PERFORMANCE NEEDS ASSESSMENT

Fostering creative thinking

skills in first-year students of
the graphic design program
at Cgep du Vieux-Montral
by milie Ren-Vronneau
ETEC651
Nadia Naffi
Concordia University

TABLE OF
CONTENTS
3 Summary
4 Data collection
5 Defining creativity
6 The clients request
7 Performance gaps
8 Performers
10 Context
11 Constraints
12 Requirements
13 Cause analysis

COVER SOURCE Nordisk familjebok (1876, 1904 or 1923)

15 Summative evaluation instruments

17 References and image credits

performance needs assessment

The teachers of the graphic design

department at Cgep du Vieux-Montral
have expressed to Jose Laplante, the
coordinator of the department, their
wish that first-year graphic design
students would focus more on the creative process before diving into the
production of final pieces. A culture
of creativity is one of the main assets
of this program in comparison to other
graphic design programs of competing
institutions. According to the school,
ensuring the continuity and diffusion of
this culture will benefit the longevity of
the department. The following performance needs assessment reviews the
issue in a systemic way in order to guide

SOURCENordisk familjebok (1904)

the design of potential interventions.

performance needs assessment

Data collection
The data for this needs assessment has been
collected through interviews face-to-face interviews with graphic design teachers as well as
former and current graphic design students at
Cgep du Vieux-Montral. To get a more accurate grasp on the topic, graphic design teachers
and students from other graphic design programs as well as current graphic design professionals were interviewed.
Teachers were asked to give their impressions on first-year students creative thinking
skills and what could improve or hinder the
development of these skills in terms of environmental (information, resources, incentives) and
individual factors (knowledge, capacity, motivation). Teachers were also asked to self-report
on their ability to be reflexive performers as
creators and teachers.
Students from all levels were asked to give
their impressions on what they feel supports
or hinders their acquisition of creative thinking
skills in terms of environmental (information,
resources, incentives) and individual factors
(knowledge, capacity, motivation).

This data is supplemented with my own experience and observations as a former graphic
design student and current teacher. Recent literature about creativity and its assessment has
also been surveyed. The following section first
attempts to define creativity in more precise
terms. All these elements will help address the
clients request in a further section.

performance needs assessment

creativity characteristics
(Treffinger et al., 2002)

Generating ideas
Fluency, flexibility, originality, elaboration,
metaphorical thinking
Digging deeper into ideas
Analyzing, synthesizing, reorganizing, evaluating, seeing relationships, desire to resolve
ambiguity, understanding complexity

Defining creativity
Creativity is a complex phenomenon. As such,
working with the client to further define which
aspects of creativity were most relevant regarding the context of the graphic design field and
their business need was necessary.
Treffinger, Young, Selby & Shepardson
(2002) have categorized and listed some of
the manifestations of creativity found in individuals which are shown in the figure below.
Creative productivity is an interplay of elements including individual characteristics,
strategies to enhance creative thinking, influences from the environment as well as the creative results which are obtained. This model
was used to guide the enquiry with the client.

Generating
ideas

Digging
deeper into
ideas

Personal creativity
characteristics

Openness
and courage to
explore ideas

Listening
to ones
inner voice

Personal creativity characteristics

Problem sensitivity, aesthetic sensitivity, curiosity, sense of humor, playfulness, fantasy and
imagination, risk-taking, tolerance for ambiguity, tenacity
Openness and courage to explore ideas
Emotional sensitivity, adaptability, intuition,
willingness to grow, unwillingness to accept
authoritarian assertions without critical examination, integration of dichotomies or opposites
Listening to ones inner voice
Awareness of creativeness, persistence,
self-direction, internal locus of control, introspective, freedom from stereotyping, concentration, energy, work ethic.

Creative
strategies used
by performers

Creative outcomes
generated
by performers

Context of creative performance

SOURCEAdapted from Treffinger et al. (2002)

performance needs assessment

The clients request

The graphic design department of Cgep du
Vieux-Montral has expressed the wish to
address weaknesses in the creative processes of
its first-year students. The teachers claim that
students dont produce enough ideas early on
and that they often limit themselves to the minimum required quantity of sketches. In turn,
this hinders the development of their creative
thinking skills.
This phenomenon has gained traction ever
since the curriculum was updated to include
computers and software in the programs first
year in the Fall 2014. The teachers are concerned for the reputation of the program as its
creative output has always been one of its landmarks and they wish to keep this tradition alive.

business need

Graphic design is a three-year technical program. Throughout their training, students

work on projects to include in a portfolio which
will be their ticket to a future career. Most of
the works included in the portfolio are assignments undertaken in the last year. At this point,
the projects look more professional, the execution is more skillful, the ideas are better and
the final pieces have more promotional value.
Employers and undergraduate programs
highly value ideas and manifestations of the
creative process as they are the best evidence
of the candidates ability to deliver original
solutions. Visual trends pertaining to execution
often fall out of favor quickly but great ideas
have more impact and lasting power. Ensuring
that students start working on their creative
skills from the start increases their chances of
producing work that will remain in their portfolio for a long time. In turn, these improved
portfolios has varied influences (increased diffusion of students work, increased likeliness
of students getting hire or enrolled in undergraduate graphic design programs, improved
reputation) which all converge in ensuring the
longevity of the graphic design department.
job one

The focus of this performance improvement

project is for first-year students to increase
their creative thinking skills.

performance needs assessment

Performance gaps

current performance

ideal performance

When asked to generate ideas to solve a visual problem, students stare at the blank page
for a while, draw a few sketches on which they
spend excessive time and then say theyre not
inspired or couldnt think of anything else.
Out of the few ideas they submit, they
usually have one they express preference for.
When asked to sketch more ideas, they resist
by saying theyve already been through all the
options they could think of. They procrastinate
on Facebook or YouTube and quickly minimize
their window when the teacher walks by.
Students who are interested in computers
complain they dont want to sketch by hand
and claim that using the computer right away
would save them time.
They dont question the authority of the
teacher much, and when asked to draw more
sketches, they will comply but still show preference to the same first idea. When they discuss
their ideas with the teacher, they often mention
a few ideas they had not drawn because they
were afraid it was not appropriate.
During group critiques, teachers have to draw
them out as none of them voice their opinion.
Occasionally, students rush to draw sketches
to include with their final piece because they
had skipped the creative process but dont want
to lose the points dedicated to the research
process.

When asked to generate ideas to solve a visual problem, students draw as many rough
sketches of potential solutions they can think
of, including ideas that they consider as silly.
They enjoy using pen and paper because they
are fluid and portable tools they can carry with
them anywhere.
As their initial pace slows down, they apply
creative thinking strategies to make sure they
get as many as they can.
By then, they have a few ideas with real
potential and many more backup ideas which
could be improved on. They take a quick break
to clear their heads and come back to their
ideas for analysis.
They ask peers and teachers for feedback, listen intently to their various opinions, and are
eager to improve their ideas using the feedback
they think was most helpful to them.
They sketch again, trying to improve on previous ideas, getting a few new ones at the same
time and making the most of this time that is
allowed to the creative process.
During group critiques, students attempt to
help their peers by giving their advice and try
to predict what the teacher will say about the
projects.
Before starting to render their final piece
using the computer, their final idea is well
elaborated.

performance needs assessment

key groups of performers

From the previous information, it is possible to

outline different groups who may benefit from
different interventions according to:

Performers
First-year graphic design students at Cgep du
Vieux-Montral are usually Caucasians aged
from 17 years old to early twenties and there
is approximately 85% of females and 15% of
males. A few students have ventured in other
college programs but most are fresh out of high
school. They were usually drawn to graphic
design because of their affinities towards drawing and computers but may not have the confidence that they truly belong in the field yet.

Previous college experience

Confidence level
In the next section, different issues experienced
by three learners from various backgrounds:
Chlo, Sabrina, and Maxime are explored.

High confidence level

Previous college experience

in an artistic field
Maxime

Average confidence level

Low confidence level

High confidence level

Previous college experience

in a non-artistic field
Average confidence level

Low confidence level

High confidence level

Low confidence level

High confidence level

Low confidence level

Average confidence level

No previous college experience

High motivation
towards graphic software
and computers

Previous college experience

in an artistic field

Sabrina

Average confidence level

High confidence level

Previous college experience

in a non-artistic field
Average confidence level

Low confidence level

High confidence level

Low confidence level

High confidence level

Average confidence level

No previous college experience

Average motivation
towards graphic software
and computers

Previous college experience

in an artistic field
Low confidence level

Average confidence level

High confidence level

Average confidence level

Previous college experience

in a non-artistic field

Chlo

Low confidence level

High confidence level

Average confidence level

Low confidence level

SOURCECharacters adapted from Kasra design and Pixel77

No previous college experience

Low motivation
towards graphic software
and computers

Motivation towards graphic software

and computers

performance needs assessment

performer personas
chlo is 17 years old. She has always loved drawing as it

Chlo
s Low motivation towards
graphic software
and computers
s No previous college
experience
s Low confidence level

allowed her to retreat in her own world. This is her first college
experience, she is unsure of what to expect and somewhat
intimidated but hopes she is in the right place as she never
really enjoyed school so much. She is starting to get familiar with the software. Sometimes, if she feels others may not
understand an idea, she erases her sketches. Drawing is a very
personal thing for her and she has problems seeing how she
will be able to cater to clients needs.
Chlo would benefit from detaching herself from her work and
taking more risks.
sabrina is 19 years old. She studied for a year in health sci-

Sabrina
s Average motivation
towards graphic software
and computers
s Previous college
experience in
a non-artistic field
s
 Average confidence level

ence but didnt like it. She has always enjoyed creating images
with the computer so she signed up for the graphic design
program. She is always very eager to work on the final rendering and doesnt spend much time on the process as she feels
she is already able to produce nice images and is comfortable
with that. She often sketches her ideas after the fact just to get
a better grade.
Sabrina would benefit from realizing that her work would be
even greater if it was backed with a process that would allow her
to get even better ideas. Also, grading her sketches in an earlier
phase might create incentive for her to follow the creative process properly.
maxime is 21 years old. He already took a few courses in the

Maxime
s High motivation towards
graphic software
and computers
s Previous college
experience in
an artistic field
s High confidence level

photography department but realized he would prefer to be a

graphic designer and switched programs. He is a bit ahead of
the others and often has good ideas. For this reason, he already
feels more creative than his classmates. He doesnt see why he
should strive to produce more ideas and often sticks to his first
intuition.
Maxime would benefit from focusing on increasing his own
performance instead of comparing his ideas to others ideas and
that challenging himself would increase his skills further in the
long run.

performance needs assessment

Context
This program will focus on the performance
of creativity within the context of Cgep du
Vieux-Montral.
Since 2015, the graphic design courses all
take place on the fifth and sixth floors. In previous years, first-year students were taking their
courses on the second floor and were not interacting with second and third-year students.
Most graphic design courses are held in
rooms equipped with a projector, billboards,
recent MacOS or Windows computers and
black and white laser printers. A small lab is
available for students wishing to work from
school while they are not in their courses but
they are usually free to come and go in other
courses when computers are available for use,
if the teachers allow.
The students also have access to a silkscreen
workshop as well as printing facilities where
large formats of work in color can be produced
on varied types of paper.

10

Multiple means of displaying work publicly are

available, namely through a few exhibit rooms
and displays, as well as through the department
and institutional website.
As mentioned earlier in this needs assessment, the Cgep du Vieux-Montral hosts
a culture of creativity. The institution is the
home of a myriad of other disciplines such
as visual arts, photography, industrial design,
interior design, woodworking, glassblowing
and more. Moreover, the area where Cgep
du Vieux-Montral is established is a dynamic
environment where festivals, music shows,
exhibits, and many other cultural events unfold
throughout the year. The Universit du Qubec
Montral is also nearby and offers one of the
top graphic design programs in Canada.

performance needs assessment

Constraints
curriculum constraints

Some key aspects of the curriculum are set in

stone such as competencies the students need
to acquire in specific courses. While some projects may be modified, the program requirements must still be covered.
time constraints

SOURCEEncyclopedia Britannica (1911)

Teachers in the program are able to take on

some extra activities up to a certain point.
Interventions should take place at times
when the school is open and students are
around.
budget constraints

The sponsor does not have extensive budget

to inject in this performance improvement
program but has access to multiple resources
within the department such as:
Teachers and students who can dedicate
some time to creating print material, websites, t-shirts, planning events and more
Display billboards in the hallways
Printing and silkscreen facilities
Classrooms including computers, overhead
projectors and exhibition rooms
Relationships with other departments who
may be interested in a collaboration
An active college environment in a stimulating part of the city.
Students may be able to afford some materials
but their own budget is often fairly limited.

11

performance needs assessment

Requirements
In this section, the business objectives and performance objectives required to be addressed
are outlined as well as some issues which have
emerged from the context analysis.
objectives

Business objective
Given their acquisition of creative thinking
skills, the performers will have increased chances of integrating quality graphic design jobs
and undergraduate design programs, impacting
positively on students admission, revenue and
reputation, and therefore, the longevity of the
graphic design program.
Performance objectives for students
By the end of the year, performers will leverage their creativity to generate greater quantities and quality of ideas consistently in their
projects.
Given information about creativity and creative thinking as well as proper models of
behavior, performers apply techniques to
leverage their creative skills when encountering obstacles.

Given tools such as paper and pen, performers record their ideas by drawing original inspiration from themselves and their
surroundings.

Given a problem, performers create multiple

sketches which communicate ideas, without
censoring themselves.

Given time to reflect on their ideas, performers test their solutions by seeking constructive feedback from peers and teachers.

12

Performance objectives for teachers

Given information about creativity, creative
thinking and reflexive teaching, the performers explain and model their own creative processes, facilitating the students acquisition of
key creative personal characteristics.
Performance objectives for all performers
Given a positive environment where creative
behaviors are valued, performers interact in
playful, cooperative and trusting ways to facilitate creative outcomes and processes.

performance needs assessment

Cause analysis
Using Chevaliers (2003) updated behavior engineering model, I have analyzed the relevant aspects
of the environment and the individuals which form the performance context.

environment

individuals

Information


Students are unaware of the value of creativity

Knowledge/skills


Students ignore how creativity works and have no

in the current market.


Students are unaware of the extent to which

knowledge of creative thinking techniques.


Students are not used to write down their

they are expected to produce ideas

(only a minimum is requested).


Students come from environments

observations/ideas and documenting their

process.


Students are not used to meta-thinking

where a single solution was valued and carry

on this influence to the program.

and introspection.


Although science has come a long way

to explain creativity, some of its aspects

are still not well defined.


Teachers lack time or ability to fully express their

own creative processes when modeling behavior.

Resources


There are no reminders of how creativity

Capacity


Students are not comfortable with the rendering

works in the classroom.

Teachers lack time to model behaviors

tools so they rush the creative process to get

started on the final submission.

for students.


Students lack the confidence to show their ideas

to everyone.


Students have difficulty evaluating

the worth of their ideas.


Students have difficulty accepting

feedback objectively.


Students can have personal problems hindering

their creativity (family problems, depression, etc.).

Incentives


Teachers can accept early ideas if deemed

good enough, removing incentive for students

to come up with more ideas.


Teachers may not support students

to be truly creative.

Motivation


Students think their current ideas are good

enough and that they dont need to draw more.


Students are afraid to take risks.


Students are in a rush to start producing

the final and skimp on the process, sometimes

producing sketches after the fact.


Although a part of the grade is dedicated

solely to the creative process, the bulk of the

grade is still dedicated to the final rendering
of an assignment.


Sketches are evaluated at the same time as

13

the final project. Students take advantage of

this to draw sketches after the fact, defeating
the purpose of the creative process.


Students have problems detaching

themselves from their first ideas.


Students resist sketching ideas by hand

and prefer to use the computer.

performance needs assessment

environmental issues

Training
Research has been able to explain some aspects
of creativity more fully in recent years but some
aspects are still not completely explained by
science. Teachers themselves have learned
creative techniques through a combination of
declarative knowledge, trial-and-error, experiential learning. Making sure teachers and students are informed with the latest findings on
creativity could lay stronger foundations for all
involved.
Modeling
The teachers may have problems explaining their own creative processes to students
or modeling behavior in a way that seems
accessible to students. As experts in their field,
these skills are often automatized and partly
unconscious.
Mindset and awareness
Students are likely to come from an educational
background where getting the single right
answer was most valued. The graphic design
department is often guilty of this mindset as
well; although a part of the grade is dedicated
to researching ideas and sketching, the focus is
often on the final outcome.
Presentations, exhibits and corridor displays
usually showcase final pieces instead of processes. Students are therefore unaware of the
cheer number of ideas that can be explored on
a single problem.
Projects and interventions which value the
creative process for its own sake should be
explored.

14

performance needs assessment

Summative evaluation
instruments
Since creativity is strongly related to personal
attitudes and inner processes, the attainment of
objectives will be evaluated by gathering qualitative data through interviews conducted with
both students and teachers. Teachers were
asked to provide their observations of students
behaviors in order to avoid disrupting the classroom environment with a researcher.
engagement

Interviews conducted with students

How do you feel about the creative process
as opposed to when you first started the
program?
Do you feel more creative at school and
outside of school? If so, how?
Do you record and express your ideas?
Do you ever leave some of them out? If so,
why?
Do you feel comfortable expressing your
ideas to your peers and your teachers?
What do you think makes you more or less
comfortable?
How do you feel when you give and get
feedback on ideas?
How have your creative processes
improved post-intervention? What has
helped you most? Please explain.

15

Journal use evaluation

To what extent were the students journals
used? Is the content of the pages varied in a
way that would let presume the journal has
been used over a long period of time?
Interviews conducted with teachers
How would you describe the dynamics
within your groups and the cohort in
general?
Do students express and critique their
ideas regularly? Do some of them encounter problems? Would you say they give
constructive feedback?
Have your teaching methods changed
post-intervention? Are you more aware and
able to explain your own creative processes
to students?
individual performance

Assess quantity and quality of ideas

generated in creative processes as well as
final projects post-intervention
(based on criteria of quantity, diversity,
relevance, originality and elaboration)
Interviews conducted with teachers
Have you noticed an improvement in the
quantity and quality of students ideas
post-intervention? Please explain.
Interviews conducted with students
Have you noticed an improvement in the
quantity and quality of your peers ideas
post-intervention? Please explain.

performance needs assessment

organizational performance

Short-term results will not be felt by the institution. The effects will most likely originate from the graduated students and impact
the reputation of the institution. Therefore,
if engagement and individual performance
show positive results, interventions should be
maintained as different cohorts go through the
program.
Although multiple other factors may intervene with the data, it may be possible to assess
some organizational performance benefits
through gathering data and analyzing longterm trends about:
Attendance to different exhibits of the
graphic design department, especially
the graduation exhibit.
Percentage of students hired in graphic
design jobs or admitted to graphic
design undergraduate programs pre- and
post-intervention.
Quantity of new students requesting
admission to the program.

16

performance needs assessment

References
Chevalier, R. (2003). Updating the behavior
engineering model. Performance Improvement,
42(5), 814.
Treffinger, D. J., Young, G. C., Selby, E. C., &
Shepardson C. (2002). Assessing creativity:
A guide for educators. Storrs, CT: The National
Research Center on the Gifted and Talented,
University of Connecticut.

17

18