In the course of a semester, you essentially go through iterative learning loops at two levels: a loop of competence development in each learning activity you do, and a loop of growth as a designer over the semester as a whole. For each learning activity, you save the deliverables, your received feedback, together with your reflections and feedback.
In these reflections, you look back on what you have achieved (reflection on action) on the related expertise areas, design research process, professional skilss, professional identity and vision (PIV) and how this will direct and shape your future development (reflection for action) of these aspects. Deliverables, feedback and reflections are evidence that can be used for building your portfolio. Note that a portfolio in the context of our education refers to a learning portfolio reflecting your development over our Master Program. This is not to be confused with a business portfolio showcasing the best projects.
You start already early on in your master with building your portfolio and discuss this with your mentor. We strongly advise you to work on your portfolio on a regular basis, at least towards the end of each semester. In this way your portfolio becomes a tool for tracking, directing and discussing your development, also with your mentor or examiner.
At the end of your Final Master Project you have to create a portfolio that represents you as a designer. Your portfolio is visual and interactive. You review all deliverables, feedback, and reflections to determine how these have contributed to your overall development and growth as a designer. In order to build your portfolio you carefully select deliverables and enrich them with reflections on your development as a designer. You underpin your overall development with links to evidence from your learning activities. The frame for this development is on the one hand the final master project rubrics, and on the other hand your own long-term goals for your individual growth as a designer.
The portfolio communicates your development as a designer and the development of the overall competence of designing, fitted in with your history as a designer up to that point. Your portfolio is assessed at the end of the master program.
Proposed structure and content
To support you in creating your portfolio, we hereby propose a minimal structure and content overview.
- Professional identity: describe the developed professional identity.
- Vision: describe the developed vision.
- Past: reflect on your activities before your Final Master Project; and how this affected you as a designer.
- Present: reflect on how the courses and electives were integrated in the project and describe your level of development within the five expertise areas, professional skills and your professional identity and vision. Reflect on your overall growth.
- Future: describe your future plans.