A circular graphic divided into four sections, each with white human figures and orange accents: figures interact with objects and environments, hold balls, enter a dome, and an orange cursor clicks—all on a gray background.
The image is completely blank with a plain white background and no visible objects, text, or features.
The image is completely blank with a plain white background and no visible objects, text, or features.
The image is completely blank with a plain white background and no visible objects, text, or features.
The image is completely blank with a plain white background and no visible objects, text, or features.
The image is completely blank with a plain white background and no visible objects, text, or features.

VCD Fields of
design practice.

VCD 2024

What kinds of
designers
are there?

Design is an activity where a person conceives, visualises and prototypes an artefact or product that meets a user’s need. Design happens in almost every area of life and business from transportation through health, education, banking, consumer products, environments, and visual communications. Each of these spheres is known as a ‘field’. Although there are many different fields of design, VCE Visual Communication Design identifies four ‘fields of design’. These are Objects, Environments, Messages and Interactive experiences. This page explains what designers do in each of these fields.

Takeaways

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Fields of design practice

Fields of design practice are specialised areas where designers work to create artifacts or products that meet users' needs, with each field focusing on different types of design challenges. VCE Visual Communication Design identifies four main fields: Objects, Environments, Messages, and Interactive Experiences, each requiring specific skills, materials, methods, and understanding of particular factors that influence designs in that area.

  • Messages
    Designers in the Messages field create visual communications that convey ideas, concepts, and information to audiences using visual language including signs, typography, and graphics. They produce things like branding packages, advertising, animations, packaging, and editorial illustrations to express values, influence behaviour, and guide, inform, or educate viewers.
  • Objects
    Designers in the Objects field create consumer products ranging from small items like pens to large transportation vehicles, with the key objective of improving quality of life for people and communities. They focus on creating the right relationships between objects and people through ergonomics, while considering factors like sustainability, usability, accessibility, and environmental impact.
  • Environments
    Designers in the Environments field create structures and spaces for the 'built environment,' ranging from urban planning and master plans to homes, interiors, and virtual gaming worlds. They consider influencing factors such as location, climate, sustainability, accessibility, aesthetics, and the emotional effects of structures, forms, light, and materials on users.
  • Interactive Experiences
    Designers in the Interactive Experiences field create digital experiences, systems, and products that actively engage users, including software interfaces, apps, websites, and educational games or simulations. Their primary goal is to create relevant, intuitive, and engaging experiences that are enjoyable and meaningful for users, requiring a deep understanding of user needs and preferences.
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Messages
Objects
Environments
Interactive experiences

Four fields of design

Just as there are many kinds of specialist doctors, designers working in each field are specialised in the needs of their particular area. These include the needs of target audiences or users and the particular factors that influence designs in the area. The ways associated designers use materials and methods and how they use visual conventions, including the elements and principles of design in each particular field.

Contemporary designers are culturally literate, socially aware, and environmentally responsible agents of change. They are often active cross-arts practitioners, drawing inspiration from all forms of artistic and multicultural trends, icons, fashions and symbols. They understand how design is influenced by life and how it can influence how people work, relate and live. Contemporary designers engage with and contribute to multi and transdisciplinary teams.

Designers work differently in different fields of design. The Double Diamond Design Process broadly represents the major stages designers go through and the kinds of thinking they use. However, students need to understand that designers work differently and the differences between the approaches to working in each design field. Differences between designers in different fields include (not surprisingly) what they design, how and where they work or are employed, roles and relationships with clients, copyright, legal and statutory obligations that apply to their field, how they form a brief, how they respond to a brief, the methods and media they use to visualise and develop design concepts, the specialists they collaborate with, the software media they use, how they share ideas for feedback with their clients and other designers and how they present design solutions to clients.

Within the four fields of design, are distinct design disciplines. These are kinds of specialisations within each field. For example, many kinds of designers work in the field of environments, such as an architect, a landscape architect, an interior architect, a theatre set designer, an exhibition designer, and game and virtual environment designers.

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Messages

A simplified white human figure stands before a grid of nine circles, highlighting the interactive nature of design. The top center circle glows orange while the others remain gray, suggesting focus among various fields or environments.
What they design

Designers in the field of Messages design things that communicate ideas, concepts information to audiences. Building on the principles of communication developed in the history of visual arts, designers of messages use visual language including signs to express values and ideas, influence behaviour and decision-making, and guide, inform and educate viewers.

Designers of messages produce graphics such as branding packages, iconography, signs and wayfinding, advertising, promotions, TV and movie credit sequences, animations and motion graphics, typography and typographic layouts, editorial illustrations and packaging. They are at the centre of advertising and promotional campaigns.

What they use
Message designers use manual and digital-based methods and media, including various software tools, to create and manage visual content for print, digital media, and other forms of visual communication. Some of the most common software used by designers of messages include:

  • Adobe Creative Suite: This is a collection of vector and raster-based software tools, including Photoshop®, Illustrator® and InDesign®. Communication designers use these tools for photo editing, graphic design, and layout design.
  • Sketch: This is a popular design tool for creating interfaces and user experience (UX) designs. Communication designers use Sketch to create wireframes, mockups, and prototypes for digital products.
  • Figma: Is a cloud-based design tool that is popular among communication designers for its collaborative features. Designers can work together on the same project in real-time, making it easy to share designs and get feedback.
  • Procreate®: Is a drawing and painting app that is popular among communication designers for creating digital illustrations and other types of artwork.
  • Adobe After Effects® and Blender®: Are motion graphics, visual effects and animation software tools that communication designers use to create animations, videos, and other types of dynamic content.Top of Form

Conventions include
Designers in the field of messages use the conventions of typography, layout,  iconography, packaging, signs and infographics. These kinds of conventions refer to the generally accepted practices for encoding and communicating ideas and information. Conventions for packaging nets are technical drawing conventions.

A man with glasses sketches geometric designs in a notebook at a wooden desk, surrounded by markers, a keyboard, and a computer displaying a logo that reads LIFESTYLE.
A designer of messages. ( Image: Rawpixel@shutterstock.com).

Disciplines within this field
Disciplines and careers within the field of messages include graphic designer, web designer, art director, illustrator, animator, visual effects and typographer.

Collaboration with specialists
Message designers collaborate with designers from other fields and typographers, photographers, printers, signwriters, copywriters, web designers and developers.

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Objects

Simple illustration of a person holding an orange bowling ball in each hand, set against a light gray circular background. This design highlights how interactive objects can communicate messages within visual environments.
What they design

Designers in the field of objects design consumer products from the size of a pen or ear pod right up to automotive and rail transportation. The key objective of an object designer is to improve the quality of life for people, communities and society. This is achieved by creating the right relationships between objects and people, including the study of ergonomics. As objects require the consumption of the earth’s resources in their creation, production and disposal, object designers are influenced by environmental factors such as sustainability, (renewable) energy production and pollution. Other influencing factors include human behaviour, aesthetics, concepts of ‘good design’, usability and accessibility.

Designers of objects design packaging, electrical and digital electronic goods, tools and machinery, home appliances, jewellery, glasses and vision devices, toys, toilets, tapware and bathroom equipment, cutlery and kitchen utensils, furniture, cars and transportation vehicles – interiors as well as exteriors.

What they use
Designers of objects use various types of software to create and refine their designs. Some of the most common software applications include:

  • Computer-Aided Design (CAD) software: The feature of Computer-Aided Design (CAD) is the objects are visualised in a limitless three-dimensional space, can be created using 1:1 scale dimensions and their designs ‘output’ (printed or saved) in a range of two and three-dimensional drawing methods, using industry-standard conventions, such as Third Angle Orthogonal, paraline and perspective drawing methods. Additional advantages of CAD include the ability to export ‘models’ into more advanced rendering programs to produce incredibly lifelike depictions, the ability to assign materials with specified properties to parts of a CAD model for strength testing and parts fit testing prior to manufacture and the ability to export CAD models for 3D printing as low or high-fidelity prototypes including camera ready or functioning models. Fashion designers also use CAD programs and work between two-dimensional technical flats and three-dimensional body forms. Some popular CAD software applications include SolidWorks®, AutoCAD®, and Fusion 360®.
  • Rendering software: This type of software is used to create photo-realistic images and animations of products. KeyShot® and V-Ray are two popular rendering software applications.
  • Sketching and drawing software: Industrial designers often use digital sketching and drawing tablets and software to create initial design concepts. Some popular applications are Sketchbook® Pro, Adobe Illustrator®, and CorelDRAW®.
  • 3D (surface) modelling software: This type of software is used to create and manipulate 3D models of products. Some popular 3D modelling software options are Rhino®, Blender®, and 3ds Max®.

Conventions include
Designers in the field of objects use generally accepted practice conventions and technical drawing conventions. Examples of generally accepted practices include the kinds of forms used in objects, the uses of materials, the position and layout of controls, etc. Technical drawing conventions include Australian Standards conventions for Third Angle Orthogonal drawing and paraline and perspective drawings.

A hand draws chair design sketches on paper at a cluttered desk covered with other sketches, scale models of chairs, a ruler, and drawing tools.
A designer of objects. (Image: Chaosamran_Studio@shutterstock.com).

Disciplines within this field
Disciplines and careers within the field of objects include industrial and product designer, furniture designer, fashion and textiles designer, and jewellery designer. Automotive design is a further specialisation.

Collaboration with specialists
Object designers collaborate with designers from other fields, engineers, photographers, computer programmers and ergonomic experts.

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Environments

A simplified illustration of a large white figure and a smaller white figure standing near a gray dome-shaped building with a dark doorway, set on an orange and beige background—evoking interactive environments and design messages.
What they design
Designers in the field of environments design structures and spaces for the ‘built environment’. They design commercial and residential projects ranging from urban planning on a metropolitan scale, through master plans for multi-building facilities like universities and shopping centres, urban and botanical garden scapes, performance and exhibition spaces, office and apartment towers, to homes and interiors, theatre sets and now recently, built landscapes of the virtual, gaming and 3d animation world. Designers of environments respond to and consider influencing factors such as location, climate, orientation, sustainability, energy consumption, accessibility and usability, aesthetics and the emotional effects of structures, forms, voids, light, surface, and materials.

What they use
Environmental designers use manual and digital-based methods and media and various software tools to create digital models of environments, simulate lighting, and test various design ideas. Some of the commonly used software by environmental designers are:

  • CAD software known as BIM (Building Information Modelling) software: These programs not only draw parts of buildings but each drawn item automatically includes information about the component, for example, wall sheet or glass thickness. This allows the user to output not only visual-based information such as scale-based two-dimensional plans, elevations and sections, and three-dimensional paraline and perspective drawings but also schedules, quantity, area and volume estimates, cost and maintenance estimates and shadow models. Typical architectural software includes ArchiCAD® and Revit®. The software user can access and enter information on their models in either a two or three-dimensional space.
  • Rendering Software: Rendering software is used to create realistic images and animations of environments. Environmental designers use rendering software to create visualizations that can help clients better understand the design. Examples of rendering software used in environmental design include Twinmotion, V-Ray and Lumion.
  • CAD modelling software: Designers in the field of environments for video games and films typically use surface-based CAD software. These models are constructed to look like the things that they represent but do not have the information of BIM programs. The software they typically use includes (Rhinoceros ®) Rhino, 3DS Max®, Maya®, Blender®, and Cinema4D for modelling, lighting, rendering, camera and animation.
  • Virtual Reality (VR) Software: VR software is used to create immersive virtual environments. Environmental designers use VR software to create interactive virtual environments that can help clients experience the design before it is built. Examples of VR software used in environmental design include Unity and Unreal Engine.

Conventions include
Designers in the field of environments use generally accepted practice conventions and technical drawing conventions. Examples of generally accepted practices include the use of materials and layouts for building design. Technical drawing conventions include Australian Standards conventions for Plans and Elevations and paraline and perspective drawings.

A woman reviews architectural blueprints at a desk with a laptop, calculator, and plans spread out in front of her, appearing focused on her work.
A designer of environments. (Image: BalanceFormCreative@shutterstock.com).

Disciplines within this field
Disciplines and careers within the field of environment include urban designers, architects, landscape architects, interior designers, theatre set designers, exhibition designers, game designers, concept artists and animators.

Collaboration with specialists
Environment designers collaborate with designers from other fields, engineers, heritage consultants, town planners, lighting designers and aborists.

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Interactive experiences

An orange computer mouse cursor icon with radiating click lines, centered on a circular background with alternating light and dark horizontal stripes, evokes interactive environments and dynamic fields of design.
What they design

The design field of interactive experiences refers to the creation of digital experiences, systems, services and products that actively engage and involve the user in some way. This includes designing interfaces for software applications, creating interactive installations for public spaces, apps, websites and social networking sites or developing educational games or simulations. The primary goal of interactive experience design is to create relevant, intuitive and engaging experiences that are enjoyable and meaningful for the user. This requires a deep understanding of user needs and preferences.

The design of interactive experiences involves elements such as aesthetics (using visual language), sounds, motion, time and space. Furthermore, the Interaction Design Foundation refers to five dimensions of IxD. These are words (type) used to identify parts of an experience, visual representations like icons that supplement words used to communicate information, the physical objects (hardware, device) or space in which the user experiences the interaction, time including motion, animation and feedback to the user and the amount of time the user has for the interaction, and the user’s behaviour including gestures when they are using the interactive experience.

Interactive experience designers often work closely with other professionals in a larger user experience (UX) team, such as user researchers, graphic designers, and software developers. They may use a variety of tools and techniques, such as prototyping, user testing, and user interface design, to create effective and compelling interactive experiences. Students in VCE Visual Communication Design are not required to make functional interactive products, they present their design solutions as static visualisations or storyboards illustrating the user’s experience.

What they use
Interactive experience designers use manual methods to develop and test ideas and digital-based methods and media to resolve, prototype and test design concepts. Digital media includes various types of software to design and create digital experiences. Here are some of the main types of software that interaction designers use:

  • Design tools: Design tools are used for creating wireframes, mockups, and prototypes of user interfaces. Some popular design tools used by interaction designers include Sketch®, Figma, Adobe XD®, and InVision Studio.
  • Prototyping tools: Prototyping tools allow interaction designers to create interactive prototypes of their designs. These tools help designers test the usability of their designs and gather feedback from users. Some popular prototyping tools include Axure, Proto.io, and Principle.
  • Animation tools: Animation tools are used by interaction designers to create animations and transitions that help guide users through the user interface. Some popular animation tools used by interaction designers include Adobe After Effects®, Lottie, and Haiku Animator.
  • Code editors: Interaction designers may also use code editors to create or edit code for their designs. This is especially important for designers who work with front-end development. Some popular code editors used by interaction designers include Sublime Text, Visual Studio Code, and Atom.
  • Collaboration tools: Collaboration tools are used by interaction designers to work with their team members and clients. These tools help designers share files, communicate, and get feedback on their work. Some popular collaboration tools used by interaction designers include Slack, Trello, and Asana.

Conventions include
Designers in the field of interactive experience design use many generally accepted practices and legal and best practice conventions. Examples of generally accepted practice conventions include the use of layout, typography, colour schemes, iconography, sounds, haptics, animation and those defined by the Gestalt principles of visual perception. Legal and best practice conventions include accessibility and those defined by WC3 codes.

A woman with curly hair and glasses sits at a desk, working on a desktop computer displaying code. A laptop with code on the screen is next to her. The workspace is bright and modern with plants.
A designer of interactive experiences. (Image: SeventyFour@shutterstock.com).

Disciplines within this field
Disciplines and careers within the field of interaction design include interaction designers (IxD), user experience designers (UX), web designers, mobile designers, content strategists and information architects.

Collaboration with specialists
Interactive experience designers collaborate with designers from other fields, User Experience designers, web designers, coders, animators, sound engineers and writers.

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