Course Title: Design and produce products from a brief

Part B: Course Detail

Teaching Period: Term2 2021

Course Code: GRAP6372

Course Title: Design and produce products from a brief

School: 375T Vocational Design and Social Context

Campus: Brunswick Campus

Program: C5382 - Diploma of Product Design

Course Contact: Robin Blood

Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 4683

Course Contact Email: robin.blood@rmit.edu.au


Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff

Nominal Hours: 195

Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.

Pre-requisites and Co-requisites

No Pre-requisites needed for this unit.

Course Description

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to design and produce a product from a brief. It requires the ability to interpret the product design brief, undertake research, develop design options, plan the design process and provide visual concepts to the client before making the product model.


National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria

National Element Code & Title:

VU22261 Design and produce products from a brief

Element:

1 Analyse the brief

Performance Criteria:

1.1 Interpret the specifications of the product design brief
1.2 Establish the market or client for the proposed product
1.3 Clarify specifications and parameters of the brief with relevant individuals

Element:

2 Undertake research to inform the design

Performance Criteria:

2.1 Source and evaluate information relevant to the brief
2.2 Discuss research with relevant colleagues to determine relevance to the brief
2.3 Use research information to establish criteria for selecting appropriate design solutions for the design problem

Element:

3 Develop innovative options

Performance Criteria:

3.1 Create a range of design options to meet design brief requirements
3.2 Apply relevant principles of functionality, ergonomics, aesthetics and sustainability to development of the design solution
3.3 Evaluate environmental and ethical factors on the selection and use of resources
3.4 Finalise the preferred design option based upon criteria developed to meet the parameters of the brief

Element:

4 Develop design proposal

Performance Criteria:

4.1 Plan the design proposal representing the design vision
4.2 Select approach to work which meets established criteria
4.3 Produce visual interpretations of design
4.4 Prepare written and visual support materials to contribute to final presentation

Element:

5 Plan the design process

Performance Criteria:

5.1 Identify all components required to produce the design option
5.2 Assess technical, resource and workspace and/or manufacturing requirements
5.3 Consult with any technical experts required to produce the design solution
5.4 Develop the project plan that incorporates compliance with relevant regulatory and legislative requirements

Element:

6 Deliver visual concepts to client

Performance Criteria:

6.1 Present the product design and proposed timelines for production to client, including rationale for any changes
6.2 Respond to feedback and make changes to the design as required
6.3 Confirm production plan and timelines with client

Element:

7 Realise product design

Performance Criteria:

7.1 Develop the product model using devices, tools, techniques and materials to meet conceptual vision
7.2 Refine product model, as required, to address constraints identified during its development
7.3 Use safe working practices throughout the process of making the product model
7.4 Prepare documentation and specifications to accompany final design
7.5 Confirm that intellectual property and other legislative requirements have been met

Learning Outcomes


On successful completion of this course, you will have developed and applied the skills and knowledge required to demonstrate your competency in the above elements.


Details of Learning Activities

This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to design and produce a range of commercial products from a brief to meet market opportunities through the exploration and application of a range of advanced techniques and materials. It is a specialisation unit and refers to a specific sector of Product Design


Teaching Schedule

Design and Produce Products from a Brief is delivered as 3 components a week across a semester

1: Design Component:

Week

Design component

Assessment

Week 1

Intro to Projects 

  • Introduction to the course and assessment tasks
  • Project Plan done in class using Excel
  • Market research 
  • Make a page for your Development folio, showing what you discovered in your market research
  • Decide which topic you will work on

Week 2
  • Moodboard –2 X A3 Moodboards are used to represent 2 typical users of the product
  • Key requirements – point form analysis of key requirements (see brief)
  • Complete Moodboard
  • Make a page in Development Folio showing Key requirements

Week 3
  • Research products similar to yours
  • Start assembling your development folio (see brief)
  • Start concept generation – 20 X thumbnails and/or sketch models

Week 4
  • Research products similar to yours
  • Continue concept generation – 20 X thumbnails and/or sketch models
  • Produce 3 Concept drawings or models

Week 5


Mid Cycle submission Product portfolio 1

(see brief)

Week 6
  • Class presentation and feedback (3-5 minute informal presentation of your work so far)
  • Start refinement stage
  • Refinement -( 8+ refinements)
  • SCAMPER
  • Design elements and principles
  • Draw and model design at 1:1 scale

Week 7
  • Technical Drawings
  • Use Illustrator, AutoCAD or Solidworks to produce technical drawings of your design
  • Start high quality model

Week 8
  • Final Model
  • Complete a high quality model of your final design

Materials and manufacturing assessment B - Manufacturing quote due

Week 9

Class presentation

  • 5 minute presentation

Introduction to Assessment 2

  • Client briefing – take notes about project requirements
  • Moodboard -users
  • Brainstorming ideas

Product portfolio 1 - due

  • Digital submission of Development folio
  • Hand in finalmodel

Week 10
  • Research
  • Concept generation (20 thumbnail sketches or models)

(3 preferred concept drawings or models)

Lorette: Rendering portfolio Part A due

Week 11
  • Continue above and start assembling development folio (see brief)

Week 12
  • Mid cycle presentation to client and class
  • Design refinement

- aesthetics

- ergonomics

- ease of use

- sustainability

- cost effectiveness

- simplification

- abstraction

- safety considerations

Mid Cycle submission Product portfolio  2

Week 13
  • Technical drawings
  • Use Illustrator, AutoCAD or Solidworks to produce technical drawings of your design
  • Purchase materials if required

Week 14
  • Start making a high quality model


Week 15
  • Complete final model
  • Complete design development folio

Week 16
  • Present your work to the client and the class
  • 5 minute presentation

Rendering portfolio Part B due

Hard copy Submission of entire rendering folio

Product portfolio 2

  • Digital submission of Development folio
  • Hand in finalmodel



2: Materials and Manufacturing

Week

Design component

Assessment

Week 1
  • Introduction to the course and assessment tasks
  • Suggested reference book: Rob Thompson, Product and Furniture Design
  • Suggested web reference: How’s it made? https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCELt4nocnWDEnYJmov4zqyA
  • What materials and manufacturing methods do we already know? (group task 20 mins)
  • Overview of manufacturing systems
  • Give out and explain Materials and manufacturing assessment A – assign manufacturing methods & presentation dates to students
  • Example of a manufacturing assignment talk – Injection moulding

Week 2
  • Introduction to Polymers
  • Chemistry & characteristics
  • Thermoplastics and Thermosets
  • Petrochemical and biological plastics
  • Common plastics
  • Recycling codes
  • Characteristics of common plastics
  • Plastic design guide
  • Summary of conventional plastics manufacturing methods
  • Recycling

Week 3
  • Polymers continuation
  • Draft angles, strength ribs, and surface finish, snap fits, fasteners, other details

Week 4
  • First Manufacturing assignment talk/s
    • 2-3 talks
  • Introduction to metals
  • Chemistry and characteristics
  • Ferrous vs. non-ferrous (Latin: Ferrum)
  • What is an alloy?
  • Characteristics of the common metals
  • Rolling
  • Summary of metal manufacturing methods
  • Recycling

Week 5

Mid Cycle submission 

Product portfolio 1

(see brief)

Week 6
  • Manufacturing assignment talk/s
    • 1-2 talks
  • Hand out and explain Materials and manufacturing assessment B - Get a quote from a manufacturer
  • Specifications of object to be quoted on to be given out

Week 7
  • Manufacturing assignment talk/s
    • 1-2 talks
  • Introduction to ceramics
  • Chemistry and characteristics
  • Traditional ceramics & advanced ceramics
  • Stoneware
  • Porcelain
  • Brick
  • Glaze
  • Glass
  • Fibre optics
  • Advanced ceramics
  • Characteristics and uses of main ceramics

Week 8
    • 1-2 talks
  • (Virtual?) Excursion?: Venue TBC

Materials and manufacturing assessment B - Manufacturing quote due

Week 9
  • Introduction to timber
  • Structure and characteristics
  • Natural variation, discussion of different timber types.
  • Consideration of sustainable timber choices.
  • Discussion about lamination / plywood,
  • compressed timber products,
  • sawing of timbers,
  • dressing of timbers,
  • Main Australian timbers,
  • Design for utilising the strength of timber, bending stresses, joints.
  • Characteristics and uses of main timber products

Product portfolio 1 due

  • Digital submissionof Development folio

Hand in final model

Week 10
    • 1-2 talks
  • Choose topic for Design project

Lorette: Rendering portfolio Part A due - Rendering Activities 1-7 Due

Week 11
  • Manufacturing assignment talk/s
    • 1-2 talks
  • Introduction and explanation of Sustainability task & costing component of Design project
  • Presentation 
  • Introduction to Life Cycle Analysis

Week 12
  • Manufacturing assignment talk/s
    • 1-2 talks
  • Continuation of Life Cycle Analysis
  • Research into materials and manufacturing for the design project

Mid Cycle submission Product portfolio 2

Week 13
  • Manufacturing assignment talk/s
    • 1-2 talks
  • Continue work on sustainability and costing tasks

Week 14
  • Continue work on sustainability and costing tasks


Week 15
  • Pop quiz with prizes

Week 16
  • Product portfolio 2 presentation

Rendering portfolio Part B due -Hard copy Submission of entire rendering folio

Product portfolio 2 due

  • Digital submissionof Development folio
  • Hand in final model


3: Rendering and Visualisation

Week

Rendering component

Assessment

Week 1

Intro to Projects

  • Introduction to the course and assessment tasks
  • Introduction to materials
  • Demonstration Activity 1
  • Activity 1 - Flat fill marker rendering

Week 2
  • Demonstration Activity 2
  • Activity 2 - 2D Geometric Prisms marker rendering

Week 3
  • Activity 3 - Bottles composition marker rendering using design from drawing class

Week 4
  • Demonstration Activity 4
  • Activity 4 - 2D Handset marker rendering

Week 5
  • Demonstration Activity 5
  • Activity 5 Ratchet driver and Torch marker rendering

Mid Cycle submission Product portfolio 1

(see brief)

Week 6
  • Demonstration Activity 6
  • Activity 6 - Timber rendering

Week 7
  • Activity 6 continuation - Timber rendering of Children's furniture design from drawing class

Week 8
  • Demonstration Activity 7
  • Activity 7 Quick rendering

 Materials and manufacturing assessment B - Manufacturing quote due

Week 9
  • Review
  • Catch up on previous rendering activities

Product portfolio 1

  • Digital submission of Development folio
  • Hand in final model

Week 10
  • Submit Task 1 - Rendering activities 1-7
  • Demonstration Activity 8
  • Activity 8 - Chrome surfaces rendering

 Rendering portfolio Part A due - Rendering Activities 1-7 Due

Week 11
  • Demonstration Activity 8
  • Activity 8 - Chrome surfaces rendering

Week 12
  • Demonstration Activity 9
  • Activity 9 - Gloss surfaces rendering

Mid Cycle submission Product portfolio 2

Week 13
  • Demonstration Vehicle rendering
  • Activity - Vehicle rendering

Week 14
  • High performance product rendering - design from drawing class


Week 15
  • Continuation - High performance product rendering - design from drawing class

Week 16
  • Submit Task 2 - Rendering Activities 8-10

Rendering portfolio Part B due -Hard copy Submission of entire rendering folio

Product portfolio 2

  • Digital submission of Development folio
  • Hand in final model



While all course content will be delivered, the order and mode of delivery may change depending on the availability of specialist facilities and equipment. Please check Canvas regularly as any updates will be communicated by your instructor.


Learning Resources

Prescribed Texts


References


Other Resources

Students will need to refer to CANVAS as teaching resources may vary according to teaching schedule and task requirements.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment is ongoing throughout the course and will include two projects and presentation of a folio to a panel of industry experts. Full assessment briefs will be provided and can be found on My RMIT.


Assessment Tasks

Students enrolled in Vocational Education and Training qualifications are assessed for Competency. To be assessed as Competent means you have consistently demonstrated the required knowledge and skills at a standard expected in the workplace. 

To be assessed as Competent in this course, you will need to complete each assessment task to a satisfactory standard. You will receive feedback from the teacher for each assessment task. 

Assessment Task 1:

Product Portfolio 1, Due: Week 9

Product Portfolio 2, Due: Week 16  


Assessment Task 2 :Manufacturing

Due: Week 8, 16


Assessment Task 3: Rendering visualisation portfolio

Part 1: Due Week 10

Part 2: Due Week 16


 *Due dates for assessment tasks dependent on access to specialist facilities and equipment may change. Please check Canvas regularly as any updates will be communicated by your teacher.


Results that apply to courses that are delivered and assessed in accordance with competency-based assessment are:

CA: Competency Achieved

NYC: Not Yet Competent

DNS: Did not Submit for Assessment


Assessment Matrix

The assessment matrix demonstrates alignment of assessment tasks with the relevant unit of competency. These matrices are available through Program Administration.

Other Information

Attendance:

Your learning experience will involve class-based teaching, discussion, demonstration and practical exercises

It is strongly advised that you attend all timetabled sessions. This will allow you to engage in the required learning activities, ensuring you the maximum opportunity to complete this course successfully.

Information about your studies:

You can access My Studies through the RMIT website for information about timetables, important dates, assessment dates, results and progress, Canvas etc.

https://www.rmit.edu.au/students


Assessment:

Information on assessment including Special consideration, Adjustments to assessment, (e.g. applying for an extension of time):

https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/assessment


Academic Integrity and Plagiarism:

RMIT University has a strict policy on plagiarism and academic integrity. Please refer to the website for more information on this policy.

https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/assessment-and-exams/academic-integrity 

Credit Transfer and Recognition of Prior Learning: 

Credit transfer is the recognition of previously completed formal learning (an officially accredited qualification). 

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is an assessment process that allows you to demonstrate competence using the skills you have gained through experience in the workplace, voluntary work, informal or formal training or other life experiences. 

Please speak to your teacher if you wish to discuss applying for Credit Transfer or RPL for the unit(s) of competency addressed in this course. 

https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/enrolment/apply-for-credit 

Course Overview: Access Course Overview