Introductory description

In this module students will engage in a diverse array of visual explorations to further their understanding and capabilities in visual communication, research and proposal. As part of this, we will be exploring visual hierarchies and principles in graphic design and interactive design, engage in explicating and contextualising branding and its purpose as well as explore different methods and techniques in developing cohesive visual explorations and professional standard proposals.
This module is practice-based and students will be engaging in developing their visual language as a response to multiple contextual and industry-driven prompts. The aim of this module is to challenge student's creative visual skillsets and develop them to further their own practices to generate appropriate, professional graphic visualisations for their projects and deliver high quality portfolios and design pitches. This is a studio module and will be delivered in a classic design studio environment, with support from specialist workshops (fabrication, wood, metal, acrylic, print). Students will be learning about and testing different applied methods to visual research and the production of graphic identities.
As part of the delivery, students will be engaging in design crits and learning how to navigate a designerly discourse towards supportive communities of practice. Students will undertake a journey of unlearning and experimentation with the goal of initiating interests in specialist practices in their design methodologies.

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

Week 1 - This week students will be exploring visual design principles and undertaking research into graphic design methods to start investigating their design voice, identity and ethos.
Week 2 - This week is a continuation of the previous week and will continue to introduce students to different making practices and their applicability to a visual rendering of their emerging design identities. In this workshop students will begin to design their own design system and will inform the introduction of the mail project - their Design Manifesto.
Week 3 - This week we are undertaking our first progress crit and student will be introduced to the key principles of partaking in, facilitation and leading a design crit. The aim of the session is for students to learn about empathy and compassion in the designerly discourse and how to build on their negotiation and pitching skills.
Week 4 - This week students are undertaking a studio making session where they are visually responding to prompts about their visual identity, brand and ethos. As part of this session students will be discussing paradigms of Dieter Ram's principles of good and poor design to prepare them for their manifesto process.
Week 5-8 - These weeks continue with studio crit sessions, enabling students to analyse their progress to-date and undertake student and facilitator- led crits. This session presents a stepping stone towards students preparing for the end of module showcase and will cover an introduction to curating.
Week 9 - This week is the provisional pitch and crit prior to the showcase, presentation and final submission in the following week.
Week 10 - Showcase, presentation of manifesto and live submission.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• To demonstrate an understanding of visual languages, their processes and use in creative and professional practices.
• To develop essential skills in graphic design and visual compositing.
• To develop design crit skills.
• To visually articulate design principles and demonstrate curiosity in their exploration.

Research element

Student will be undertaking auto-ethnographic explorations of their personal practice and methodologies which will equip them to write and disseminate their own design manifesto.

Interdisciplinary

This is a pluralist and holistic exploration of essential visual communication principles in graphic and interactive design.

International

Our content is strongly developed with an EDIAB ethos to promote global practitioners, authors and contributors to present a diverse and rich overview of practice and methodologies in visual practices.

Subject specific skills

Visual research methods.
Essentials of graphic design and interactive design practice (analogue and digital).
Essentials of fabrication (wood, metal, 3D printing, laser-cutting, printmaking and printing).
Design ethics and ethos.
Branding.
Graphic visual identity.
Design crit.
Networked leadership.
Professional and creative pitch.
Visual storytelling.

Transferable skills

Visual research methods.
Design ethics and ethos.
Branding.
Networked leadership.
Professional and creative pitch.
Visual storytelling.
Empathetic and compassionate feedback.
Co-design and Participatory practice.