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VCE Art and Design

Visual Communication Design Unit 4: Delivering design solutions

Prerequisites

Visual Communication and Design Unit 3: Visual Communication in design practice.

Course Description

In this unit students continue to explore the VCD design process, resolving design concepts and presenting solutions for two distinct communication needs. Ideas developed in Unit 3, Outcome 3 are evaluated, selected, refined and shared with others for further review. An iterative cycle is undertaken as students rework ideas, revisit research and review design criteria defined in the brief. Manual and digital methods, media and materials are explored together with design elements and principles, and concepts tested using models, mock-ups or low-fidelity prototypes. When design concepts are resolved, students devise a pitch to communicate and justify their design decisions, before responding to feedback through a series of final refinements. Students choose how best to present design solutions, considering aesthetic impact and the communication of ideas. They select materials, methods and media appropriate for the presentation of final design solutions distinct from one another in purpose and presentation format, and that address design criteria specified in the brief.

Areas of Study

Design process: refining and resolving design concepts

How do designers resolve design problems?

In this area of study, students reflect critically on feedback received in Unit 3, Outcome 3 as they evaluate, select and evolve design ideas into concepts for further refinement and testing. In doing so, students explore the Deliver phase of the VCD design process.

Students engage in an iterative cycle as they rework ideas, revisit research and review the client’s needs. They manipulate the design elements and principles in response to the brief and develop expertise in a range of appropriate manual and digital methods, materials and media. Development and documentation drawings, together with mock-ups, models and low-fidelity prototypes, may be used to assist with visualising, testing and resolving design concepts. During this process, students move from divergent to convergent thinking, drawing on conceptions of good design when synthesising ideas and using annotations to evaluate their potential. The refinement of design concepts for each communication need continues as two separate design processes, with students ensuring that these are distinct from one another in purpose and presentation format.

Students resolve selected design concepts and devise a pitch of one concept for each communication need to communicate their design thinking and decision making to an audience or user. Students explain the reasons for their selection and use of particular materials, media and methods, design elements and principles, and formats for presentation. They consider responses to their pitch and further refine each selected concept, in preparation for the presentation of final design solutions.

Presenting design solutions

How do designers propose solutions to communication needs? In this area of study, students present design solutions for each of the communication needs addressed in Area of Study 1. They choose how best to use visual language to communicate solutions to stakeholders, considering aesthetic impact through applications of design elements and principles. Students select materials, methods and media appropriate for the presentation of final design solutions that are distinct from one another in purpose and presentation format, and that address design criteria specified in the brief.

Assessment

Outcomes

Assessment Tasks

Marks Allocated

(school-assessed coursework)

Unit 3 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.

apply the Discover, Define and Develop phases of the VCD design process

use divergent and convergent thinking strategies when defining problems and developing ideas

use design research methods to define communication problems

apply legal and ethical obligations relevant to the designer’s work

document a brief defining two distinct communication needs and presenting design criteria including purposes, contexts, audience or user characteristics and design constraints

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

annotate design ideas using design terminology to explain and evaluate design decisions

use the design elements and principles to develop design ideas

present design ideas for critique, and both respond to and deliver constructive feedback

use appropriate design terminology.

Unit 3 Outcome 3 is assessed in conjunction with Unit 4 Outcome 1 and 2

Unit 4

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.

A folio of conceptual developments for each need. The conceptual development folio for each need will include evidence of:

apply the Deliver phase of the VCD design process

select and apply a range of manual and digital methods, materials, media and conventions, together with the design elements and principles to resolve design concepts

use convergent thinking strategies to refine and resolve design concepts

test and evaluate the suitability and quality of refined design concepts, drawing on the requirements of the brief

devise and deliver a pitch that supports the presentation of one design concept for each communication need

apply practices that fulfil the designer’s ethical and legal obligations

use appropriate terminology to document the refinement and resolution of design concepts.

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.

select suitable presentation formats that meet communication needs defined in the brief

select and apply a range of methods, media and materials to deliver distinct design solutions

select and apply components of visual language, including design elements and principles to address the distinct communication needs specified in the brief.

Total Marks

Overall Final Assessment

Graded Assessment	Title	Assessment	Exam Duration	Contribution to Study Score (%)
1	Units 3 & 4 Coursework	School-assessed		20
2	School-assessed Task	School-assessed		50
3	Written examination	November	1.5 hours	30