Design Studies study guides

A module overview of Design History and Movements for O-Level Design Studies (NP05): the Arts and Crafts movement, Art Nouveau and Art Deco, the Bauhaus and Modernism with 'form follows function', the Swiss Style (International Typographic Style), Postmodern and contemporary design, and how design responds to the Singapore context.

A module overview of Design Principles and Elements for O-Level Design Studies (NP05): the visual elements (the building blocks such as line, shape, colour and texture) and the principles of design (the rules for arranging them, such as balance, contrast and hierarchy), plus colour theory, typography, composition and the Gestalt principles of perception.

A module overview of Materials and Techniques for O-Level Design Studies (NP05): the properties of common materials and how to select them for a purpose, materials and techniques for model-making and prototyping, paper and print finishing, surface finishes and treatments, and digital design tools including the raster-versus-vector distinction.

A module overview of Sustainable and User-Centred Design for O-Level Design Studies (NP05): putting the user at the centre, ergonomics and human factors, inclusive and universal design, sustainable design and life-cycle thinking with the 6 Rs, the circular economy, and the ethical and social responsibilities of designers.

A module overview of the Design Process for O-Level Design Studies (NP05): how a designer moves from a brief and research, through ideation, a written specification and prototypes, to testing and iteration. Covers why the process is cyclical rather than linear and how each stage feeds the next, the backbone of the Design Project coursework.

A module overview of Visual Communication and Presentation for O-Level Design Studies (NP05): the principles of communicating a message to an audience, branding and identity, packaging design, posters and information design, wayfinding and signage, and presenting and pitching design work with justified decisions.