Module manager: Dr Omar Huerta
Email: O.I.HuertaCardoso@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is not approved as a discovery module
This module develops students' understanding and practice of the Product Design discipline through the approaching of design briefs/projects. This module will enable students to approach the different phases of the product design process while they explore and develop design proposals using a range of methods, practical skills and specialist knowledge.
On completion of this module, students will be able to;
- Design simple products navigating the Product Design process and using a variety of methods and tools across the different stages.
- Carry out basic design research activities and use it to inform the design and development of ideas through an iterative approach.
- Communicate design ideas at different levels and across the different stages of the product design process using the appropriate methods and tools.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Design simple products following an iterative Product Design process and using a variety of methods and tools across the different stages.
2. Carry out basic design research activities to formulate design requirements and inform the design, development and evaluation of ideas.
3. Visualise and communicate design ideas at different levels and across the different stages of the product design process using the appropriate digital (Adobe suite and SolidWorks) and/or analogue (freehand sketching and prototyping) tools and methods with elementary proficiency.
4. Design and develop solutions using a variety of solution principles, integrating standard parts, and considering the basic product structure (using exploded drawing and/or bill of materials), and key manufacturing processes.
5. Iteratively develop design ideas that consider form, construction and function, through freehand sketching, low-fidelity prototyping and 3D printing.
These module learning outcomes contribute to the following AHEP4 learning outcomes:
6. Select and apply appropriate computational and analytical techniques to model broadly-defined problems, recognising the limitations of the techniques employed (B3).
7. Select and evaluate technical literature and other sources of information to address broadly-defined problems (B4).
8. Design solutions for broadly-defined problems that meet a combination of societal, user, business and customer needs as appropriate. This will involve consideration of applicable health and safety, diversity, inclusion, cultural, societal, environmental and commercial matters, codes of practice and industry standards (B5).
9. Evaluate the environmental and societal impact of solutions to broadly-defined problems (B7).
10. Communicate effectively with technical and non-technical audiences (B17).
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills:
a. Managing Uncertainty, Ambiguity and Risk
b. Problem solving & analytical skills
c. Information, data and media literacies
d. Prototyping
The syllabus covers the following topics:
- Visual communication skills and sketching for product designers (including: perspective rules, use of light and dark for shading, line drawing techniques to communicate form and function).
- Basic skills in the use of professional design packages including image editing and vector graphics software packages (Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator) and computer-aided design (CAD) software package (SolidWorks).
- Basic model-making skills and their application to design prototyping.
- A stage-gated design process which reflects current industry practice.
- Experience of planning and delivering different design projects within such a process.
- Integration of other module content into design project work.
- Task management and basic project planning.
- Design Research, Identifying customer needs and defining design requirements.
- Conducting a focus group.
- Product architectures and design structures.
- Concept selection and design evaluation.
- Detail design and design for manufacture using manual processes, 2D computer driven processes and basic 3D printing.
- Human centric design.
- Human factors and ergonomics.
- Product usability.
- Ethics theory and practice including lectures/seminars on ethical issues related to Product Design.
Methods of assessment
The assessment details for this module will be provided at the start of the academic year
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Supervision | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| Lecture | 20 | 2 | 40 |
| Practical | 20 | 2 | 40 |
| Seminar | 20 | 2 | 40 |
| Independent online learning hours | 20 | ||
| Private study hours | 240 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 140 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 400 | ||
Students have the opportunity for regular formative feedback during the studio and review sessions.
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 02/05/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team