Overview

This unit seeks to introduce students to the fundamentals of visual design. It aims to facilitate the exploration of fundamental visual design elements, principles and practice, providing students with a foundation for further communication design-based projects. Using image, type and meaning, students explore different methods to graphically represent their environment, including objects and place.

Requisites

Teaching periods
Location
Start and end dates
Last self-enrolment date
Census date
Last withdraw without fail date
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
29-July-2024
27-October-2024
Last self-enrolment date
11-August-2024
Census date
31-August-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
13-September-2024
Results released date
03-December-2024
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
04-November-2024
09-February-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-November-2024
Census date
29-November-2024
Last withdraw without fail date
27-December-2024
Results released date
04-March-2025
Semester 1
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
03-March-2025
01-June-2025
Last self-enrolment date
16-March-2025
Census date
31-March-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
24-April-2025
Results released date
08-July-2025
Teaching Period 2
Location
Online
Start and end dates
07-July-2025
05-October-2025
Last self-enrolment date
20-July-2025
Census date
01-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
22-August-2025
Results released date
Semester 2
Location
Hawthorn
Start and end dates
04-August-2025
02-November-2025
Last self-enrolment date
17-August-2025
Census date
31-August-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
19-September-2025
Results released date
09-December-2025
Teaching Period 3
Location
Online
Start and end dates
03-November-2025
08-February-2026
Last self-enrolment date
16-November-2025
Census date
28-November-2025
Last withdraw without fail date
02-January-2026
Results released date

Learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:

  • Engage with research, design process methods and models relevant to design enquiry
  • Document and organise design research, concept and design development to then develop design proposals
  • Critically evaluate and reflect on design process and project outcomes
  • Develop hand crafted graphics and typography to create project outcomes
  • Implement highly developed project outcomes using appropriate computer software applications

Teaching methods

Hawthorn

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
On-campus
Studio		3.00 12 weeks 36
Unspecified Activities
Various		5.00 12 weeks 60
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning		4.50 12 weeks 54
TOTAL150

Swinburne Online

Type Hours per week Number of weeks Total (number of hours)
Online
Learning activities		4.00 12 weeks 48
Unspecified Activities
Various		5.00 12 weeks 60
Unspecified Activities
Independent Learning		3.50 12 weeks 42
TOTAL150

Assessment

Type Task Weighting ULO's
Project 1Individual 10% 1,2 
Project 1Individual 40% 1,2,3,4 
Project 2Individual 50% 1,2,3,5 

Content

The unit introduces students to aspects of the practice of communication design. Topics include:

  • Collecting, analysing and interpreting research-based material
  • Planning, management and documentation of design projects
  • Creative problem solving strategies and idea generation methods
  • Combining word, image and idea to create effective communication
  • Design elements and principles as a basis for developing form suitable for visual communication
  • Spatial organisation methods
  • Critical evaluation, reflection and review

Study resources

Reading materials

A list of reading materials and/or required textbooks will be available in the Unit Outline on Canvas.