Communication Design Capstone Project
Overview
This unit allows students to consolidate and apply the diverse skills and knowledge gained in their degree in preparation for entry into professional practice. Working in teams on an industry or applied academic project affords students the opportunity to extend their design, collaboration and project management skills. In addition to exposing students to the rigor of the design processes used in industry, the unit challenges students to bridge the research/theory/practice nexus to deliver innovative, implementable designs showing a high level of resolution.
Requisites
Rule
150 credit points
AND
50 credit points in Communications Design Major
OR
200 credit points in BA-DESCMN3 Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) OR BB-DCDBUS Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) /Bachelor of Business OR BA-DESCMN3S Bachelor of Design (Communication Design)
01-June-2025
05-October-2025
02-November-2025
Learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
- Apply creative problem solving, critical thinking and research skills to answer a complex project brief in an area of communication design
- Synthesise appropriate design methods, processes and techniques to create a design outcome to a professional standard design
- Apply communication, collaboration and time management skills as part of a creative team
- Create an integrated media presentation to communicate the key elements of a design project to clients and other project stakeholders
- Critically reflect on individual design practice strengths, professional skills and attributes, via reflective practice to articulate learning journey and future career aspiration.
Teaching methods
Hawthorn
| Activity Type | Activity | Total Hours | Number of Weeks | Hours Per Week | Venue Type and Activity Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| On-campus | Studio | 36 | 12 weeks | 3 | Studio |
| On-campus | Class | 36 | 12 weeks | 3 | Tutorial Labs |
| Specified Activities | Various | 12 | 12 weeks | 1 | Review learning resources |
| Specified Activities | Various | 3 | 3 weeks | 1 | Site visits |
| Specified Activities | Various | 3 | 1 week | 3 | Client presentation/event, Poster printing and event setup |
| Unspecified Activities | Independent Learning | 210 | 12 weeks | 17.5 | Team work and collaboration, Group and individual project work, Independent research |
| Total Hours: | 300 | Total Hours (per week): | 28.5 | ||
Swinburne Online
| Activity Type | Activity | Total Hours | Number of Weeks | Hours Per Week | Venue Type and Activity Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online | Modules | 96 | 12 weeks | 8 | Online class |
| Specified Activities | Various | 48 | 12 weeks | 4 | Review learning resources, Discussion boards and feedback, Collaborate group work, Collaboration and presentations |
| Unspecified Activities | Independent Learning | 156 | 12 weeks | 13 | Group and individual project work, Independent research |
| Total Hours: | 300 | Total Hours (per week): | 25 | ||
Assessment
| Type | Task | Weighting | ULO's |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design Brief | Individual | 10% | 1,2,3,4 |
| Design Project | Individual/Group | 40% | 1,2,3,4,5 |
| Final Portfolio | Individual | 40% | 1,2,3,5 |
| Learning Plan | Individual | 10% | 1,2,3,4 |
Content
- Principles and techniques for Information design, Interface design and Publication design
- User-centred design
- Framing research-informed design strategies
- Presenting design proposals to clients and other project stakeholders
- Project management
- Graduate Attribute – Communication Skills: Communicating using different media
- Graduate Attribute – Teamwork Skills: Collaboration and negotiation
- Graduate Attribute – Digital Literacies: Information literacy
Study resources
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.