Where?

Picture by: silviadinatale

Before I write anything about how to improve, targets, analysis, tools, and more of that sort of stuff I will speak about the starting point: Where are you now?

Every role has certain specific jobs to perform within a group environment, be it dungeons, raiding, or even pvp. Once you have it clear what your role is, you can ask yourself how you are doing at your core tasks.

Some questions to help you get going:

Healers:

• Are my assigned targets alive?
• Did I run out of mana?
• Was I capable of healing all my assigned targets?
  

Tanks:

• Are all the targets that I am supposed to tank indeed bopping me on the head? (or kneecap in the case of dranei perhaps)
• Did I do a good job in helping the healers keep me alive?
• Were there any moments that I was about to lose threat?
  

DPS:

• Did I use my supporting abilities when needed? (CC, redirecting threat, buffs, etc)
• Did I get out of places where I should get out off?
• How did I do on dps numbers (compared with others playing my class)?

Think of it as a travel planner, without knowing where you are, you can't really plan a route to get to your destination.

Which brings me to the next point. Where do you want to be?

Try to describe your goal(s) in a SMART way.

• Specific: describe your goal as precise as possible, use numbers, targets, anything that makes it very clear what your exact target is.
  
• Measurable: make sure that you have a way to measure if you're getting closer to your target, there are several tools available, but sometimes common sense helps as well
  
• Attainable: make sure that you the goal is within your control, there are simply things that you cannot possible control
  
• Releastic: your goal should be possible within the game technology
• Timebound: set a time-limit on your goal, don't set it too far out, you will get tired with it, but also allow yourself enough time to actually get to your target

Go try it, and then tomorrow I will give some guidance to tools that you can use for this.