DE4020 - Studio Skills

The teaching and learning strategy for this module embraces the value of ‘learning by doing’. By the very nature of the subject matter and the skills taught, the experience of the module is hands on. Your participation during timetabled studio sessions gives you the opportunity to acquire technical skills and explore a range of materials and processes. Computer lab and workshop-based demonstrations will complement these studio sessions, enabling you to develop subject-specific knowledge and competencies that will later be required throughout your design projects.

Small group and individual tutorials throughout the module encourage active participation and dialogue around your own development, as well as providing an opportunity to discuss and clarify expected learning outcomes and assessment.


Formative assessment based on project work will provide the basis for feedback and competence development throughout the module. This feedback can be utilised for the presentation of a module portfolio for summative assessment. You will be encouraged to reflect on your own development through the creation and discussion of this end-of-module portfolio, helping you to become aware of how the skills and knowledge you have gained can be further developed and applied in subsequent design projects.

This module is supported by specialist component tutors within the formally taught timetabled sessions and via tutorials. Module contact time provides the opportunity for you to receive briefings, technical instruction, workshop inductions, presentations and on-going tutor and peer feedback (enabling you to use the views of others in the development or enhancement of your work). Contact time also provides an opportunity to clarify and discuss assessment criteria.

Tutor Guided Independent Learning/Student Independent Learning time will enable you to make constructive use of feedback received in class, and to take responsibility to direct your own learning needs outside of the timetabled sessions. Such learning may include a range of activities such as; contextual reading; developing computer software skills; prototyping media experimentation; photographic practice etc. The formal formative assessment points in the module provide you with a means to prioritise and structure this learning and promote personal responsibility in managing your workload. Formative assessment also provides you with the opportunity to apply feedback and improve your competencies before your final summative assessment.

The module has a specific virtual learning environment (eLearning Portal) which acts as resource where you can access all the relevant documentation including module briefs and guides, presentations and assessment requirements. The digital submission of work for both formative and summative assessment allows for expedient communication and the effective review of work whilst also utilising industry standard practices.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

Knowledge & Understanding:

? Evidence your knowledge of prototyping techniques and professional presentation standards through studio and workshop activity.

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

? Demonstrate an ability to learn and apply new prototyping methods and skills to extend your own approach to design practice.
? Evidence your ability to effectively use visual communication software in the presentation of design work.

Personal Value Attributes

? Demonstrate elementary employability skills via the ability to present work professionally.
? Identify areas of personal interest and future personal development in your own approach to prototyping and visual communication skills.

Visual communication consists of exercises and assignments throughout the module. These activities are formatively assessed as part of the teaching of the module.

Prototyping is constructed of studio and workshop exercises of increasing complexity throughout the module. These activities are formatively assessed as part of the teaching of the module.

Summative assessment of the module is via the submission of a portfolio at the end of block 1 (100%).

Feedback is written and delivered via tutorial review at the end of the module.

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This module introduces students to the professional studio skills required of furniture and product designers to conceive, develop and realise three-dimensional prototypes. The content of the module reflects the range of tools, techniques and materials designers use to effectively work out what artefacts could and should be like, before communicating these ideas to others. This module embraces the notion that students should develop their own personal, skilful and enjoyable approach to prototyping, which will better enable them to develop sophisticated and thoughtful responses to design briefs.