Who does the Interactive Media industry need?
Interactive media requires a broad range of cross-disciplinary skills.
Practitioners typically need a combination of specialist skills drawn from at least two of the design, technical, content and business disciplines, and also a range of more general work-life skills.
Also needed is an all-round awareness of the industry, its context (particularly relating to other sectors), processes and business issues as a whole. It is particularly important that practitioners, both creative and technical roles, have a strong awareness of their position in the production process, and of the needs and expectations of others involved in the project.
Awareness of the other interactive media skill sets beyond their own specialism is key. As interactive and other digital media increasingly converge, awareness of how products and content can be created across multiple platforms is vital - in particular the way intellectual property can be used beyond its original medium.
A pro-active, self-motivated, autonomous and even entrepreneurial attitude is also essential, particularly relating to skills acquisition and working practices.
Practitioners must be able and willing to learn for themselves and keep their skills up to date. They must also be flexible and willing to work in multi-functional roles, and to go beyond their job description. They may need to accommodate unpredictable working hours, including long days. Frequent changes of employment are also likely.
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