Portfolio Literacy and the Transition to Work for Graphic Design Graduates

Abstract

The graphic design industry has moved beyond its traditional focus on printed matter to deliver multidimensional communication projects involving diverse audiences and media channels. No longer a skills and service industry, graphic design increasingly informs business strategy and innovation processes, requiring heterogeneous expertise, a rigorous design process and the ability to work in multidisciplinary teams. This shift raises the question of the relevance of a traditional design portfolio in demonstrating employability, especially when employers prioritise generic over disciplinary and technical skills. Our article reports the results of a survey of 53 Australian employers of graphic design graduates on the role of the portfolio in evidencing design-specific and more general employability skills, capacities and attributes. The article provides a deeper understanding of the role of a portfolio in the transition to work. We argue that graphic design graduates need ‘portfolio literacy’—which combines insight in the curation of the portfolio and its use in interview performance—to demonstrate both core graphic design and creative skills and capacities in communication, collaboration and problem-solving. This significant know-how is best developed during graduates’ tertiary studies.