Assessment

How do designers find and reframe human-centred design problems?

Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to use human-centred research methods to reframe a design problem and identify a communication need.

Reframe a design problem and develop a brief that addresses this need using the Discover and Define stages of the VCD design process.

The detailed example in Learning and Teaching for Unit 1 Outcome 1 can be used to support the development of this assessment task.

Students work in small groups and individually to identify and explore problems encountered in everyday life, using the Discover and Define stages of the VCD design process. After working through the Discover and Define stages of the VCD design process, students present their research in their folios, along with a written brief.

Throughout this outcome students will:

1. Use the Discover stage of the VCD design process to:
   • build collections of 'good' and 'bad' designs from different contexts and fields of design practice
   • discuss and analyse the collections to identify the elements that make good designs successful and the reasons for bad designs' failures
   • document daily routines using methods such as diary entries, mapping exercises, or video recordings.
2. Use the Define stage of the VCD design process to:
   • select one problem to investigate
   • conduct secondary research about the chosen problem including mapping exercises to examine how audiences or users think and behave
   • review the research data gathered, identify key themes, and document these in folios
   • brainstorm ways in which the desired shifts in behaviour might be supported by the design of products, experiences, services, or campaigns
   • choose one design opportunity to guide the formation of a brief, describing a communication need and associated design criteria
   • complete a brief of approximately 500–600 words, including information on the client, the client need, audience, purpose, context, constraints, and the deliverables.
3. Students present their research findings in a visual diary, with a typed brief.

How can visual language communicate to audiences and shape behaviours?

Outcome 2

On completion of this unit the student should be able to create visual language for a business or brand using the Develop and Deliver stages of the VCD design process.

Approach to an assessment task

Create visual language for a business or brand using the Develop and Deliver stages of the VCD design process.

Students choose a company or business to create a visual language using the Develop and Deliver stages of the VCD design process. After working through the Develop and Deliver stages of the VCD design process, students present their final solutions as a style guide.

When creating the visual language, students will respond to a given brief by:

1. Using the Develop stage of the VCD design process to:
   • unpack a given design brief taking note of the design criteria
   • investigate and research the needs of the stakeholders as identified in their brief
   • collect both primary and secondary sources of inspiration (including collecting physical examples of branding)
   • use convergent thinking strategies such as a Brand Matrix to synthesise collected inspiration and identify starting points for their own work
   • use divergent thinking strategies such as brainstorming and SCAMPER to generate ideas
   • explore ideas with deliberate consideration of the design elements and principles and Gestalt principles of perception
   • explore a range of manual and digital methods, media and materials
   • critique potential directions with a small group of peers
   • reflect on feedback from the critique and, using convergent thinking strategies, select one direction to further develop and refine
   • investigate examples of existing style guides and discuss contents, layout, hierarchy, and clarity of information.
2. Using the Deliver stage of the VCD design process to:
   • refine design work using mockups and convergent thinking strategies, referring to the design brief
   • create a layout for a style guide, using Gestalt principles of perception when organising visual and any written information.
3. Students present resolved design solutions in a digital or printed format along with their visual diary.

What influences design, and what does design influence?

Outcome 3

On completion of this unit the student should be able to develop a sustainable object, considering design’s influence and factors that influence design.

Approach to an assessment task

Design a product for the year 2030 using the Develop and Deliver stages of the VCD design process.

Students design a product for the year 2030 using the Develop and Deliver stages of the VCD design process. After working through the Develop and Deliver stages of the VCD design process, students present their final solutions as a concept board.

When creating the concept, students will respond to a given brief by:

1. Using the Develop stage of the VCD design process to:
   • research and collect images of a product from different time periods, noting key moments of evolution and discussing the factors that influenced the design
   • discuss the impact that the design of this product has had on society and other design movements, such as health and wellness
   • brainstorm design ideas using divergent thinking strategies such as What if?, SCAMPER, and Action verbs
   • generate a range of ideas using two- and three-dimensional visualisation drawings.
2. Using the Deliver stage of the VCD design process to:
   • develop and refine their chosen design idea
   • create detailed sketches and annotated drawings of their refined design, considering the design elements and principles, materials, methods, and media
   • review and critique the design ideas developed by each other
   • provide feedback on designs and make refinements as necessary
   • create finalised, rendered isometric and planometric drawings of their product design, highlighting its structure and aesthetic qualities
   • create two-dimensional diagrams that detail how their product may be used in the future
   • reflect on the design process, considering what they have learned and how they might apply these learnings to future design projects
   • present their final designs to the class on a concept board and discuss their design decisions and considerations.
3. Students present resolved design solutions in a digital or printed format along with their visual diary.

How does design reflect and respond to the time and place in which it is made?

Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to present an environmental design solution that draws inspiration from its context and a chosen design style.

Approach to an assessment task

Design a performance space using the Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver stages of the VCD design process.

Students design a performance space using the Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver stages of the VCD design process. After working through the Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver stages of the VCD design process, students present their final solutions on a concept board.

When creating the concept, students will respond to a given brief by:

1. Using the Discover stage of the VCD design process to:
   • discuss contrasting architectural styles / movements, places, and times
   • select three architectural designs and conduct research on each
   • create annotated displays in their folio outlining how the style of each building reflects contextual factors including economic, technological, cultural, environmental, and social influences
   • explain and evaluate design decisions made within each of the buildings.
2. Using the Define stage of the VCD design process to:
   • conduct further research into other designs by the same architects and / or different architects within a similar style, time or place, and compare and contrast the designs
   • conduct a site analysis on a chosen site
   • write a brief that outlines the environmental design problem centred around the need for a multi-disciplinary performance space in a particular location of choice.
3. Using the Define stage of the VCD design process to:
   • use a combination of schematic and ideation sketches in two- and three-dimensions to generate a range of ideas relevant to the brief
   • develop their ideas further into more precise technical drawings, such as floor plans, elevations, perspective and planometric
   • use three-dimensional materials such as cardboard, balsa wood, wire, Lego etc. to construct and develop their ideas physically
   • use critique and / or critical evaluation techniques to determine the design’s relevance to the brief, as well as its appropriateness to the context, audience, and purpose.
4. Using the Deliver stage of the VCD design process to:
   • present their ideas on a concept board with a range of finalised two- and three-dimensional drawings, with the addition of a three-dimensional model if time permits
   • present resolved design solutions in a digital or printed format along with their visual diary.

Outcome 2

On completion of this unit the student should be able to apply culturally appropriate design practices and an understanding of the designer’s ethical and legal responsibilities when designing personal iconography.

Approach to an assessment task

Apply culturally appropriate design practices and an understanding of the designer’s ethical and legal responsibilities when designing personal iconography.

Task 1

Students commence this area of study working both independently and collaboratively, by looking at ethical and legal responsibilities impacting the work of designers such as:

• issues of ownership
• intellectual property
• copyright, patents and trademarks.

Task 2

Students undertake one or more of the following tasks to support their understanding of culturally appropriate practices:

• Explore the history, practices and foundational contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Australian design identity.
• As a class, develop a database of Indigenous (both Australian and abroad) and historically marginalised designers.
• Select an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander designer and analyse their work and practices in a short report with annotated images.
• Investigate culturally appropriate design practices including protocols for the creation and commercial use of Indigenous knowledge such as those published in the Australian Indigenous Design Charter and Protocols for using First Nations Cultural and Intellectual Property in the Arts.

Task 3

Under test conditions, prepare an extended written response addressing the following prompts:

• What Indigenous works and / or materials are not currently protected by IP laws?
• If a designer wanted to use an Indigenous artwork or design work as inspiration, what steps would they take to ensure their approach was both respectful and appropriate?
• Identify and describe culturally appropriate design practices when creating personal iconography.

Task 4

Design a set of personal icons for a theme such as: a place of personal significance, favourite animals, birds, insects, food or music.

In groups, identify and define what represents a good icon.

1. Research existing icons and brainstorm ideas including icon graphic styles.
2. Create a mood board based upon research and brainstorming of ideas that includes potential styles of graphics for their set of icons. For example, icons based around pixels, flat shapes, lines, including outlines, isometric, hand drawn or even animated.
3. Using visualisation drawing, create ideations for each icon, using divergent thinking strategies such as ‘What if…’, SCAMPER and Word Associations.
4. When generating and developing ideas, consider design elements and principles that could be used to create a unified set of icons such as shape, colour, line, figure-ground, balance, cropping and scale.
5. To further extend ideas, explore manual methods such as collage with paper, drawing icons on grid paper or creating watercolour icons that can be scanned and edited digitally. At this stage, students are encouraged to think about a concept that sits behind their icon design, using a visual language to connect their four icons.
6. Students refine their icon designs using digital methods and test their designs on peers to establish their effectiveness in communicating the appropriate message. Students then respond to feedback and adjust their designs prior to final presentation.
7. Students submit their visual diary along with the four icon designs, as four Ace Card designs at a scale of 2:1, as a digital presentation or printed and submitted on a presentation board.

Outcome 3

On completion of this unit the student should be able to apply the VCD design process to design an interface for a digital product, environment or service.

Approach to an assessment task

On completion of this unit the student should be able to apply the VCD design process to design an interface for a digital product, environment or service.

Respond to a design challenge requiring an interactive campaign with multiple digital touchpoints, such as, ‘How might we encourage young people to wear sunscreen?’

Discover and Define activities

• Identify the audience or users whose behaviour you wish to impact in positive ways, and use both secondary research and human-centred methods to learn more about their feelings, actions and experiences.
• Use this information to develop a user profile with both written and visual imagery.
• Complete a behaviour mapping exercise to clarify the intended outcomes and reframe the design problem.
• Create a design brief that addresses purpose, contexts, target audience(s) and constraints for a digital interface or campaign.

Develop and Deliver activities

• Explore existing interaction design examples, drawing inspiration from exemplary digital interfaces and noting the aesthetic components that contribute to their success.
• Consider accessibility for audiences with diverse needs and note how various specialist design practitioners have collaborated to shape the user experience.
• Sketch a user journey map or sitemap to better understand how users navigate your chosen examples, and where potential pain points might lie.
• Develop a user flow diagram to visualise the sequence of actions you want users to perform when navigating your own digital interface or engaging with touchpoints.
• Test the user flow by sketching low-fidelity wireframes, exploring the potential structure, hierarchy, and layout of pages using simple grayscale combinations of line and shape.
• Seek and document feedback from others.
• Collect or create content for the interface or campaign, such as copy, imagery or video, ready to add during the next stage of concept development.
• Select a concept for further refinement, experimenting with colour, type and graphic elements before developing a low-fidelity prototype to share for testing purposes.
• The prototype might be presented as a static collection of screen layouts or developed using software to incorporate interactive elements.
• Seek and respond to feedback, making refinements before presenting the final interaction design proposal.

The final presentation is submitted as a concept board with mockups and an accompanying written rationale.

Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to compare the ways in which visual communication practices are used by contemporary designers, using research methods and practical exploration.

Approach to an assessment task

On completion of this unit the student should be able to compare the ways in which visual communication practices are used by contemporary designers, using research methods and practical exploration.

Comparison of visual communication practices: Written task

Students commence this Area of Study by investigating two designers from one or more design fields. If students investigate designers from the same design field, they should investigate designers who work in different contexts and on different projects. For example, a freelance graphic designer in comparison to a designer who works in a large studio.

Students research their chosen designers to learn about the roles and relationships, similarities and differences between chosen designers. They look at how their designers use visual language to communicate ideas to audiences, stakeholders and one another, and the key design practices and processes used in specific design fields. Students identify factors that have influenced how these design practitioners approach their work and professional relationships, while also noting techniques used to evaluate design ideas and the role of visual language in addressing design problems. Students then research more widely into the signature practices of others working in this field, drawing comparisons between their methods, media, materials, contexts and conceptions of good design, together with the varying roles of visual communication. They identify ways in which these practices have changed over time and describe factors influencing the field’s evolution, including ethical and legal responsibilities. Students speculate about how their chosen design field might further evolve in the future.

Under test conditions, students prepare a comparative analysis of two designers alongside annotated imagery.

Comparison of visual communication practices: Practical tasks

Students complete two practical design exercises aimed at developing specific skills or knowledge that will be of benefit for future folio work. These tasks are exercises to assist students in exploring practical skills before undertaking the School-assessed Task. When choosing exercises, teachers need to ensure that they are comparable between students for equity. The exercises are not intended to be aligned with a specific stage of the design process.

For example:

• Explore digital rendering techniques in Photoshop and illustrate a chrome kettle.
• Complete a perspective drawing of a building, including landscape to suggest the context.
• Illustrate two garments using maker rendering to emphasis form, colour and texture.

Students present two design exercises alongside a comparative analysis, with an accompanying reflection on the learning that took place.

Outcome 2

On completion of this unit the student should be able to compare and analyse design examples from selected field(s) of design practice, describing how aesthetic considerations contribute to the effective communication of information or ideas.

Approach to an assessment task

Compare design examples from selected design fields, describing how aesthetic considerations contribute to the effective communication of information or ideas.

Students are to compare design examples from selected design fields, describing how aesthetic considerations contribute to the effective communication of information or ideas.

The task is completed as a comparative analysis of design examples presented in one of the following formats:

• a written report
• an annotated visual report
• a response presented in a digital format, such as an online presentation or interactive website.

The task:

Visit the Victorian Premier's Design awards website and select two examples of design, from two different design fields.

With reference to selected examples, complete a comparative analysis comparing the similarities and differences in each design.

Use the same design fields addressed for Unit 3, Outcome 1. Both outcomes can be used to support the application of the VCD design process in the School-assessed Task.

Use the following prompts in the report to compare the similarities and differences:

• Describe the visual communication.
• Describe the target audience or users.
• Identify and discuss the purposes and contexts.
• Identify two design elements and two design principles. With reference to the visual communication, explain how they have been used to communicate an idea or message.
• Identify the use of methods, media and materials. Choose one of each to discuss how they have been used to target the audience, purpose and context.
• Discuss how visual language is used to engage the audience and maintain their attention.
• Depending on the field of design, identify how the designer has influenced the way in which users experience, interact and respond with places, systems and things.
• What factors may have influenced a design decision?
• How would the designer respond to ethical and legal
• Why is this an example of good design?

The report must be supported with annotated examples of the selected designs.

Outcome 3

On completion of this unit the student should be able to identify two communication needs for a client, prepare a brief and develop design ideas, while applying the VCD design process and design thinking strategies.

Approach to an assessment task

The task for Unit 3 Outcome 3 is comprised of three components:

1. Identify two communication needs for a client.
2. Prepare a brief.
3. Develop ideas.

Students will apply the following stages of the VCD design process and design thinking strategies when undertaking these tasks.

The Discover stage

Students commence the School-assessed Task by discovering problems that are worth solving by:

• investigating examples of good design
• using convergent and divergent thinking to identify and analyse two design problems (communication needs) for a client
• undertaking further research using human-centred and ethical research methods
• applying legal and ethical obligations when using or referencing the work of others. Students place sources of existing imagery next to imagery.

The Define stage

Students prepare a brief that identifies design criteria including:

• identification of two different communication needs with different purposes and contexts
• target audience or user characteristics
• design constraints such as use of materials or methods of presentation.

The brief will be a minimum of 600 words and may contain imagery to support any design criteria.

The Develop stage

Students generate a range of ideas drawing on the design criteria documented in the brief.

• They use divergent thinking as they employ an iterative process of seeing and analysing their inspiration
• This stage is completed twice as students address each communication need identified in their brief.
• They use methods such as, but not limited to ideation sketching and prototyping to document potential concepts.
• They return to research if necessary, including the use of observational drawing if relevant.
• They annotate design ideas and any prototypes using design terminology to explain and evaluate design decisions.
• They use the design elements and principles to develop design ideas.
• Working in small groups, students share ideas-in-progress with their peers for critique. As part of the critique, students inform the group of the client needs and criteria documented in the brief.
• Students respond and use the feedback from their critique using written reflective and critical evaluations in their visual diary.

At the end of Unit 3, students will have a folio of work presenting the development of design concepts for two distinct communication needs.

How do designers resolve design problems?

Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to refine and resolve distinct design concepts for each communication need, and devise and deliver a pitch to communicate concepts to an audience or users, evaluating the extent to which these meet the requirements of the brief.

Approach to an assessment task

Unit 4 Outcome 1 is comprised of three components:

1. Refining and resolving distinct design concepts for each communication need
2. Devising and delivering a pitch to communicate concepts to an audience
3. Evaluating the extent to which these concepts meet the requirement of the brief.

Students will apply the following stages of the VCD design process and design thinking strategies when undertaking these tasks.

The Develop stage

Although Unit 4 is focused on the Deliver stage of the VCD design process, students continue to develop concepts for Unit 4 Outcome 1.
Students will:

• complete a folio of work presenting the development of design concepts for two distinct communication needs. Although students may complete initial developmental work that pertains to both communication needs, they complete two separate design processes with evidence of new developmental work for the second communication need.
• continue to use the design elements and principles and become more deliberate in the choice and use of media, materials and methods as they use convergent thinking to refine concepts.
• use the appropriate technical conventions for the field(s) of design they are working in.

The Deliver Stage

Students will develop their concepts prior to refining their design solutions. They:

• evaluate, test and resolve design concepts creating mockups
• devise and deliver a pitch of one design concept for each of the two distinct communication needs
• document their development, refinement and resolution of design concepts using appropriate study design terminology.

Outcome 2

On completion of this unit the student should be able to produce a design solution for each communication need defined in the brief, satisfying the specified design criteria.

Approach to an assessment task

Students will apply the following stage of the VCD design process when undertaking this task.

The Deliver stage

Students will:

produce two distinct final presentations in two separate presentation formats that fulfil the communication needs and design criteria outlined in Unit 3, Outcome 3

use visual language and appropriate methods to communicate solutions to an audience or users.