Higher Occupational Certificate: Interactive Media Designer

Purpose

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to function as an Interactive Media Designer.

Interactive Media Designers design interactive experiences, such as websites, mobile apps, and other digital products such as games. They create interfaces that are intuitive and user-friendly, that allow users to interact with the content.

A qualified learner will be able to

• Determine target market interactive media content and audience preferences.
• Prepare for production of interactive media and related apps and web interfaces.
• Create and produce interactive media for specific purposes, clients, or audiences.
• Conduct business processes related interactive media creation.

A qualified learner will demonstrate the following key attributes

• sense of urgency
• adaptability
• effective team player
• critical thinking
• practically orientated
• customer-focused
• innovative
• technology-inclined and
• culturally sensitive.

Rationale

Interactive Media Designers bring creative and innovative ideas to the sector. The Higher Occupational Qualification: Interactive Media Designer enhances the overall user experience of websites, applications, and digital platforms. The qualification is focused on creating content that seamlessly adapts to various devices and platforms, ensuring a consistent and engaging user experience across desktops, smartphones, tablets, and other digital mediums. Interactive designs encourage user engagement, interactivity, and participation. These sectors' unique elements are crucial for digital marketing, online learning, and entertainment platforms, enhancing audience interaction and satisfaction, hence buying the advertised products and services.

The South African society will benefit from this qualification due to the significant role interactive media plays in disseminating information. Interactive designs competencies addressed in the Higher Occupational Certificate: Interactive Media Designer make complex data and information more accessible and understandable to a wider audience.

Interactive media drives the South African digital economy by creating opportunities for digital marketing, e-commerce, online services, and digital entertainment. The Higher Occupational Certificate: Interactive Media Designer fosters innovation by pushing and exploring technological boundaries. This innovation attracts investments and creates a conducive environment for other tech-related industries to thrive.

Typical learners include those who are already working within the interactive media design environment and those who wish to enter the field.

Representatives working in all spheres of the interactive media industry were consulted in the review of the qualification. A qualifying learner will operate in occupations such as Interactive Media Design.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

RPL for Access to Training

Learners may use the RPL process to gain access to training opportunities for a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme if they do not meet the formal, minimum entry requirements for admission. RPL assessment provides an alternative access route into a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme.

Such an RPL assessment may be developed, moderated, and conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider which offers that specific qualification/part qualification/skills programme. Such an assessment must ensure that the learner is able to display the equivalent level of competencies required for access, based on the NQF level descriptors.

RPL for Exemption

For exemption from modules through RPL, learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a programme of learning, qualification, part-qualification, or skills programme through any means of formal, informal, or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded.

RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA)

Learners who have gained the stipulated competencies of the modules of a qualification through any means of formal, informal or non-formal learning and/or work experience, may be awarded credits towards relevant modules, and gaps identified for training, which is then concluded.

A valid Statement of Results is required for admission to the EISA in which confirmation of achievement is provided that all internal assessment criteria for all modules in the related curriculum document have been achieved.

Upon successful completion of the EISA, RPL learners will be issued with the QCTO certificate for the qualification. Quality Partners are responsible for ensuring the RPL mechanism and process for qualifications is approved by the QCTO.

Entry Requirements

An NQF Level 4 qualification.

This qualification is made up of compulsory Knowledge, Practical Skill, and Work Experience Modules

Knowledge Modules

• 216603-002-00-KM-01, Basic Elements and Principles of Design, Level 4, 10 Credits.
• 216603-002-00-KM-02, Principles of Visual Content Development, Level 4, 25 Credits.
• 216603-002-00-KM-03, Principles of Photography & Videography for Visual Content Developers, Level 4, 15 Credits.
• 216603-002-00-KM-04, Principles of Design Technology Used by Visual Content Developers, Level 5, 25 Credits.
• 216603-002-00-KM-05, Business Communication and Administration, Level 4, 10 Credits.
• 216603-002-00-KM-06, Principles Underpinning Processes of Interactive Media Development, Level 5, 30 Credits.

Total number of credits for Knowledge Modules:115

Practical Skill Modules

• 216603-002-00-PM-01, Assess the Target Market to Determine Interactive Media Client, User and Audience Preferences and Requirements, Level 5, 15 Credits.
• 216603-002-00-PM-02, Conduct Pre-Production Processes in Preparation for Creating Interactive Media and Related Apps and Web Interfaces, Level 5, 25 Credits.
• 216603-002-00-PM-03, Create and Produce Interactive Media for Specific Purposes, Clients, or Audiences, Level 5, 25 Credits.
• 216603-002-00-PM-04, Conduct Business Supervisory and Administration Functions, Level 4, 5 Credits.

Total number of credits for Practical Skill Modules:70

Work Experience Modules

• 216603-002-00-WM-01, Assess the Workplace Target Market to determine Interactive Media Client, User and Audience Preferences and Requirements, Level 5, 10 Credits.
• 216603-002-00-WM-02, Conduct Pre-Production Processes in a Workplace in Preparation of Creating Interactive Media Content, Level 5, 15 Credits.
• 216603-002-00-WM-03, Create and Produce Interactive Media Content in a Workplace for Specific Purposes, Clients, or Audiences, Level 5, 15 Credits.
• 216603-002-00-WM-04, Observe and Report on Business Supervisory and Administration Functions, Level 4, 4 Credits.

Total number of credits for Work Experience Modules: 44

1. Determine interactive media content target market preferences.
2. Conduct pre-production processes for creating interactive media content.
3. Create and produce interactive media content.
4. Apply business processes related to creating interactive media.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

ELO 1: Determine interactive media content target market preferences.

• Analyse, interpret, and confirm client brief that outlines the intended purpose or outcome of interactive media content to be developed applying standard methods, procedures, or techniques.
• Analyse, synthesise, and evaluate interactive media content and market preferences data.
• Analyse audience and user interactive media experience requirements by applying basic processes of analysis, synthesis, and evaluation.
• Consider software development requirements to address client needs and required user experience by applying principles of evaluating and selecting the most suitable digital interfaces.
• Prepare and present interactive media designs and concepts to the client using suitable methods and techniques for clarification and confirmation.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

ELO 2: Conduct pre-production processes for creating interactive media content.

• Conceptualise and design interactive media content to be created using interactive media conceptualisation tools and techniques such as hand-drawn sketches.
• Select and apply interactive media content industry specific pre-production processes, methods, procedures, or techniques.
• Create interactive media prototypes and wireframes using prototyping tools, techniques and software.
• Confirm distribution platform deployment requirements by applying principles of evaluating and selecting the most suitable digital interfaces.
• Share interactive media concepts with clients and stakeholders using suitable methods and techniques for clarification and confirmation of content and user experience.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

ELO 3: Create and produce interactive media content.

• Develop interactive content that needs to be presented applying tools, procedures, and innovative techniques.
• Design and develop interactive user-centred experiences using interactive media tools and software.
• Apply interactive media content production methods, processes, procedures, and techniques.
• Integrate interactive content and interactive platforms by applying integration principles, processes, coding, and content management protocols.
• Conduct post-production processes by applying key principles, industry protocols, processes, tools, and techniques.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

ELO 4: Apply business processes related to creating interactive media.

• Apply key terms, rules, concepts, established principles, and theories.
• Compile reports and other business documentation applying business communications principles.
• Organise contracts and projects applying project, pipeline, and budget management principles.
• Monitor legal compliance and ethical considerations of a production using conventions related to intellectual property, copyright, plagiarism, cultural sensitivity, and audience impact.
• Develop business marketing material by selecting and applying key terms, rules, concepts, established principles, and theories.

Integrated Assessment

Formative Assessments.

Formative assessments are conducted throughout the training of learners. A range of formal, non-formal, and informal ongoing assessment activities are used to focus on teaching and learning outcomes to improve learner attainment.

Formative assessments are conducted continuously by the facilitator to feed into further learning, to identify strengths and weakness, and to ensure the learner's ability to apply knowledge, skills and workplace experience gained.

Formative Assessments are conducted by the accredited Skills Development Provider (SDP), and a variety of ongoing assessment methods may be used, for example, quizzes, assignments, tests, scenarios, role play, interviews. Continuous feedback must be provided.

Summative Assessments

Integrated Assessment involves all the different types of assessment tasks required for a particular qualification such as written assessment of theory and practical demonstration of competence. To achieve this, the Internal Assessment Criteria (IAC) for all modules as found in the QCTO curriculum document must be followed.

An accredited SDP should implement a well-designed, formal, relevant, final internal Summative Assessment strategy for all modules to prepare learners for the EISA. These assessments evaluate learning achievements relating to the achievement of each module of the relevant components of the qualification.

Internal Summative Assessments are developed, moderated and conducted by the SDP at the end of each module or after integration of relevant modules, e.g. applied knowledge tests, workplace tasks, practical demonstrations, simulated tasks/demonstrations, projects, case studies, etc.

The results of these final formal summative assessments must be recorded. These results, which include the Statement of Work Experience results, where applicable, contribute to the Statement of Results (SoR) that is a requirement for admission to the EISA. An SoR, using the template provided by the Quality Partner, is issued by the accredited SDP for qualifications. The SDP must produce a valid Statement of Results for each learner, indicating the final result and the date on which the competence in each module, of each component, was achieved. Learners are required to produce this SoR, together with their ID document or alternative ID document, at the point of the EISA.

External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA) - a national assessment

The Quality Partner is responsible for the management, conduct and implementation of the External Integrated Summative Assessment (EISA), in accordance with QCTO set standards. Competence in the EISA is a requirement for certificating a learner.

For entrance into the EISA, the learner requires a valid Statement of Results issued by the accredited institution indicating the attainment of all modules for the Knowledge, Practical and Work Experience modules.