University of Technology Sydney

84116 Product Design Communication A

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.

UTS: Design, Architecture and Building: Design
Credit points: 6 cp

Subject level:

Undergraduate

Result type: Grade and marks

There are course requisites for this subject. See access conditions.

Description

The development of a visual language for the communication of design ideas and solutions to others is integral to the design process. This subject introduces students to a number of techniques and conventions that reflect the changing nature of communication in design. The ability to rapidly create ideation drawings allows the designer to investigate, develop and reflect on their ideas in a concrete way. The understanding of the conventional language of two-dimensional engineering drawing provides the essential information for products to be understood and produced by others.

Subject learning objectives (SLOs)

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

1. Understand and apply the conventions of orthographic drawing as they apply to Product Design.
2. Express fundamental knowledge of 2D geometric construction for part drawings as it applies to Product Design.
3. Be competent in 2D freehand sketching techniques as it applies to Product Design.
4. Apply appropriate 2D drawing techniques for the communication of 3D form as it applies to Product Design.

Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)

This subject also contributes to the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes:

  • Effective visual communication skills (C.2)
  • Industry specific practical and digital skills (P.1)
  • Accuracy, rigour and care (P.2)

Contribution to the development of graduate attributes

The term CAPRI is used for the five Design, Architecture and Building faculty graduate attribute categories where:
C = communication and groupwork
A = attitudes and values
P = practical and professional
R = research and critique
I = innovation and creativity.
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs) are linked to these categories using codes (e.g. C-1, A-3, P-4, etc.).

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject uses an inquiry-based learning strategy that involves students in researching and developing their own solutions to complex design challenges. The subject uses design professionals as studio leaders to ensure that all content and tasks are relevant to current professional practice in a global context. This subject includes active learning experiences where ongoing feedback is provided weekly in all on campus engagements. It is therefore imperative that students attend all on campus engagements. The subject is comprised of two 1.5h studios per week. The knowledge, relevant to the subject, is delivered in studio and will enable students to work on their assessment tasks. The knowledge provided includes information on the principles of communicating design work through ideation and measured drawing as they apply to Product Design. Prior to studios, students will be required to complete tasks for the studio leader relating to the assessment tasks. Students will be able to do this by reviewing reference material relevant to each week. In the studios, students will work on their communication tasks with the studio leader. The studio leader will be reviewing the work weekly and will provide feedback verbally.

It shall be the students' responsibility to record any feedback provided in studio. During pin-up presentations students will be expected to actively participate in collaborative peer review feedback. Grades and feedback on task submissions will be provided through Review.

Content (topics)

The subject will cover the following topic areas:

  • Fundamental elements of drawing – line, form, texture, perspective, light and shade, proportion and scale
  • Seeing, visualising and expressing
  • Shape and the definition of form
  • Various mediums
  • Planes, surfaces, lines
  • Complex surfaces
  • Orthographic multi-view drawing

Assessment

Assessment task 1: Ideation - Objects in perspective

Intent:

General

Drawing exercises conducted in studio to develop the ability to represent 3D forms and product designs by hand.

Format

A digital portfolio submission of design exercises to be submitted to the drop volume.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

4

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

P.1

Type: Portfolio
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Part 1: Ability to communicate design features demonstrated through the use ideation skills within the digital folio. 100 4 P.1
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Assessment task 2: Measured drawing - Application of orthographic drawing standards

Intent:

General

Drawing exercises conducted in studio in order to develop the ability to understand, measure and represent 3D objects with orthographic techniques.

Format

Measured drawings are to be completed on tracing paper and submitted to your studio leader in studio time.

Objective(s):

This task addresses the following subject learning objectives:

1 and 2

This task also addresses the following course intended learning outcomes that are linked with a code to indicate one of the five CAPRI graduate attribute categories (e.g. C.1, A.3, P.4, etc.):

C.2, P.1 and P.2

Type: Design/drawing/plan/sketch
Groupwork: Individual
Weight: 50%
Criteria linkages:
Criteria Weight (%) SLOs CILOs
Part 1: Demonstrated commitment to process evident in your folio of weekly exercises. 15 2 P.1
Part 2: Ability to produce an accurate orthographic part drawing. 25 1 P.2
Part 3: Ability to produce an accurate General Assembly drawing to AS1100. 60 1 C.2
SLOs: subject learning objectives
CILOs: course intended learning outcomes

Minimum requirements

The DAB attendance policy requires students to attend no less than 80% of formal teaching sessions (lectures and tutorials) for each class they are enrolled in to remain eligible for assessment.

Required texts

Boundy, A.W. (2012) Engineering drawing, 8th edn, McGraw-Hill Publishers, North Ryde, N.S.W.

Hlavács, G. (2014) The Exceptionally Simple Theory of Sketching Why do Professional Sketches look Beautiful? Amsterdam, The Netherlands: BIS Publishers.

Recommended texts

Henry, K. 2012 Drawing For Product Designers, Laurence King Publishing, London.

Olofsson, E., Sjölén, K. & Umeå Institute of Design (Sweden) 2005, Design sketching : including an extensive collection of inspiring sketches by 24 students at the Umeå Institute of Design, KEEOS Design Books, [Sweden].

References

Measured Drawing

Boundy, A.W. 2007, Engineering drawing, 7th edn, McGraw-Hill Publishers, North Ryde, N.S.W.

Boundy, A.W. 2012, Engineering drawing, 8th edn, McGraw-Hill Publishers, North Ryde, N.S.W.

Clemens, S.R., Cooney, T.J. & O'Daffer, P.G. 1983, Geometry : with applications and problem solving, Addison-Wesley, Menlo Park, Calif. ; Sydney.

Davies, A.G.J. 1967, Solid geometry in 3-D for technical drawing, Chatto & Windus, London.

Morris, R., Grant, P., Felton, V., Pipes, A. & Design Council. 1988, Drawing for engineers, videorecording, Design Council,, London.

Sierp, A. 1971, An advanced course in geometrical drawing, 10th edn, Sands & McDougall, Adelaide.

Sorby, S.A., Manner, K.J. & Baartmans, B.G. 1998, 3-D visualization for engineering graphics, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, N.J.

Standards Association of Australia. 1986, Technical drawing for students, 2nd edn, SAA, North Sydney.

Standards Association of Australia. & Standards Association of New Zealand. 1994, Technical drawing for students : joint handbook, Standards New Zealand, Homebush, N.S.W. Wellington.

Sved, M. 1991, Journey into geometries, Mathematical Association of America, [Buffalo, N.Y.].

Williams, R.A., Standards Association of Australia. & Institution of Engineers Australia. 1993, Engineering drawing handbook, [3rd edn, Standards Australia, Homebush, N.S.W.

Ideation

Baskinger, M., & Bardel, W. (2013). Drawing Ideas A hand-drawn approach for better design. New York: Watson-Guptill Publications.

Belker, H., Gnomon Workshop. & Design Studio Press. 2004, The techniques of Harald Belker, videorecording, Gnomon Workshop ; Design Studio Press,, [Hollywood, Calif.] [Culver City, Calif.].

Bresman, J. 1999, The art of Star wars: episode I the phantom menace, Del Rey, New York.

Ching, F. 1990, Drawing : a creative process, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.

Ching, F. & Juroszek, S.P. 1998, Design drawing, Van Nostrand Reinhold, New York.

Dantzic, C.M. 1999, How to draw : a complete guide to techniques and appreciation, Laurence King, London.

Eissen, K. & Steur, R. 2007, Sketching : drawing techniques for product designers, Page One, Singapore.

Hanks, K. & Belliston, L. 1977, Draw : a visual approach to thinking, learning, and communicating, W. Kaufmann, Los Altos, Calif.

Henry, H. 2012, Drawing for Product Designers, Laurence King Publishing, London.

Montague, J. 1998, Basic perspective drawing : a visual approach, 3rd edn, Wiley, New York;Chichester.

Olofsson, E., Sjölén, K. & Umeå Institute of Design (Sweden) 2005, Design sketching : including an extensive collection of inspiring sketches by 24 students at the Umeå Institute of Design, KEEOS Design Books, [Sweden].

Pipes, A. 1990, Drawing for 3-dimensional design : concepts, illustrations, presentation, Thames and Hudson, London.

Pipes, A. 2007, Drawing for designers, Laurence King, London.

Powell, D. 1990, Presentation techniques : a guide to drawing and presenting design ideas, Rev. edn, Macdonald, London.

Robertson, S., Gnomon Workshop (Firm) & Design Studio Press. 2004, The techniques of Scott Robertson, videorecording, Gnomon Workshop ;Design Studio Press,, [Hollywood, Calif.][Culver City, Calif.].

Smagula, H.J. 2002, Creative drawing, 2nd edn, Laurence King, London.