Knowledge of Design Practice
Design practice focuses on developing conceptual designs in response to a brief. Knowledge of design practice includes understanding that designers identify the qualities and potential of design ideas in terms of the broad principles of design (aesthetics and function) and sustainability, and that they are influenced by societal, environmental, historical and technological factors.
Initially, students learn about:
- how design practice combines and prioritises different design elements and thought processes to initiate and develop ideas in a response to a brief
- how design and design thinking is a tool which is used to create new solutions to meet the needs of our society.
Students progress to complex to learning about how design is a unique human activity of inquiry and action that fosters innovation and creativity by using design and design thinking as a tool to create new innovative solutions that meet the needs of our society and the global community, for the future.
| Level 6 | Level 7 | Level 8 | |
| Demonstrate understanding of design principles and processes, and the work of influential designers | Demonstrate understanding of design movements or eras | Demonstrate understanding of approaches to design practice and the nature of designerly thinking |
| To support students to develop understandings about design principles, approaches and the work of influential designers at level 6, teachers could do the following. Develop understandings of two principles of design (aesthetics and function) and of their derived elements; such as shape, form, rhythm, balance, proportion, colour, contrast, durability, stability, flexibility/rigidity. Investigate key designers to develop an understanding of their design history and its continued impact. Promote opportunities for students to investigate different designers design practice to initiate and develop their own ideas. Promote students to ask questions of a given brief and explore the constraints in creative ways and to look for new directions. | To support students to develop understandings about design movements and eras at level 7, teachers could do the following. Seeing that the application (including their prioritisation) of design principles and elements is particularly susceptible to changes in fashion, taste, historical changes, technological advancements. Understand that the development of designs does not occur in a vacuum that there are recognisable links and influences. Visual motifs and concepts that emulate an era, style or historical. Promote students to be design thinkers by putting people first and to imagine solutions that are inherently desirable and meet explicit needs. | To support students to develop understandings of approaches to design practice and the nature of designerly thinking, at level 7, teachers could do the following. Promote students to be creative thinkers by continual questioning and critiquing of the "status quo" to expand design thinking and possibilities. Promote a variety of experiences for the purposes of initiating ideas. Support students to develop an advanced knowledge of specialist spatial design, including the specific design tools used, specific technical knowledge and specific visual communication techniques and approaches. Support students to develop an advanced knowledge of specialist product design, including the specific design tools used, specific technical knowledge and specific visual communication techniques and approaches. |
| Students are able to do the following. Select and research an influential designer. Identify and explain the aesthetic and functional characteristics of their chosen influential designer. Integrate aesthetic and functional characteristics of chosen influential designer when developing their own design ideas. | Students are able to do the following. Investigate a design era or design movement and explain the aesthetic and functional characteristics of the design movement or era. Describe social factors such as cultural, historical, societal and technological, that influenced the design movement or era. Interpret and embed into their own designs characteristics identified in the chosen design era and movement. Show understanding that design does not develop in a vacuum, it is affected by the circumstances of the society in which it exists and serves (for example, Bauhaus responding to the need for industrial growth after the First World War), and that the social, economic and political environment has a significant impact on establishing and evolving a designs movement. | Students are able to do the following. Critique design ideas In relation to their given context and in comparison with other alternatives. Describe interaction of design elements and how design judgments reconcile the various considerations. Show understanding of specialist knowledge related to the various fields of spatial design. Show understanding of specialist knowledge related to the various fields of product design. |
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AS91067 Design and Visual Communication 1.34Use the work of an influential designer to inform design ideas Standards & Assessment |
AS91340 Design and Visual Communication 2.33Use the characteristics of a design movement or era to inform own design ideas Standards & Assessment |
AS91627 Design and Visual Communication 3.33Initiate design ideas through exploration AS91329 Design and Visual Communication 3.32Resolve a spatial design through graphics practice AS91630 Design and Visual Communication 3.33Resolve a product design through graphics practice AS91631 Design and Visual Communication 3.34Produce working drawings to communicate production details for a complex design |