What are the visual communication practices used by designers?
In this area of study, students investigate how and where designers work, identifying the role of visual communication in professional design practice. Contemporary designers working in one or more fields of design practice are selected for study. Students compare the contexts in which these designers work, their applications of a design process, and the ways in which they use visual language to communicate ideas and concepts, and present design solutions. Students explore how designers collaborate with both stakeholders and specialists to shape and resolve design problems. They also identify the impact of ethical and legal obligations, including issues of ownership and intellectual property, and the extent to which contemporary designers adopt sustainable and circular design practices. In doing so, students learn how contemporary design practices differ from those in the past and how they may change in the future, identifying the influence of technological, economic, cultural, environmental and social factors.
Alongside their study of contemporary designers, students experiment with visual communication practices typically used in their selected field(s) of design practice, developing the capacity to apply relevant methods, media, materials, conventions and techniques. Students present a minimum of two practical design exercises showcasing their emerging skills. This research and practical experimentation, together with the study of visual language and aesthetic decisions in Area of Study 2, can be used to inform students’ own application of the VCD design process in Area of Study 3.
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.
contexts in which contemporary designers work
practices and processes, including relevant methods, media, materials and conventions used by contemporary designers
conceptions of good design in selected design field(s) of design practice
differences between past, present and future professional design practices in selected field(s) of design practice
distinguishing characteristics and the role of visual language in selected field(s) of design practice
roles, relationships and responsibilities of designers, specialists and stakeholders when resolving design problems
techniques used by designers to evaluate design ideas
decisions made by designers during the resolution of design problems
technological, economic, cultural, environmental and social factors influencing design practices
ethical and legal obligations of designers
appropriate design terminology.
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS:
compare contexts in which contemporary designers work
describe and compare past, present and future professional design practices in selected field(s) of design practice
analyse and evaluate the characteristics and role of visual language in selected field(s) of design practice
explain the roles of, and relationships between, designers, specialists and stakeholders when resolving design problems
describe the techniques used by designers to evaluate design ideas
explain the economic, technological, cultural, environmental and social factors that influence design practices
identify and analyse design practices that acknowledge ethical and legal obligations
use appropriate design terminology.
PRACTICAL EXPLORATION:
apply visual communication practices and processes used by contemporary designers in selected field(s) of design practice
use visual language to communicate ideas and/or information to specific audiences, and for specific purposes and contexts in selected field(s) of design practice
incorporate relevant conventions in documentation or presentation drawings in selected fields of design practice
use presentation formats characteristic of selected field(s) of design practice
adopt conceptions of good design aligned with selected field(s) of design practice
apply legal and ethical obligations relevant to selected fields of design practice.