PORTFOLIO DESIGN SERIES
Part 2 in the Portfolio Design Workshop Series
Mapping Your Core Values is a part of a series to help emerging designers and creative professionals begin developing a creative portfolio. If you’re new to the series, check out part one here.
WHAT ARE CORE VALUES?
Core values are concepts or principles that guide your actions. Most organizations list core values on their websites; they are usually presented in a word list and expanded on in more detail through a mission statement. For instance, if you look up the American Red Cross, their values include: Humanity, Impartiality, Neutrality, Independence, Voluntary Service, Unity, and Universality, and their mission statement is: “The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.”
DEFINING YOUR OWN CORE VALUES
As an artist or designer, defining your core values is helpful in developing a strategy for your portfolio. Your core values can also become part of your personal brand, such as copywriting for a personal bio, artist statement, or even your resume. Let’s think of it in more concrete terms: imagine your goal is to get a job as a user interface designer at a tech company, and after mapping your core values, you realize your core values are: flexibility, sustainability, and adventure. Based on this, you know you can narrow your goal even further. An example is to work at a socially responsible company in a remote position, allowing you to work from anywhere. These considerations will help shape the type of work you select and how you frame it in your final portfolio.
EXERCISE: MAPPING YOUR CORE VALUES FOR YOUR CREATIVE PORTFOLIO
This activity is a modified version of an exercise from the book, Surviving the Creative Space: Teamwork techniques for designers called “Mapping a Value System for Your Creative Career,” featured on pages 20–22. If you are interested in learning more about creative teamwork, check out the book here or at your preferred bookseller.
DRAW YOUR CREATIVE MAP
Start by drawing a mind map with your name in the center and three points out from that center. In each circle, write the following: Creativity, Workspace, and Lifestyle. From each of the three circles, write at least 3 words in separate circles to represent your values for each category.
Creativity: What type of work do you create? How do you feel when you’re making your best work? Write at least three words to describe your creative values.
Words to consider are beauty, courage, empathy, fun, harmony, humor, imagination, magic, mastery, realism, spirituality, and tranquility.
Workspace: What type of workspace do you value?
Words to consider: belonging, comfort, community, creativity, discovery, diversity, ease, freedom, fun, generosity, innovation, kindness, learning, motivation, openness, solitude, structure
Lifestyle: What do you value outside of your creative work?
Words to consider: adventure, balance, choice, control, curiosity, education, energy, entertainment, family, growth, health, humor, individuality, joy, liberation, mindfulness, passion, security, simplicity
Once you map your 9-10 words, try to find and draw the connections between them. Decide which resonates most and narrow them down to 3-6 values. Develop these words into 2-4 statements about your values.
Example:
Humor, Imagination, Ease, Motivation, Balance, Mindfulness
I value humor and imagination in my creative work. I prefer a workspace where my tools are readily available to provide ease of use. This motivates me to work hard during my work time because I value balance and mindfulness in my time outside of work.
RESOURCES:
It helps to start mapping a value system by considering a wide range of words for your core values list. Here are some resources that I turn to when looking for core value ideas for this exercise: