1. Apply knowledge of professional contexts to produce a practical outcome relevant to Product, Furniture, Ceramics. Knowledge and understanding

2. Use digital tools relevant to Product, Furniture, Ceramics to support creative production. Digital Literacy

3. Communicate your work to academic, professional, or non-specialist audiences. Communication

4. Reflect on how employability and enterprise concepts inform your developing practice in Product, Furniture, Ceramics. Personal Development & Entrepreneurship

Assessment 1:

Digital Modelling Project Digital Project file of project work and professional development. Typically including:
CAD file/s as appropriate
Professional Renders
Presentation Boards
Animation
3D Printed prototype

Reflective Report / Presentation

Option 1: Reflective Report (1,200 words)
Option 2: Recorded or live presentation (5–6 minutes)

You will produce a reflective submission, in written or verbal form, that communicates your design work to an appropriate audience and critically reflects on your development.

Your submission should:
Clearly present and communicate your work to academic, professional or non-specialist audiences
Reflect on your design process, including the use of tools, techniques and workflows
Demonstrate how employability and enterprise concepts have informed your developing practice within Product, Furniture and Ceramics

Formative Assessment:
Midway formative feedback will be embedded within practical sessions, providing structured opportunities for feedback on work-in-progress to support student development and progression.

This module will explore the use of visualisation techniques relevant to your discipline and wider work. You will consider the process of visualisation and explore how tools are suited to different stages of the design process. You will also develop an ability to show scale and context by using mixed reality and augmented reality techniques. You will accurately create digital models and images to support the design and development of a concept. The module will also explore the use of rapid prototyping and 3D printing to support the visualisation and testing of objects.

- Using industry standard software, you will gain an understanding of fundamental modelling and visualisation techniques.
- You will produce digital models and images to effectively communicate the function, shape, colour and texture of an object.
- You will produce a reflective report, which analyses the success of your digital modelling and visualisation output.

A designer’s ability to visually communicate a concept is fundamental. In this module you’ll be introduced to software that allows you to successfully develop, communicate and represent your ideas. You will learn to utilise visualisation tools to produce high-quality communication material. You will model and render 3D objects and learn how to export digital models for 3D printing and technical drawings. You’ll follow on-screen demonstrations contribute to workshops and develop the ability to apply learning to other design projects.

Sessions will include:
- taking part in software demonstrations and tutorials.
- Working one-to-one with staff to support your skills development.

You will also:
- Work independently, on-campus or remotely on your digital projects.
- Make use of video tutorials to support your learning.
- Reflect on your practice as part of the written report.

Cottrell, S. (2023) Critical thinking skills: Effective analysis, argument and reflection. 4th edn. London: Bloomsbury Academic.

Students are encouraged to utilise integrated software tutorials alongside curated online resources, including video platforms and forums, which will be signposted via Blackboard to ensure access to current and up-to-date materials.

The purchase of software instruction books is not recommended, as video-based resources are typically more effective and remain aligned with evolving software developments.

- Student Life: https://www.youtube.com/@uniofstaffsstudentlife/videos
- University Careers: https://staffs.careercentre.me/Members
- University Library: https://libguides.staffs.ac.uk/library
- Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment will support this module where relevant
- Specialist Spaces and Workshops
- Smart Zone
- CAD Labs
- Print Bureau
- Betty Smithers Design collection