Aims and Fit of Module

Advancing postgraduate design researchers’ visualisation capabilities is relevant at three distinct, but interrelated levels: Designers visualise to communicate with themselves and with each other during design processes in order to generate ideas. Designers visualise forms, spaces, data and so on during design processes in order to evaluate ideas. Designers also visualise research and design outcomes at key stages throughout, and after design processes in order to communicate ideas to others.


The purpose of studying advanced design visualisation and communication is to develop generative, evaluative and communicative capabilities to enable, support, and enhance skills and awareness developed in other modules of this programme with regards to visual communications. For this purpose, this module deploys theoretical presentations, case study reviews and applied visualisation exercises, focusing on computational techniques as well as on processes of abstraction and reduction, aiming at clarity at all three levels mentioned above.


The objectives of this module are to provide students with the skills and awareness necessary to appreciate and produce visual design communication materials in two and three dimensional formats. Students participating in this module will learn how to develop and represent design using advanced tools and methods for the benefit of their own design, design research and design communication efforts.

Learning outcomes

A. Explain the working principles of Human Visual Systems.

B. Describe elements and formats of visual communication.

C. Apply advanced digital tools and techniques for 2D and 3D visualisation

D. Demonstrate generative, evaluative and communicative design visualisation techniques

Method of teaching and learning

The material in this module is delivered through a combination of formal lectures and practical sessions.