Lead Graphic Designer

Summary

A lead graphic designer is an expert practitioner who influences and mentors others. At this role level, you will:

work with service managers and programme directors to develop design concepts

set direction and assure the quality of design delivery across teams

lead multiple or highly complex services

Work Activity Components

Title	Details
Risk management (Level 5) (Content publishing)	Ensures the implications of publishing content are understood by all parties and ensures potential risks are mitigated.
Visual design and branding (Level 5)	Integrates required visual design and branding into the user experience design activities.
Cost benefit and risk analysis (Level 5)	Ensures cost benefit and risk analysis is undertaken to provide input to development plans to take account of human factors in design decisions, including failure/degradation and contingency arrangements.
Web pages and sites (Level 5)	Evaluates the documentation aspects of new business prospects, and develops plans, budgets and tenders for documentation work. Designs the overall information structure and graphical style for substantial, complex or high-profile web-sites, taking into account the target audience(s) and the objectives of the customer organisation. Takes full responsibility for the design of the structure and appearance of advanced web pages based on briefs from, and consultation with clients/users, taking full account of their expectations.
Procedures and tools (Level 5)	Selects tools, templates and standards appropriate to customer expectations – differentiating, for example, between needs such as optimisation and ease of modification.

Behavioural Skills

Title	Details
Customer Focus	Understanding the needs of the internal or external customer and keeping these in mind when taking actions or making decisions.
Creativity	Taking innovative approaches to problem solving and/or devising inventive and creative solutions.
Organisational Awareness	Understanding the hierarchy and culture of own, customer, supplier and partner organisations and being able to identify the decision makers and influencers.
Interacting with People	Establishing relationships, contributing to an open culture and maintaining contacts with people from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines. Effective, approachable and sensitive communicator in different communities and cultures. Ability to adapt style and approach to meet the needs of different audiences.
Teamwork	Working collaboratively with others to achieve a common goal.

Technical Skills

Title	Details	Depth
Application Development Tools	Software tools which automate or assist part of the development process.	Proficient in
Database Software	Software that enables the user to capture, create, populate and manipulate data structures and where appropriate unstructured data.	Proficient in
Graphical User Interfaces (GUI)	Graphical human/computer interfaces that facilitate effective communication between human operator and computer.	Proficient in
Programming Languages	A set of codes and syntax (supported by software tools) that enables the unambiguous translation of specified functionality into source code for the creation of computer programs.	Proficient in
Graphic Design	The creation of graphical designs that are appealing to the viewer, appropriate to the material and the commissioning organisation and that project the desired 'presence'.	Expert in
Systems Ergonomics and Iterative Design	Iterative methods and techniques to allocate and optimise the division of functions between the human, machine and organisational elements of IT systems and the functions themselves in terms of ergonomic impact. Systematic and iterative design of the physical and cognitive interfaces to create an effective user experience in a software system, product or service with attention paid to variety of locations and access devices employed by users.	Proficient in
Information Architecture	Methods, techniques and technologies for ingesting, securing, processing and using data and information within and beyond an organisation.	Proficient in
Information and Data Visualisation/Presentation	The ability to visualise and present information and data in an appropriate format that helps stakeholders understand the significance of the information and data.	Expert in
Data Handling	The ability to harvest, clean, curate, manage, process and manipulate data in a variety of formats.	Proficient in

Other Skills

Title	Details	Depth
Legislation	Relevant national and international legislation.	Proficient in
Techniques for Effective Meetings	Methods and techniques for running effective meetings and for understanding and influencing the roles played by participants.	Familiar with
Project Planning and Control Techniques	Methods and techniques associated with planning and monitoring progress of projects.	Familiar with
Organisational Brand and Culture	Knowledge and understanding of the brand image and personality of the organisation's products and/or services and the overall culture and personality of the work environment.	Proficient in

Training

Title	Details
Advanced Programming Methods and Techniques	Complex methods and techniques for the creation of program code. Typically for use in scientific calculation, for improving operational efficiency of programs or for enhancing the productivity of experienced programmers.
Coaching	Concepts, methods and techniques for providing coaching in subject specialisms to individuals or groups (e.g. GROW model).
Human Factors Techniques	Methods and techniques for understanding human needs and limitations and for designing usable, accessible and ergonomically sound systems. Examples: Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) approaches and iterative design methods and accessibility. Recognising ever evolving user expectations for use of a variety of access devices and locations and opportunities for environmental savings e.g. reducing office space, travel, etc.
Security Awareness	Tools and techniques to help users and employees understand the role they play in helping to combat information security breaches and for IT and security professionals to prevent and mitigate risk.

Professional Development Activity (PDA)

Title	Details	PDA Group
Deputising	Standing in for supervisor or manager on a temporary basis during periods of absence.	Broadening Activities
Job Shadowing and Special Assignments	Undertaking temporary periods or secondments in other roles, particularly those that offer a new perspective on own function or exposure to other environments and cultures.	Broadening Activities
Project Assignments	Participating in a project team, working group or task force established to deliver a solution to a specific problem or issue - especially valuable if the group is inter-disciplinary.	Broadening Activities
Mentoring	Acting as a mentor, advising those for whom there is no direct responsibility, on matters to do with their job role, career and professional development.	Broadening Activities
Gaining Knowledge of Broader IT Issues	Increasing and maintaining currency of knowledge of broader IT issues through reading, attending and participating in seminars or conferences, special studies, temporary assignments etc.	Increasing Knowledge
Gaining Strategic Knowledge of Employing Organisation	Developing a comprehensive understanding of the business environment in which the employing organisation operates and its position, policies and direction in relation to health and care, country and global issues.	Increasing Knowledge
Participation in Professional Body Affairs	Taking an active part in professional body affairs at branch, specialist group, committee or board level.	Participation in Professional Activities
Negotiating and Influencing	Undertaking learning and practice of negotiating with and influencing others.	Developing Professional Skills
Management Development	Undertaking learning and best practice of the skills appropriate to managing all or part of an organisation, including business and financial management, benefits management, people management, management of change and strategic planning. This will require both on and off the job learning and may include participation in an appropriate development programme such as MBA or DMS (Diploma in Management Studies).	Developing Professional Skills

Qualification Components

Title	Awarding Bodies
FEDIP Advanced Practitioner	FEDIP - The Federation for Informatics Professionals
CDPA - Certified Digital Persuasion Analyst	Human Factors International

Government Digital and Data Profession Capability Framework Skills

Skill	Level
Agile working Agile delivery involves encouraging teams to build incrementally, test and iterate their work based on regular feedback and other useful data.	Expert Agile working You can: coach and lead teams in Agile and Lean practices, determining the right approach for the team to take and evaluating this through the life of a project think of new and innovative ways of working to achieve the right outcomes act as a recognised expert and advocate for the approaches, continuously reflecting and challenging the team
Communicating between the technical and non-technical	Expert Communicating between the technical and non-technical You can: mediate between people and mend relationships, communicating with stakeholders at all levels manage stakeholder expectations and moderate discussions about high risk and complexity, even within constrained timescales speak on behalf of and represent the community to large audiences inside and outside of government
Community collaboration Collaboration in the DDaT Profession typically involves working in a multidisciplinary project team, and contributing to working groups and wider professional communities. It requires a broad understanding of the technologies, principles and perspectives of related professions.	Practitioner Community collaboration You can: work collaboratively in a group, actively networking with others adapt feedback to ensure it’s effective and lasting use your initiative to identify problems or issues in the team dynamic and rectify them identify issues through Agile ‘health checks’ with the team, and help to stimulate the right responses
Digital perspective Process optimisation involves ensuring your processes are accurately defined and capture the most efficient way to complete a task by monitoring modified procedures.	Practitioner Digital perspective You can: apply a digital understanding to your work identify and implement solutions for assisted digital
Evidence- and context-based design	Expert Evidence- and context-based design You can: design systems for use across multiple services and can identify the simplest of a variety of approaches
Leadership and guidance IT infrastructure involves ensuring systems and processes are available, adaptable, reliable and secure.	Expert Leadership and guidance You can: change organisational structures to fixable and sustainable designs lead on the strategy for the whole organisation, marrying business needs with innovative analysis make and justify decisions characterised by high levels of risk, impact and complexity build consensus between organisations (private or public) or highly independent and diverse stakeholders solve and unblock issues between teams or departments at the highest level understand the psychology of a team and have strong mediation skills coach the organisation on team dynamics and conflict resolution
Prototyping Prototyping a service or product involves exploring, testing and sharing different concepts before committing to the final design.	Expert Prototyping You can: use a variety of prototyping methods share best practice and coach others look at strategic service design end to end
Prototyping in code Prototyping a service or product involves exploring, testing and sharing different concepts before committing to the final design.	Practitioner Prototyping in code You can: create static HTML and CSS prototypes code for different screen sizes version and host a prototype
Strategic thinking Strategy involves creating a plan to achieve a team or organisation's objectives.	Expert Strategic thinking You can: lead the design and implementation of strategy, directing the evaluation of strategies and policies to ensure business requirements are being met
Tools and software Testing involves ensuring that requirements have been fully met by using appropriate tools and techniques to verify that a product or service works.	Practitioner Tools and software You can: use software proficiently, quickly and fluidly use shortcuts and tricks, and know what not to do choose appropriate technology and outputs, for example, paper size and weight
User focus User focus involves understanding the user needs to develop a detailed understanding of the problems that need to be solved.	Expert User focus You can: give direction on which tools or methods to use demonstrate experience in meeting the needs of users across a variety of channels bring insight and expertise in how user needs have changed over time to ensure they're met by the business apply strategic thinking to provide the best service for the end user
Working within constraints Web performance optimisation involves improving the efficiency and speed with which web pages load in a browser.	Working Working within constraints You can: identify, communicate and work within constraints challenge the validity of constraints ensure standards are being met

Skill

Level

Agile working

Agile delivery involves encouraging teams to build incrementally, test and iterate their work based on regular feedback and other useful data.

Expert Agile working

You can: coach and lead teams in Agile and Lean practices, determining the right approach for the team to take and evaluating this through the life of a project think of new and innovative ways of working to achieve the right outcomes act as a recognised expert and advocate for the approaches, continuously reflecting and challenging the team

Communicating between the technical and non-technical

Expert Communicating between the technical and non-technical

You can: mediate between people and mend relationships, communicating with stakeholders at all levels manage stakeholder expectations and moderate discussions about high risk and complexity, even within constrained timescales speak on behalf of and represent the community to large audiences inside and outside of government

Community collaboration

Collaboration in the DDaT Profession typically involves working in a multidisciplinary project team, and contributing to working groups and wider professional communities. It requires a broad understanding of the technologies, principles and perspectives of related professions.

Practitioner Community collaboration

You can: work collaboratively in a group, actively networking with others adapt feedback to ensure it’s effective and lasting use your initiative to identify problems or issues in the team dynamic and rectify them identify issues through Agile ‘health checks’ with the team, and help to stimulate the right responses

Digital perspective

Process optimisation involves ensuring your processes are accurately defined and capture the most efficient way to complete a task by monitoring modified procedures.

Practitioner Digital perspective

You can: apply a digital understanding to your work identify and implement solutions for assisted digital

Evidence- and context-based design

Expert Evidence- and context-based design

You can: design systems for use across multiple services and can identify the simplest of a variety of approaches

Leadership and guidance

IT infrastructure involves ensuring systems and processes are available, adaptable, reliable and secure.

Expert Leadership and guidance

You can: change organisational structures to fixable and sustainable designs lead on the strategy for the whole organisation, marrying business needs with innovative analysis make and justify decisions characterised by high levels of risk, impact and complexity build consensus between organisations (private or public) or highly independent and diverse stakeholders solve and unblock issues between teams or departments at the highest level understand the psychology of a team and have strong mediation skills coach the organisation on team dynamics and conflict resolution

Prototyping

Prototyping a service or product involves exploring, testing and sharing different concepts before committing to the final design.

Expert Prototyping

You can: use a variety of prototyping methods share best practice and coach others look at strategic service design end to end

Prototyping in code

Prototyping a service or product involves exploring, testing and sharing different concepts before committing to the final design.

Practitioner Prototyping in code

You can: create static HTML and CSS prototypes code for different screen sizes version and host a prototype

Strategic thinking

Strategy involves creating a plan to achieve a team or organisation's objectives.

Expert Strategic thinking

You can: lead the design and implementation of strategy, directing the evaluation of strategies and policies to ensure business requirements are being met

Tools and software

Testing involves ensuring that requirements have been fully met by using appropriate tools and techniques to verify that a product or service works.

Practitioner Tools and software

You can: use software proficiently, quickly and fluidly use shortcuts and tricks, and know what not to do choose appropriate technology and outputs, for example, paper size and weight

User focus

User focus involves understanding the user needs to develop a detailed understanding of the problems that need to be solved.

Expert User focus

You can: give direction on which tools or methods to use demonstrate experience in meeting the needs of users across a variety of channels bring insight and expertise in how user needs have changed over time to ensure they're met by the business apply strategic thinking to provide the best service for the end user

Working within constraints

Web performance optimisation involves improving the efficiency and speed with which web pages load in a browser.

Working Working within constraints

You can: identify, communicate and work within constraints challenge the validity of constraints ensure standards are being met

The Professional Body Responsible for this job family is BCS. This job role profile was created in collaboration with BCS, using Role Model Plus.