DE6025 - Design Process and Critical Evaluation

You will learn through studio discussions and the creation of a Process and Critical Evaluation document. The focus of this document will follow research, design development and outcomes created as part of your Final Major Project module. The exact nature and priorities of the document will therefore be determined by, and appropriate to your own individual project and its subject matter. You will learn through your studio and workshop activities, contextualise and position your work according to appropriate references and / or engagement with professionals or stakeholders.



Your document planning and drafting process will be supported through peer feedback during your Final Major Project module and encourages on-going personal reflection and critical analysis throughout.



You will be encouraged to think and work independently, investigating design challenges and researching through both primary and secondary sources, putting yourself in the position of others and designing through experimentation. Work on practical product design projects that reflect real-world challenges and your final designed outputs, prototypes, artefacts will be presented or exhibited to share your process with others. By the end of the module, you’ll emerge with a greater understanding of the Product Design process that will prepare you for tackling some of the latest challenges in a rapidly evolving design landscape.

Each project will begin with a comprehensive briefing that will outline and clarify the design project along with the expected learning outcomes, the module and project requirements / deliverables and a detailed schedule.



You will have regular weekly studio sessions to structure your learning experience. In these, you’ll participate in group discussions to receive guidance and feedback from your peers and tutors. Tutors are aligned to each module that relates closely to their own design expertise and experience providing specialist support, whether that is through prior professional experience, through ongoing industrial collaborations or through current research work undertaken within the University.



The module has a specific virtual learning environment (eLearning Portal) which acts as a resource where you can access all the relevant documentation including module briefs and guides, presentations and assessment requirements. The digital submission of work, both formative and summative assessments, allow for expedient communication and the effective review of work whilst also utilising industry standard practices. During core working hours for the Design School but outside your timetabled sessions and project dependent, you will have access to a wide range of technician-supported workshop environments. Project and solution driven, these will support all your making requirements including specialist model making materials, laser-cutting, 3D printing, creating sewn soft-products, sensors and electronics, photography and videography. CAD workstations and industry-standard digital modelling software are accessible on campus 24/7 in certain buildings.

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)

Knowledge & Understanding:

Show expertise in the skilled use of applications, tools, methods and production processes to professional standards.



Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

Critically analyse and reflect design research and development through a well-illustrated and communicated process book or media equivalent.



Exhibit judgment and strategy in the selection and application of design approaches, research and development methods throughout all stages of the design process.



Critically review your personal development and design artefacts. Suggest any areas for self-improvement or future exploration.



Personal Values Attributes

(Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):

Effectively communicate and present creative and complex design solutions to professional standards

Regular staged tutorials will provide formative feedback as part of the learning and teaching strategy of the module.



The module is summatively assessed via the submission of the Process and Critical Evaluation document at the end of block 3 and will form 100% of the module. The Process and Critical Evaluation will be an illustrated document of approximately 3,000 words.



Summative feedback is written and provided at the end of the module.

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This module runs alongside your Final Major Project and is intended to capture the design process and all your design decisions (both good and bad), allowing you to articulate your process and design thinking in an engaging way. This is an essential skill, allowing you to provide critical commentary and a reflective narrative around your project as a whole. The Critical Evaluation Report serves two purposes. Firstly, it should demonstrate a thoughtful approach to design, showing how you critically engage with, and respond to, the various influences that provide context for your project. Secondly, it evidences how you work as a designer. This latter aspect is particularly helpful in boosting your employability since employers like to see how you work on a day-to-day basis.