Course Outline of Record

Item	Value
Curriculum Committee Approval Date	10/02/2024
Top Code	061400 - Digital Media
Units	2 Total Units
Hours	72 Total Hours (Lecture Hours 18; Lab Hours 54)
Total Outside of Class Hours	0
Course Credit Status	Credit: Degree Applicable (D)
Material Fee	No
Basic Skills	Not Basic Skills (N)
Repeatable	No
Open Entry/Open Exit	No
Grading Policy	Standard Letter (S)

Course Description

Formerly: Studio Internship Prep. Design Industry Prep is a capstone course that prepares students for professional careers in design. It covers essential aspects of professional work, including effective problem-solving, crafting compelling narratives, creating high-quality pitch decks, and managing contracts and workflow. Students will enhance their soft skills in this course and apply their previously-acquired design skills to a mock client project—practicing, from start to finish, pitching, managing a project, creating assets, and presenting/delivering those assets. This course should be taken toward the end of the DMAD program. ADVISORY: DMAD A115, DMAD A182, DMAD A190, DMAD A193, and DMAD A200. Transfer Credit: CSU.

Course Level Student Learning Outcome(s)

1. Interpret and create effective creative briefs, develop visual identities, produce high-quality design assets, and present design solutions professionally, from concept to delivery.
2. Craft compelling narratives, creating persuasive pitch decks, and communicating design solutions through various digital platforms while effectively participating in design critiques.
3. Manage project workflow, including timekeeping, project management, and invoicing, and develop the ability to frame design problems and set clear expectations with others.

Course Objectives

• 1. Understand how to analyze and develop creative briefs.
• 2. Develop and showcase the ability to create a visual identity for a brand or group.
• 3. Effectively produce assets that support the presentation of design solutions.
• 4. Learn to present and communicate design solutions to others effectively.
• 5. Engage in critiques of design solutions, including those of one?s own, peers?, and professionals.
• 6. Enhance skills in narrative design and create compelling pitch decks for projects.
• 7. Demonstrate effective communication through various digital platforms.
• 8. Become familiar with tools and systems for timekeeping, project management, and invoicing.
• 9. Strengthen abilities in framing design problems and setting appropriate expectations with clients and co-workers.

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Lecture Content

Introduction to the Design Industry Overview of professional design career paths Importance of soft skills in the design industry Understanding and Creating Effective Creative Briefs What is a creative brief? Key components and purpose How to interpret and analyze creative briefs Writing and developing a comprehensive creative brief Visual Identity Creation for Brands Introduction to brand identity and its importance Key elements of visual identity: logos, color schemes, typography, etc. Case studies of successful brand identities Practical workshop: Creating a visual identity for a mock client Design Asset Development: From Concept to Execution Producing high-quality design assets (web, print, social media) Tools and techniques for asset development Best practices for consistency across multiple design platforms Crafting Compelling Narratives for Design Projects Storytelling principles in design How to connect design solutions to brand narratives Techniques for creating a strong narrative arc in a design pitch Creating Persuasive Pitch Decks Structure and key elements of a professional pitch deck Best practices for presenting design solutions visually and verbally Tailoring pitches to different audiences (clients, stakeholders, teams) Presenting Design Solutions: Techniques for Effective Communication Delivering design presentations with confidence Visual communication strategies for non-designers Handling questions and feedback during presentations Participating in and Leading Design Critiques How to give and receive constructive feedback Effective critique methods for peer and professional work Using feedback to improve design solutions Communicating Design Solutions Through Digital Platforms Best practices for showcasing designs online (social media, websites, portfolios) Effective communication on collaborative platforms (e.g., Slack, Teams) Digital presentation tools and software Timekeeping, Invoicing, and Managing Project Workflow Introduction to time management tools and techniques for designers Basics of invoicing and project budget management Best practices for maintaining efficient project workflow Project Management for Designers Project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, etc.) Tools for design project management (Trello, Asana, Monday.com) Planning, scheduling, and tracking design projects effectively Framing Design Problems and Setting Client Expectations Techniques for identifying and framing design problems Setting and managing client expectations throughout a project Communication strategies for ensuring alignment with stakeholders Contracts, Client Management, and Professional Ethics in Design Understanding design contracts and legal considerations Managing client relationships and negotiations Professional ethics and maintaining integrity in design work

Lab Content

Break down real-world creative briefs and develop original briefs for mock clients. Create a complete visual identity (logo, color palette, typography) for a mock brand or group. Produce a series of cohesive design assets (print, web, social media) aligned with the visual identity created. Develop a narrative structure for a design project, connecting the brand s story to the visual elements. Build a persuasive and professional pitch deck using provided templates and guidelines. Practice presenting design solutions to peers and receive feedback on communication style and content. Conduct and participate in peer critiques of current design projects, focusing on constructive feedback. Use collaborative platforms to share, discuss, and iterate on design projects. Set up and manage a mock design project using time management tools. Create sample invoices and project budgets for a client project, learning proper pricing and billing practices. Organize and track design project milestones using project management software. Practice framing design problems and drafting clear communication emails for clients or team members. Draft a basic design contract and role-play client negotiations, focusing on clear terms and expectations. Execute a full mock client project, including brief development, asset creation, pitch deck presentation, and final delivery. Rehearse and refine final project presentations, incorporating feedback from peers and instructors.

Method(s) of Instruction

• Lecture (02)
• DE Live Online Lecture (02S)
• DE Online Lecture (02X)
• Lab (04)
• DE Live Online Lab (04S)
• DE Online Lab (04X)

Instructional Techniques

Lecture, discussion, critique (instructor/student), research

Reading Assignments

Students will spend 1-2 hours per week on: Readings from the required text Reading from assigned online resources

Writing Assignments

Students will spend 1-2 hours per week on: Writing peer critiques Drafting project objectives Preparing client emails

Out-of-class Assignments

Students will spend 1-2 hours per week on: Prepare client-ready designs. Research current design trends. Design projects using appropriate software Attend on-campus student art shows Sketching and conceptualizing drawing

Demonstration of Critical Thinking

Samples of individual student work, project or course-embedded assignments, skill observations, and tests.

Required Writing, Problem Solving, Skills Demonstration

Papers, projects or presentations, portfolios, case studies, reflection essays, and critiques.

Eligible Disciplines

Commercial art (sign making, lettering, packaging, rendering): Any bachelor's degree and two years of professional experience, or any associate degree and six years of professional experience. Graphic arts (desktop publishing): Any bachelor's degree and two years of professional experience, or any associate degree and six years of professional experience. Multimedia: Any bachelor's degree and two years of professional experience, or any associate degree and six years of professional experience.

Other Resources

1. Selected handout materials to be provided and distributed by the instructor.