying  to  gain  experience  in  a  related  field.    

   After  the  Human  Resources  Director  looks  at  the  portfolio,  he  or  she  will  have  to  

decide  if  my  client  is  worthy  of  an  interview.  Because  my  client  is  a  sophomore  applicant,  

the  Human  Resources  Director  may  have  some  questions  about  the  work  my  client  did,  or  

my  client’s  work  experience.  This  is  where  my  client’s  references  will  help  boast  what  she  

can  do.  After  more  information  is  gathered,  an  interview  will  be  conducted  to  hear  my  

client’s  explanations  of  her  work.  To  meet  my  client  and  my  objective,  we  need  a  second  

interview.  The  second  interview  would  used  to  make  sure  my  client  is  a  correct  fit  for  the  

Philadelphia  Union.    

  The  objectives  that  my  client  and  myself  have  set  for  the  Human  Resource  Director  

for  the  Philadelphia  Union  are  nudged  by  my  client’s  portfolio.  The  explanation  above  is  to  

show  how  the  thought  process  of  an  interviewer  and  my  client  and  myself  creating  content  

to  match  the  thought  process  of  the  Philadelphia  Union’s  interviewer.    

 SWOT  Analysis      

The  purpose  of  this  SWOT  analysis  is  to  look  at  the  strengths,  weaknesses,  

opportunities,  and  threats  that  my  client  may  have  during  her  interview  process.  This  will  

help  my  client  assess  the  needs  of  her  competitors  during  the  interview  process.      

 Strengths    

For  the  position  of  Graphic  Design  intern  with  the  Philadelphia  Union,  my  client  has  

excellent  skills  to  help  the  Philadelphia  Union  thrive.  The  objective  of  my  client  is  to  get  the  

job  of  being  the  Graphic  Design  intern,  with  this;  her  biggest  skill  would  be  her  

communications  skills  along  with  her  graphic  design  skills.  A  lot  of  candidates  will  have  the  

same  graphic  design  skills  as  my  client,  but  they  will  not  have  her  ability  to  communicate  

and  distribute  a  message  like  my  client  is  able  to.  My  client  has  her  own  small  business  

selling  Mary  Kay  products.  This  is  an  advantage  because  she  knows  how  to  network,  deliver  

a  message,  create  customer  satisfaction,  and  be  professional.  Additional  skills  my  client  has  

are  her  organizational  skills,  positivity,  and  desire  to  do  complete  a  job  with  perfection.    

 Weaknesses       Everyone  has  weaknesses  and  of  course  my  client  has  some  as  well.    Her  biggest  

weakness  would  be  over  working  in  order  to  get  a  job  done.  My  client  will  not  break  from  

work  until  a  job  is  done.  This  is  troublesome  because  when  a  person  continually  works  on  

something,  the  result  could  be  less  than  fabulous.  My  client  could  use  better  time  

management  skills  while  at  work  to  make  the  most  productive  day  possible.  Another  

weakness  my  client  has  is  saying,  “yes”  too  often.  My  client  loves  to  help  people  and  wants  

to  do  every  project  she  can  get  her  hands  on.  This  could  be  a  bad  thing  because  my  client  

could  over-­‐extend  herself  and  not  give  as  excellent  work.  These  personal  weaknesses  could  

be  seen  in  the  portfolio  unintentionally.  My  client  has  a  lot  of  outside  graphic  design  

experience,  which  means  a  lot  of  images  for  her  portfolio.  It  would  be  better  to  have  quality  

over  quantity.  My  client  has  to  work  on  selecting  the  graphic  design  work  that  reflects  her  

abilities  best.    

Opportunities    There  are  many  opportunities  for  my  client  to  meet  her  objective  of  getting  the  

Graphic  Design  Internship  with  the  Philadelphia  Union.  Opportunities  are  external  

conditions  that  help  achieve  the  wanted  objective.  My  client  has  fellow  students,  continuing  

classwork,  and  projects  that  can  volunteer  for.  Fellow  students  help  the  objective  because  

she  can  bounce  ideas  off  of  her  fellow  graphic  design  peers  to  get  helpful  feedback  to  give  

the  best  design  possible.  My  client  also  still  has  classes  to  go  to  and  learn  from.  This  is  

perfect  for  an  internship  because  the  Philadelphia  Union  would  benefit  from  what  my  client  

is  learning,  and  it  helps  my  client  because  she  can  continually  grow  herself.  Additionally,  my  

client  has  the  ability  to  volunteer  for  projects  to  help  grow  her  portfolio.  This  goes  with  the  

saying,  “practice  makes  progress”  and  the  Philadelphia  Union  would  benefit  from  my  

client’s  bettering  her  skills.    

 Threats       Threats  are  external  conditions  that  could  possibly  damage  the  end  result  of  getting  

the  Graphic  Design  internship  with  the  Philadelphia  Union.    Two  very  important  threats  

came  to  my  mind,  failing  a  class  and  the  failing  economy.  If  my  client  does  not  excel  in  her  

classes,  employers  will  be  less  likely  to  hire  her.  The  Philadelphia  Union  wants  the  best  

people  possible  for  their  jobs.  This  means  having  great  grades  and  the  ability  to  get  teacher  

recommendations.  Another  threat  is  the  standstill  economy  the  United  States  is  in  currently.  

This  is  a  problem  because  it  limits  the  amount  of  jobs  in  circulation.  There  is  a  higher  

demand  for  skilled  and  credible  workers,  so  employers  are  interested  in  a  strenuous  

interview  process  to  find  the  best  candidate.  Getting  a  job  is  not  as  easy  as  it  used  to  be;  so  

hard  work  and  skill  need  to  be  on  forefront  on  my  client’s  mind.    

 Competitive  Analysis      

A  client  analysis  is  an  internal  document  that  assesses  the  competition  between  my  

client  and  her  direct  competition.  This  information  will  help  my  client  have  the  best  

interview  possible  because  she  will  understand  what  her  competition  is  focusing  on.  

People  who  are  direct  competition  with  my  client  would  be  her  classmates  at  

Lebanon  Valley  College.    This  is  good  competition  because  it  forces  my  client  to  work  hard  

in  order  to  keep  up  with  the  status  quo.  At  Lebanon  Valley  College,  the  Digital  

Communication  department  is  all  friendly  with  each  other.  These  connections  and  lines  of  

communications  are  beneficial  to  everybody  in  the  major  because  people  can  confide  in  

each  other  for  help.  However,  it  builds  a  competition  base  because  everyone  wants  to  be  at  

the  top  of  his  or  her  class.  My  client  and  I  believe  this  is  a  good  and  healthy  competition  for  

everyone  to  raise  the  bar  and  work  harder.    

A  different  type  of  competition  would  be  people  from  different  academic  programs  

from  different  schools.  Different  schools  have  different  forms  of  technology  and  teachers,  

and  therefore  different  skills  are  taught.  At  Lebanon  Valley  College,  the  school  has  a  lack  of  

technology  but  makes  up  for  it  with  the  professors  the  school  employs.  My  client  and  I  

cannot  speak  for  other  professors  but  other  school’s  programs  speak  for  themselves.  

Lebanon  Valley  College  set  the  bar  for  other  schools  that  there  needs  to  be  a  Digital  

Communications  major.  Lebanon  Valley  College  was  one  of  the  firsts  schools  to  offer  this  

rewarding  program.  Other  colleges,  such  as  Messiah  College,  have  imitated  Lebanon  Valley  

College’s  program  to  offer  at  their  school.  This  is  great  for  Lebanon  Valley  College  because  it  

proves  there  is  something  amazing  happening  at  Lebanon  Valley.  It  builds  competition  

because  others  are  getting  taught  the  same  skills.  However,  my  client  has  the  advantage  

because  she  goes  to  the  school  that  initiated  the  program.    

It  is  great  that  my  client  goes  to  a  school  known  for  their  Digital  Communications  

program;  however  what  the  Philadelphia  Union  thinks  of  my  client  is  the  most  important  

opinion.  The  Philadelphia  Union  will  be  looking  for  someone  who  can  deliver  content,  is  

hardworking,  professional,  and  willing  to  work  as  one  of  a  team.  The  Philadelphia  Union  is  a  

team-­‐oriented  organization  by  nature.  A  soccer  team  has  to  work  on  a  field  to  make  the  

dream  happen,  a  person  who  works  for  the  Philadelphia  Union  will  have  to  believe  in  

bettering  the  organization  before  bettering  themselves.  My  client  will  have  an  advantage  in  

the  hiring  process  because  she  will  know  what  the  Philadelphia  Union  will  be  searching  for  

an  can  tailor  her  portfolio  accordingly.    Since  there  are  no  common  practices  for  submitting  

a  portfolio  to  the  Philadelphia  Union,  my  client  can  make  her  portfolio  her  own.  

Differentiating  my  client  will  be  the  key  to  her  success  in  the  job  market.  She  is  different  

because  of  selling  Mary  Kay,  her  volunteer  graphic  design  work,  and  previous  internship  

experience.  Employers  don’t  want  to  have  to  train  an  intern  on  the  basics  of  working  for  a  

company.  Having  someone  with  internship  experience  is  extremely  beneficial  to  the  

Philadelphia  Union’s  hiring  process.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

Media  Rationale    

To:  Client  

From:  Elizabeth  Allebach  

Subject:  Media  Rational  for  Website  Portfolio    

Date:  October  17,  2014    Intro  

My  client  and  I  have  decided  that  creating  a  website  would  be  the  best  choice  for  my  

client’s  future  profession  as  a  graphic  designer.    Because  of  the  audience’s  expectations  of  

updated  designs,  a  medium  where  my  client  can  update  quickly  is  ideal.  The  objective  is  for  

my  client  to  receive  the  position  of  Graphic  Design  Intern  for  the  Philadelphia  Union;  

therefore  an  infallible  portfolio  is  necessary.    

 Discussion  

There  are  many  positive  aspects  for  why  a  graphic  designer  should  choose  to  have  

an  online  portfolio.  An  online  portfolio  can  be  designed  and  redesigned  as  many  times  as  

need  be.  My  client  will  be  able  to  perfect  the  vision  she  has  for  her  portfolio,  without  

spending  a  lot  of  money.  The  world  of  graphic  design  is  constantly  changing;  designers  have  

to  keep  up  with  the  demand  of  new  techniques  and  styles.  Additionally,  my  client’s  work  

will  have  to  change  with  the  different  trends  in  graphic  design.    A  website  can  also  show  my  

client’s  abilities  of  web  design,  user  experience,  and  information  architecture.  This  is  

important  because  my  client  could  be  seen  as  a  multi-­‐functional  employee,  instead  of  just  a  

graphic  design  intern.    

In  order  to  make  the  best  portfolio  possible,  my  client  will  go  through  a  series  of  

steps  and  procedures  to  choose  the  best  layout,  content,  and  information  architecture.  

When  choosing  a  layout,  my  client  will  have  to  keep  in  mind  the  trends  of  graphic  design.    

Simple  design  is  key  in  layout,  but  the  portfolio  must  be  strong  in  content.  The  layout  must  

be  simple  because  a  wide  variety  of  people  will  be  looking  at  this  portfolio.  Anyone  ranging  

from  peers,  future  employers,  and  aspiring  graphic  designers  may  be  interested  in  looking  

at  the  concept.  The  content  must  be  up  to  date  and  specific  to  the  skills  my  client  has.  My  

client’s  portfolio  is  not  a  collection  of  every  work  done,  just  the  best  work  done.  My  client  

will  also  be  doing  a  card  sort  to  arrange  and  decide  on  the  labeling  of  the  headings.  This  will  

help  make  the  design  user-­‐friendly  and  effective  by  reaching  the  objective  of  Graphic  Design  

Intern.    

Along  with  the  positive  aspects  for  an  online  portfolio,  there  are  some  obvious  

drawbacks.    A  website  can  only  be  accessed  when  a  person  has  Internet  access.  This  could  

be  problematic  for  the  audience  because  if  they  have  a  weak  signal  or  their  servers  are  

down  on  a  particular  day,  the  application  and  portfolio  could  easily  be  ignored.  That  would  

greatly  hinder  the  objective  of  getting  the  Graphic  Design  Internship.  Another  problem  is  

that  the  audience  may  not  be  as  comfortable  using  the  Internet  as  a  platform  to  view  their  

candidates.  A  lot  of  people  enjoy  the  feeling  of  a  piece  of  paper  in  their  hands,  instead  of  just  

the  visual  aspect  the  screen  gives.    The  older  generation,  above  50  years  old,  fall  into  this  

category  because  using  a  website  as  an  introduction  is  something  older  individuals  are  not  

used  to.  It  may  create  a  negative  effect  on  my  client  if  another  applicant  submitted  a  paper  

portfolio  and  the  older  generation  creates  a  preference  to  that  specific  applicant.  To  help  aid  

this  predicament,  having  a  printed  version  of  my  client’s  website  would  be  ideal.  This  way,  

my  client  can  take  her  portfolio  with  her  and  have  options.  People  who  prefer  a  digital  

version  would  have  one  while  people  who  prefer  paper  could  view  the  portfolio  as  well.