DIGITAL MEDIA

Competency Charts and Competency Profiles

These charts and profiles are designed to help you achieve your professional vision, by providing a map of the training needed to find success in your chosen field.

They were developed by experts in the industry from across the country, including representatives from large and medium-size companies, and self-employed freelancers.

On this page:

• Interactive Digital Media (IDM) Competency Charts and Profiles
• Interactive Media Producers (2009)
• Digital Media HR Toolkit

Here are some guiding questions to help you decide if you would benefit from using these competency tools:

Cultural workers

• Are you looking for a job in Digital Media?
• Do you need help evaluating your skills and training needs?

Employers

• Do you want to identify the skills and HR needs of your organization?
• Do you need help defining job recruitment profiles or individual position descriptions?
• Do you need help developing competency-based professional development programs?
• Do you need help negotiating and customizing training programs?
• Do you need help developing career planning programs?

Professional organizations

• Do you want access to HR tools that will help your members identify skills gaps/shortages and specific educational and training needs?

Educators

• Are your education/training programs and curricula keeping up with the industry?
• Do you need help accessing the latest HR tools for curriculum design and development?
• Are you providing your students with the skills employers require?

Interactive Digital Media (IDM) Competency Charts and Profiles

Competency Chart for an Interactive Digital Media Team

Developing interactive digital media content and relational experiences is a team affair. Whether it is a two-person or 20-person team, the same skills are required to complete the creation, project management and business functions.

An IDM Team member may be involved in more than one function, of course. It is common in small and medium IDM businesses to have IDM Team members wear different hats.

The point is: all the skills are needed.

CHRC's IDM Team Competency Chart helps:

• Team members to evaluate their own skills and training needs to be an effective team member;
• Employers to write job descriptions and build IDM Teams;
• and Educators/Trainers to develop curriculum.

The three functions of an Interactive Digital Media Team are:

• The Creation function refers to the process of conceiving, creating and producing interactive digital media experiences from start to finish. Artistic and, technical skills are included.
• Project management refers to the function of directing, supervising and controlling a project from beginning to end.
• Business refers to the function of the business operation at a high level; it involves securing and overseeing the financing of the project and ensuring its successful marketing and distribution.

	Chart of Competencies Describes skills needed for a full IDM team as well as for the specific Creation, Project Management and Business functions of the team. Link
	Competency Profiles (for Creation, Project Management and Business functions) Provide detailed descriptions of the skills needed in each of the three functions. Link
	Purchase the PDF versions of the Chart Non-Member $14.99 CADCHRC Member $11.25 CAD

Interactive Media Producers (2009)

	Chart of Competencies Free for CHRC members Member login
	Competency Profile Free for CHRC members Member login
	Training Gaps Analysis (2009) Free for CHRC members Member login
	Competency Chart, Profile and Training Gaps Analysis in PDF PDF format - $14.99

Digital Media HR Toolkit

"This positive collaboration between DM employers and workers and CHRC has led to a deeper understanding of the DM industry's uniquely talented workforce and its training needs,"

Donald Henderson, CEO of Interactive Ontario

For employers: Build and Manage an IDM Team

Are you a DM employer building an IDM Team to create a new video game? Or do you have to manage a rapidly expanding IDM Team as your company merges with a competitor?

This Digital Media HR Toolkit is your perfect resource. It can help you:

• To create clear job descriptions to recruit the talent you need.
• To write up the work contract
• To develop performance assessments.

All prepared by and in consultation with practising professionals in the DM industry.

For workers: Advance Your Career

"These tools give educators a clear picture of the evolving needs of the DM industry. They'll help the education system keep pace with our fast moving industry."

Louie Ghiz, Business Development Director at New Media Manitoba

Are you an artist or computer programmer who wants to join an IDM team?

You can reach into this Digital Media HR Toolkit to summarize your skills for your job interview. You can identify the skills you lack and plan your PD accordingly either on your own time or in concert with your employer.

For educators and trainers: Develop Your Curriculum and Course Content

As an educator or trainer of emerging DM workers you want to be fully attuned to the DM industry's current needs, so your students get the skills for the jobs that await them.

The Digital Media HR Toolkit's resources, developed by DM industry professionals, will help you create your curriculum and course content to respond to the skill demands of DM employers.

Purchase the Digital Media HR Toolkit Non-Member $19.99 CADCHRC Member $14.99 CAD Learn more Toolkit Contents Chart of Competencies (for Creation, Project Management and Business functions) The Competency Chart includes all the skills that an Interactive Digital Media Team must demonstrate to be successful. This Competency Chart refers to functions - creation, project management and business. Access the chart as a web app that you can cut and paste into your documents or as full colour printable PDF files in 8.5 x 11" and 11 x 17" formats. Competency Profile for the Creation function The Creation function refers to the process of conceiving, creating and producing interactive digital media experiences from start to finish. Artistic and, technical skills are among the competencies pertaining to this function Competency Profile for the Project Management function Project management refers to the function of directing, supervising and controlling a project from beginning to end. Although team leads may exercise all or part of this function, it resides most often in a single worker responsible for managing the project. Competency Profile for the Business function Business refers to the function of the business operation at a high level; it involves securing and overseeing the financing of the project and ensuring its successful marketing and distribution. Training Gaps Analysis This Training Gaps Analysis for Digital Media Teams includes: a survey of training offerings across the country an assessment of training needs an analysis of training gaps and recommendations Context Paper: Where Creativity Meets Technology in the Digital Economy This paper provides an understanding of the importance of creative and technological expertise with skilled entrepreneurship in the development of successful new products, services and business models in the IDM content creation industry.