Design 3

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• The importance of understanding the design brief, the clients requirements and design constraints
• The importance of the influence of the environment, sustainability and health and safety on the design solution
• How to communicate the final design in writing, in drawings and in a verbal presentation
• Methods of progressing the detailed design phase
• The need to generate options during the conceptual design phase which meet the brief but exceed purely functional requirements
• The process of selection of a preferred conceptual design
• The nature and progression of a design project from brief, through options to final concept and design output

Transferable and Generic Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Problem analysis and problem solving
• CAD-IT
• Decision Making
• Planning and organising
• Critical Analysis
• Group work/team work

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Plan the work required to complete the project
• Investigate the brief, the requirements of the notional client and any constraints on the design
• Solve problems encountered during the design
• Produce final design report and drawings
• Analyse the brief for the project
• Utilise literature, online resources and software to complete the design
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the conceptual design options
• Defend the choices made during the project and the final design
• Create conceptual designs that satisfy the brief and the constraints
• Select the conceptual design option which best satisfies the brief and the constraints
• Communicate the design in writing and verbally in a presentation
• Organise into an effective team
• Carry out detailed design of the chosen solution

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Apply your knowledge and skills learned in other modules of the programme to conceptual design.
• Apply your CAD skills to the production of construction drawings.

A choice of four design projects will be offered, covering topics across the range of Civil and

Environmental Engineering. Details of the projects on offer will be circulated near the end of Semester

1 and project selection will take place at the start of Semester 2.

Teaching and learning methods

You will work in a group of 4 or 5 students on a design project chosen from four available options. There are a small number of timetabled sessions, detailed below, but much of your time will be spent in independent study. It is the responsibility of the project group to plan their work, and organise their time and work schedule. There will be regular meetings with the supervisor(s) and where appropriate outside consultants.

The lecture and tutorial sessions are:

• An introductory lecture in Week 1.
• A concept design tutorial in Week 2, where groups work together for a full day on their conceptual designs, within a supervised environment.
• A 2-hour tutorial in Week 5 in which you will present conceptual designs to your supervisor(s) and other project groups.
• Three lectures: (1) on report writing and setting out calculations, (2) on detailed drawing practice, and (3) a refresher session on drawing in Autocad (weeks 7-9).
• A regular weekly tutorial, typically of about 1 hour, with your project supervisor(s).
• Two or three seminars on creative and detailed design will be given by guest speakers from industry.

Resources & Reading list

General Resources

Design resources. A wide range of design resources will be made available in electronic form on the course Blackboard. This includes information additional to the brief, design codes and guidance documents, information and design tables/charts for proprietary products, details of recommended texts and other library and online resources to support design work.

Assessment strategy

Referral will be via an individual written set task, related to the design project carried out during the course of the semester, and submitted as a short report, calculations and drawings.

Formative

This is how we’ll give you feedback as you are learning. It is not a formal test or exam.

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.

Referral

This is how we’ll assess you if you don’t meet the criteria to pass this module.

Repeat Information

Repeat type: Internal