Product Design (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons)

Exploring Design (20 credit points)

• Study renowned designs and designers while developing research abilities related to Making and Materials and Drawing and Seeing modules.
• You will create a Professional Development Plan (PDP) for self-assessment and mid-year course review. Assessment includes workbook exercises, a poster presentation, and a visual essay, with opportunities for formative feedback to guide your development.

Drawing and Seeing (20 credit points)

• In this module, you will immerse yourself in the creation and use of sketchbooks, a vital tool for designers and architects. Through dedicated drawing sessions and creative exercises, you will enhance your freehand drawing skills and use your sketchbook as a means of creative thinking.
• You will engage in a series of prescribed drawing activities, receiving formative feedback through 1:1 sketchbook reviews and weekly "show and tell" sessions. By the end of the module, you will confidently understand the value of sketchbooks and be ready to use this skill moving forward in your studies.

Materials and Making (20 credit points)

• In this module you will explore the properties, textures, cost, durability, and sustainability of various materials. Engage in hands-on activities to understand basic fabrication techniques and make informed material choices for your design projects.

Future Living (20 credit points)

• Gain practical experience through hands-on drawing and making exercises, working collaboratively on initial design proposals, and completing a portfolio to showcase your creative solutions and teamwork skills.
• You will learn to identify and adapt to design constraints by creating a small living space within a re-purposed shipping container. Explore celebrated micro-home examples and utilize constraints to drive your innovative solutions.

Client, Object, Space (40 credit points)

• Work with industry clients on real-world or simulated design briefs, using your foundational skills to address challenges and create drawings, models, and a final poster and presentation. Weekly tasks guide you with clear, short-term goals and help you develop your ideas step-by-step.
• Build confidence in visual presentations and critiques, preparing you for undergraduate studies. Gain valuable insights into industry practices by exploring materials, fabrication methods, and collaboration, giving you a comprehensive understanding of how the industry operates.

Introduction to Design (20 credit points)

• You will begin to develop an understanding of the key attributes of being a designer in all that you do, especially in applying safe working practices within the studios and workshops. You will study issues and ideas exploring design from political, technological, social and economic perspectives.
• The aims of this module are therefore to develop knowledge and comprehension of the fundamental processes and practices of design; to promote imagination and creativity in the solving of problems and the development of artefacts; and to develop reflective, inquisitive, passionate individuals capable of debating issues in a critical manner and responding to the uncertainties and design challenges presented by the modern world.
• As part of this module you will learn key design communication techniques, which is a significant tool for any designer in supporting the design process. This will include a range of media and methods in 2D and 3D i.e. sketching, basic modelling and presentation skills.

Professional Design Contexts (20 credit points)

• You will contextualise your studies by considering key theories and concepts related to design, and apply these in practical scenarios. You will be expected to undertake research to inform and support your design activity and to communicate the narrative of your research, proposals and resulting outcomes to your tutors and peers.
• Alongside the contextual aspects in this module, you will also focus on design identity, specifically advancing your awareness of the design profession. As such, you will consider your position as a future designer, the opportunities available for designers, and developing your own identity within this field.

Design for Markets, Users & Manufacture (60 credit points)

• This module aims to develop your awareness of design; understanding the practical nature of design, markets, users and manufacturing. You will consider and apply these topics to design processes and relevant design methodologies that are often attributed to the creative perspective of product design.
• You will undertake a range of design projects, which will be individually or team-based. You will draw upon the learning you gain across this module when engaging in these projects in order to develop your own design practice.
• You will experience a range of design projects in this module, undertaking a number of product inspired projects that will involve the expression of your creative and technical talents.
• You will focus on the key factors related to the product design course; commercial context of design, users and markets, which are aspects integral to and for designers.

Design Communications (20 credit points)

• This module aims to develop your awareness of design; furthering your design skills and expanding on design communication as a tool to develop your own design processes.
• Studies on the module involve a number of techniques including sketching and rendering, computer aided design (CAD), modelling in 3D, verbal, electronic and written presentations. You will also develop your ability to present information in front of your peers, draw computer based skills, model in three dimensions, plan your time, gather information and communicate.

Professional Practice (20 credit points)

• The Professional Practice module will help you to contextualise your design studies in a professional remit. You will consider the broad view of the design profession, both historical and contemporary, and question where it is going in the future; along with reflecting on where you might sit within this profession. This will be supported by a work-like experience, framed by the Conversations on Design series delivered by industry professionals.
• This module will develop your critical and analytical skills to justify and evaluate your design approach. You will also learn about key subjects areas such as design management techniques, IP, sustainability and commercial awareness. You will develop a keen awareness of the breadth of the design industry, and the roles and ethical responsibilities of designers, manufacturers and consumers.

Advanced Design Communication (20 credit points)

• This module aims to further develop your design skills and expanding your awareness of design communication as a tool to develop your own design processes.
• This modules will help you to develop and utilise advanced communication techniques relevant to the design industry; CAD software, graphic and visual communication techniques, sketching, model making and rendering methods used to communicate design from the inception to manufacturing stages.
• This module enables you to develop your communication skills, which will enable you to enhance the work for the other level 5 modules; to create your portfolio, CV, design work and other industry facing material

Design Production, Markets & Innovation (20 credit points)

• This module will build on the knowledge, skills and attributes you have learnt in the first year of your studies and develops them to give you the confidence to practise as a product designer within the industrial and commercial parameters associated with the profession.
• Central to the module are a series of product design projects for which you will be given design briefs with real time deadlines. The focus of these projects relates to significant issues designers commonly face in their work; such as user centred design, ergonomics, digital design and changing culture and commercial markets. You will be expected to realise the full format of a designer’s outputs i.e. research, technical reports, technical drawings, CAD work, sketches, renderings, models, prototypes and simulations to an industrial and commercially accepted standard.
• The module focuses on a range of commercially-driven design projects and activities to provide a clear emphasis on the design profession. You will undertake a number of different projects, real-life ‘live’ briefs from industry and competition work, offering a clear work-like experience. The projects focus on user needs and characteristics, the market, product manufacturing, and commercial awareness.

Elective Design Project (40 credit points)

• This module centres around individual project choices. You will have themes, provided by your course team, that you can select a project from, and you will work on this for the entirety of the module.
• This module will help you develop your ability to conduct a project, integrating knowledge and skills you have gained from the programme.
• This module is design-orientated which may involve selection of materials, processes, prototype making, product testing and evaluation. Your approach to practical work will show autonomy, initiative, risk-taking and innovation and be clearly articulated and contextualised through visual, written and verbal means.

Exploring Design Futures (20 credit points)

• This module gives you the opportunity to explore and research a subject of your personal interest (based on course themes). The key outcomes of this is a research portfolio where you outline the research and key findings, trends and ideas that forms the thinking for your elective project work.
• The research document will focus your thoughts and plans for that which you intend to design and produce a body of work for later in this year. It also stipulates the plan for the project; specifically, the direction and choices you wish to make during the project. The format for this research portfolio will be discussed with you but these can range from a standard written piece, a visual essay, a film, or a critique. Topics should challenge you to source information, to maintain a sustained argument and to be critical and reflective.

Self-Directed Projects (Product Design) (80 credit points)

• This module encourages you to explore, research, propose and develop ideas, model, develop concepts and products through a chosen, self-regulated projects. The synthesis of information, skills and learned knowledge will help you develop your portfolio and personal stance on contemporary design.

Commercial Project (20 credit points)

• This module encourages you to explore, model, research, propose and develop ideas, concepts and products through a number of chosen and self-regulated projects.
• Your work will be driven by live industrial/commercial input and partners, developing real world solutions. The objectives of this module are therefore to promote the application of your skills, knowledge and understanding of design methodologies in the creative realisation of products, and to understand your own practise in a professional context.
• The Commercial Project Element projects are, set by industry/commerce or recognised student competitions. Commercial Projects have been run with companies such as: Habitat, Made.com, Forpeople, Kinner Dufort, Howdens, Very, Shoe Zone, Design Innovation in Plastics, RSA, Starpack, Allermuir, The Conran Shop, Magis.

Exploration & Context (20 credit points)

• The module gives you the opportunity to explore and research a subject of your personal interest that links to the self-directed project. The key outcome of this is a scoping document in which you present and discuss the research and key findings on topical, and relevant subjects of significance, that forms the thinking for your self-directed project work later on.
• The scoping document will focus your thoughts and plans for that which you intend to design and produce a body of work for the self-directed module.