Visual Communication Design
Subject Guide
Unleash the unlimited potential of design as a powerful communication tool. Through practical and theoretical components of the course, students analyse existing visual communications, examining how the design process is used in messages, objects, environments and interactive experiences. Practical work provides opportunities to explore the design process first-hand.
Unit focus areas
Units 1 and 2
Finding, reframing and resolving design problems
Design contexts and connections
Students explore the practices and processes used by designers to solve humancentred design problems while exploring the meaning of good design. They work through the design process to experiment with visual language and a range of methods, media and materials to create designs from the fields of environments, objects, messages and interactive experiences. Drawing methods, model making and digital design programs are explored to present resolved design concepts as final presentations.
Units 3 and 4
Visual communication design practices
Delivering design solutions
Students investigate how and where designers work, identifying the role of visual communication in professional design practice. They analyse designs from various fields of design in terms of how visual language is used to effectively communicate ideas to audiences or users. Students work through the design process to discover and define a design problem and then use a range of methods, media and materials to develop and deliver final concepts. This involves gathering research and inspiration, drawing ideas, creating models and mock ups of concepts, analysing feedback and using digital design programs to refine and resolve ideas into final presentations.
Pre-requisites
There are no pre-requisites for studying Visual Communication Design Units 1 and 2.
*For students wishing to commence VCE Visual Communication and Design at Year 11 we recommend also completing VCE Art Making and Exhibiting Units 1 and 2 OR VCE Media Units 1 and 2
Assessment
For Units 1 and 2, students submit a folio containing a range of design work (including all preparation and finished presentation drawings) and written tasks. Students complete an examination at the end of the year. For Units 3 and 4, students complete SchoolAssessed Coursework (20%), a School-Assessed Task (50%), and an end-of-year written examination (30%).