DESIGN 224 : Special Topic: Visual Communication

Creative Arts and Industries

2025 Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Provides extended visual communication concepts and skills for application across a range of design practices and technologies. Practical experiments with a range of materials and technologies explore the elements and principles of visual communication to strengthen skills in effective sense-making, organisation, encoding, and expression of information to convey meaning.

Course Overview

In this course, students will begin by practicing analog design processes, such as illustration and calligraphy, to learn the fundamentals of visual communication. They will then explore branding, visual identity, and audience demographics to develop a new campaign for an NGO of their choice, aimed at a youth audience.

Next, students will learn to transform a text-based mission statement into a sequential visual narrative. Lessons in film language, cinematography, audio, and editing will build their skills, preparing them for a team project. In these teams, configured as film crews, students will produce videos that communicate the core message of the NGO. Throughout the course, each student will document their reflections and iterative designs in their visual journal and online record (Miro board).

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: DESIGN 100 and 101, or 60 points passed in the Bachelor of Communication

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: People and Place
Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 5: Solution Seeking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration
Capability 8: Ethics and Professionalism
Graduate Profile: Bachelor of Design

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Apply visual communication principles, concepts and skills, including colour theory, typography, and layout, to create static compositions and documents that meet a brief. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 6.1, 6.2, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.4)
  2. Apply visual and narrative communication principles, concepts and skills, including scripting, cinematography, and editing, to design moving-image projects that meet a brief. (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.4)
  3. Demonstrate familiarity with iteratively developing a design project while reflectively documenting a process and its evolution through successive and prototypes  (Capability 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2, 6.1, 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 and 8.4)
  4. Demonstrate active listening and collaboration skills while sharing ideas and learning with classmates to iteratively develop and improve design solutions (Capability 1.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 5.1, 6.1, 6.2, 7.1, 8.1, 8.2 and 8.4)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Research and Initial Design Concept 15% Individual Coursework
Brand Campaign Identity Guideline and Application 35% Individual Coursework
Video Production 35% Group & Individual Coursework
Design Journal 15% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Research and Initial Design Concept
Brand Campaign Identity Guideline and Application
Video Production
Design Journal

The grade of DNC (did not complete) is assigned a grade point value of zero and is used when a student fails to complete compulsory coursework despite earning over 50%, or when coursework is incomplete and a fail grade would misrepresent their achievement.

Teaching & Learning Methods

This course will be delivered over 12 weeks in a studio-based learning environment, using a Project-Based Learning approach. The focus is on learning by doing, with an emphasis on acquiring and practicing new skills through workshops, assignments, and peer sharing. Collaboration skills will be developed through team-based activities, while a blended learning model will engage students both in and out of class.

Students are expected to attend weekly studio sessions, as each session is designed to provide the essential skills needed to complete all assessments and earn a passing grade. Additional participation in workshops and feedback sessions will support students in achieving grades beyond the passing level.

Course materials, including slides, videos, and readings, will be available on Canvas.

Exam Mode

There is no final exam for this course.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 12.5 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect 1 hour of lectures, a 2-hour studio, 2 hours of researching and thinking about the content, and 7.5 hours of work on assignments.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including studios to complete components of the course.

Lectures will be available as recordings. Other learning activities including studios will not be available as recordings.

The course will include asynchronous online activity including collaborative document and group discussions.

The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable delivery.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

BYOD - students enrolled in a Bachelor of Design, or Design conjoint degree, should come to class with their own laptop and software. This is so students will have the core learning tools available in and outside class. It also means students can increase their independence and have better control of a professional device to stimulate creativity and simplify their design process.

Working with a personal laptop during the Design degree will prepare students for the realities of working as a designer after graduation. The highly recommended, recommended, and minimum specifications for a laptop are listed here:
https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/creative/current-students/courses/design/courses-design-bring-your-owndevice.html

Sketch pad/visual diary and drawing materials: It is good practice to be able to quickly record ideas through writing and sketching, as well as collecting and pasting items found that are relevant or inspiring. 

Video production equipment is available to borrow from our Design technicians in the laboratory adjacent to your Design Studios.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Assignments will be more focussed on creative production and aligned to the assignment briefs as a response to student needs and desires.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Generative AI tools, such as ChatGPT and DALL.E 2, may only be used in assessments approved by the Course Director/Course Coordinator. Without permission, students must complete assessments independently, without substantial assistance from AI tools. In approved assessments, students must include a written statement detailing any tool’s use and the prompts applied. 

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Where a student faces unavoidable personal circumstances (e.g. illness or a death in the family) that mean the student is unable to submit a component of coursework, they may apply for an extension.  Requests for extensions of time must be submitted and approved using the online Extension of Time Application form available on Canvas:

https://www.forms.auckland.ac.nz/en/student/creative-arts-and-industries/design-programme-extension-of-time-application-form.html

Students should notify the Course Director/Course Coordinator of their situation as soon as practicable, and preferably before any due date. Notifications received after an assessment due date will be accepted, where this is reasonable, within the context of the course. If possible, students are encouraged to seek medical, counselling or other support from the most appropriate sources.

No extensions will be granted for problems such as accidentally erased computer files, which should always be prevented by keeping backup copies.

Learning Continuity

We undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions, the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. In the event of a disruption, the University and your course coordinators will make every effort to provide you with up to date information via Canvas and the University website.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 31/10/2024 12:27 p.m.