Needs

Allocating specific time for training to enhance design skills could be beneficial.  Implementing it within projects with tight timelines is challenging. If it were designated as a separate priority within our workflow, there's significant potential to enhance our skills and apply them to future projects. Take, for instance, my desire to boost proficiency in UX and UI design.  It's a goal I've had since before my advertising classes at VCU, back when UX/UI wasn't part of the mass communications curriculum. Now, my aim is to refine these skills through work. While I've been self-teaching with programs like Figma, I'm aware there's much more to explore and improve within this domain.

It would feel great to have opportunities for projects that feel less limiting, maybe something like a cool agency passion project. I’ve learned that some agencies offer this as a chance to let creativity run wild, putting to use the skills we've picked up and want to flaunt. A Fable-sponsored passion project could be our chance to show off what we're good at, doing things our way without client restrictions. This approach enables us to bust free from usual constraints and savor every bit of what we do.

To better prepare for our monthly creative meetings, I think it would be useful to implement “innovation hour” where team members can dedicate one hour a week/ biweekly to explore new tools, techniques, or creative inspirations on their own. Sometimes I get so wrapped up in the projects I already have time allotted for that it’s hard for me to switch my brain into high-level creative exploration. It provides a structured time for personal growth and experimentation while encouraging a culture of innovation and improvement within the agency.