Unit 4 Outcome 1 | assessment task | Published: November 17, 2024 | Revised: June 27, 2025






Design process: refining and resolving design concepts
How do designers resolve design problems?
VCD UNIT 4 AOS 1 V2 2025
Turning up
the heat!
In this Area of Study, students use Convergent Thinking in the Deliver phase of the Design Process to evaluate and select the best concepts for refinement. They resolve their use of Visual Language including conventions and ways they communicate ideas and information. Following this refinement they prepare mock-ups for a formal class presentation known as the Pitch, where they will present design concepts and receive feedback from their peers. Finally, they will process the feedback and further resolve design concepts, ready for the design and construction of design solutions, next. Let’s get started. Turn up the heat!
This Area of Study will use one phase of the Double Diamond Design Process: Deliver. It will refer to Components 7 – 10 on the Target Learning SAT workflow diagram.
outcome

What students need to do
ON COMPLETION OF THIS UNIT THE STUDENT SHOULD BE ABLE TO
-
refine and resolve distinct design concepts for each communication need, and devise and deliver a pitch to communicate concepts to an audience or users, evaluating the extent to which these meet the requirements of the brief.
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024 – 28 p. 38. )
CAUTION

Good to know
Learning and assessment tasks
Introduction

This image illustrates a typical workflow for Unit 4 Area of Study 1. Updated 23 March 2025.
Model answer
Students resolve selected design concepts, present them in a formal pitch and receive feedback to enable the refinement of concepts for each communication need.

A POOCH Convergent Thinking strategy used to evaluate and select design ideas for refinement. Georgia-Mae Salvo.

Another strategy for evaluation of design ideas. Eve Wells.

This page shows refinement of Visual Language including the use of technical drawing conventions. Raphael Nichols.

This page shows a method of evaluation used to select concepts for the Pitch. Raphael Nichols.

This is a mock up presentation prepared for the Pitch. Harry Tinker.

This page is a summary of the feedback comments received in the Pitch. Harry Tinker.

Further refinement was made to the building forms after reading the feedback from the Pitch. Raphael Nichols.

In the further refinement, the student resolved the use of technical drawing conventions. Raphael Nichols.
VCD Design process
The VCD design process is a framework that illustrates the process designers use. It is based on a model conceived by the UK Design Council in 2003. There are four stages to the VCD double diamond design process. Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver. Each uses different kinds of thinking. Sometimes designers need to think outside the box. Thinking outwards is called Divergent Thinking. At other times, they are trying to narrow and refine their ideas. This is called Convergent Thinking. The Design Process structures everything a designer does, from generating their first inspiration to delivering a design solution to their client.
Areas of study in Target Learning VCD emphasise different stages of the VCD Design process.

The VCD double diamond design process. Note the positions of Divergent and Convergent thinking.

Discover
Use Divergent Thinking to challenge assumptions and explore design problems and opportunities.


Define
Use Convergent Thinking to analyse, evaluate and present information for Human-Centred design.


Develop
Use Divergent Thinking to challenge assumptions, test and explore ideas with unexpected results.


Deliver
Use Convergent Thinking to evaluate, refine, resolve and present design solutions to meet audiences and users' needs.

Graphic indicators representing each stage of the design process used in Target Learning VCD.
Jump to
Component 7
Component 8
Component 9
Component 10
Component 7
select & Refine
key knowledge

What we will learn about
key knowledge points for this outcome
- the Deliver phase of the VCD design process
- the role of the brief and convergent thinking when refining and resolving design concepts
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024-28, p. 39)

Deliver
Use Convergent Thinking to evaluate, refine, resolve and present design solutions to meet audiences and users' needs.

Introduction
Compare, Consider & Select
Students use critical thinking techniques to organise comparisons between several preferred ideas and to provide data that can be used for the identification of ideas that have the best potential and to select concepts for development, refinement, resolution and delivery.
A Pugh Matrix is a simple way to score ideas against the Design Evaluation Criteria drawn from the brief. Students create this kind of chart and rate the ideas they think are most suited for each communication need.
Other evaluation and data creation methods for selection include S.W.O.T (strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis and P.O.O.C.H. (Problem, Options, Outcomes, CHoices). Both tables support perspective shifting, allowing the student to examine ideas from different points of view. Other perspective-taking exercises can be used individually or collaboratively.
Teachers may ask their students to use a critical thinking technique that they think would be best to support the evaluation of their design concepts. The intention is to reveal data to be compared and evaluated. This can be done qualitatively or quantitatively. (Through comments or numerically).
For the process of elimination of ideas, Target Learning suggests the Pugh Matrix as it is a simple way to compare several design concepts with each other and to add up scores drawn from Design Evaluation Criteria.
Further information on evaluating and selecting concepts can be found here. Further information on Critical Thinking techniques can be found here.

A Pugh Analysis table used to compare five ideas against Design Evaluation Criteria. Anne Nguyen.

A S.W.O.T. Analysis used to compare two design ideas. Jesse Briffa.
Jump to
key skills

How I will demonstrate skills and knowledge
key Skills points for this outcome
- apply the Deliver phase of the VCD design process
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024-28, p. 39)
task

Show I know ...
1.1 Evaluate and select
Jump to
Refine & Resolve Visual Language & Conventions
key knowledge

What we will learn about
key knowledge points for this outcome
- features and functions of the design elements and principles used to create and resolve design concepts
- manual and digital methods, media, materials and conventions used to create design concepts
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024-28, p. 39)
Design elements and principles
The Design Elements and Principles including the Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception, are used to create aesthetic and functional effects. When students refine and resolve design concepts they draw, redraw and adjust their compositions, layouts, objects, environments or interactive sequences. They may change how the components of designs are present within them by substituting design elements, such as line, colour, shape, etc., or they may change how the components are arranged and relationships are created between them. These may be through adjusting design principles such as balance, scale, contrast, proportion, etc. Finally, students who are working in the fields of Messages or Interactive Experiences may consider how ideas are being perceived and understood through their designs by investigating the effects of the Gestalt Principles of Visual Perception. All these techniques are part of developing expertise in the use of Visual Language.
Explore intentional ways to develop concepts with Design Elements and Principles here.
Methods media & materials
The methods, media, and materials used in design concepts are also resolved together with the Design Elements and Principles. Students continue to explore and validate the use of these components of Visual Language for the aesthetics and function of designs.
Explore intentional ways to develop concepts with methods, media and materials here.
Conventions
The Deliver phase is the appropriate time to learn and adopt the conventions for the fields of design students are working in. These may be stylistic conventions related to conceptions of good design or conventions for technical drawings. Students must familiarise themselves with and use the technical conventions for drawing methods such as Packaging Nets, Technical Flats, Third Angle Orthogonal and Plans and Elevations. Students can access the conventions for these methods by pressing the links here.
Students working in the fields of Objects and Environments use two-dimensional technical drawings to convey information about products and buildings, such as 3rd Angle Orthogonal drawings and Plans and Elevations. Students become familiar with these methods and adopt the conventions in documentation drawings. They may also depict objects or environments using three-dimensional methods such as paraline (isometric and planometric) and perspective (one and two-point) views. These typically begin as manual drawings but may then be constructed digitally using vector-based media. In addition, many CAD applications can output paraline and perspective views of their models for students.
Refine Communication of ideas & information
Jump to
Jump to
Describe, evaluate & reflect
Students should use reflective thinking to describe and evaluate their process of refinement and resolution of their design concepts. Suggestions for annotating designs include;
- Describe the design elements and principles they have selected and used
- Evaluate the use of design elements and principles used, against design criteria
- Describe the materials, methods and media they have selected and used
- Evaluate the use of materials, methods and media used, against design criteria
- Identify and evaluate design decisions against relevant principles of good design
- Evaluate the aesthetics of design concepts against design criteria
- Evaluate the functions of design concepts against design criteria
- Describe and evaluate the role of factors in influencing decisions in the design solutions
- Identify and describe the role of stakeholders, audiences or users in influencing decisions in design solutions
- Any other information that informs the reader on reasons for design decisions



Three folio pages that represent both refinement of design elements and principles and the incorporation of conventions for nature lovers’ books. Olivia Willsher.

Ensuring that designs communicate as clearly as we intend. Alyssa Ngo.

The digital media Blender was used to create three-dimensional views of this environmental form. Spencer Au.

Laser cutting was used to create an actual model of a library. Spencer Au.
key skills

How I will demonstrate skills and knowledge
key Skills points for this outcome
- select and apply a range of manual and digital methods, materials, media and conventions, together with the design elements and principles to resolve design concepts
- use convergent thinking strategies to refine and resolve design concepts
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024-28, p. 39)
task

Show I know ...
Please note:
The following four tasks can be taken separately or combined. Each one is aimed at refining separate components of visual language. However, in reality, design elements and principles, methods, media and materials and conventions will be combined to communicate ideas and information in design solutions. The point of showing them separately here, is for students to understand that each aspect must be considered.
2.1 Resolve Design Elements and Principles
Resolve your use of the design elements and principles including the Gestalt principles of visual perception. Use separate drawings for each test.
This is a major part of the folios for each communication need, so give it all you have. Use separate A3 folio pages for each iteration of learning and using conventions. If you are working digitally, save different versions of your work for your folio.
2.2 Resolve methods, media and materials
Resolve your use of methods, media and materials. Use separate drawings for each test.
This is a major part of the folios for each communication need, so give it all you have. Use separate A3 folio pages for each iteration of learning and using conventions. If you are working digitally, save different versions of your work for your folio.
2.3 Adopt Conventions
Gain a clear understanding of the conventions used in documentation drawings for the field(s) of design you are working in. These could be stylistic conventions or technical drawing conventions for designs in the fields of Objects and Environments. If you are working in these last two fields, you will need to document the objects or environments you are designing. Flick back up to the links for technical drawing methods shown above to access the conventions for these methods.
Use separate A3 folio pages for each iteration of learning and using conventions. If you are working digitally, save different versions of your work for your folio.
2.4 Refine communication of ideas & information
Use the information you have gained from your convergent thinking techniques to improve how your designs communicate with audiences and users. Are your ideas coming through strongly?
2.6 Document your design journey
Jump to
Component 8
Mock-ups
In this brief section, students prepare mock-ups or prototypes for one design concept for each communication need. The first step will be to evaluate their many design concepts and select the two they will mock-up to present for the pitch.
Make data visible
key knowledge

What we will learn about
key knowledge points for this outcome
- methods and techniques used to evaluate, test and resolve design concepts
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024-28, p. 39)
Convergent thinking strategies
During the resolution process, students are required to use Convergent Thinking to evaluate design decisions and document their design journey with informative annotations. The first step is to select appropriate Critical Thinking techniques, such as P.M.I., S.W.O.T. and P.O.O.CH. These are great frameworks for investigating design concepts in detail and signposting future steps. Students should use these at different stages during the Delivery phase of the Design Process.
For more information on Convergent Thinking, visit this page.

A POOCH analysis to evaluate design concepts. Olivia Willsher.

A SWOT analysis to evaluate design concepts. Harry Tinker.
Jump to
Mock-up presentations

Mock-up presentation 1. Cable organiser. Harry Tinker.

Mock-up presentation 2. Packaging. Harry Tinker.

Mock-up presentation 1. Nature book. Olivia Willsher.

Mock-up presentation 2. Portable greenhouse. Olivia Willsher.
Evaluate mock-ups
Students place a copy of each mock-up in their folios and evaluate how effectively they have met the design criteria.
key skills

How I will demonstrate skills and knowledge
key Skills points for this outcome
- test and evaluate the suitability and quality of refined design concepts, drawing on the requirements of the brief
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024-28, p. 39)
task

Show I know ...
3.1 Use convergent thinking to select concepts for pitch
Select and use a critical thinking strategy to examine your design concepts in detail against your design criteria and evaluate them so that you can select the preferred concept for each mock-up. Create separate A3 folio pages for each critical thinking routine you use. Flick back to the links for these techniques above to access them in detail.
3.2 Create mock-ups
Place your selected design concepts on a mock-up presentation for use in the pitch. Mock-ups can be created manually or use digital methods to combine components. Make one mock-up presentation for each communication need.
3.3 Annotate mock-ups
Copy each mock-up into a separate sheet and evaluate how effective they are for presenting ideas or information to audiences or users.
Jump to
Component 9
Present & explain
In this section, students use a more formal collaborative technique called a ‘pitch’ to obtain constructive feedback on design concepts. This technique is a variation on the one professional designers, art directors, or chief designers use to propose design concepts to clients before production begins. Similarly, students in VCE VCD present and explain their developed design concepts to their class, where they receive feedback that they can use to further resolve and refine them. This somewhat daunting step is made simple with appropriate guidance and planning.
key knowledge

What we will learn about
key knowledge points for this outcome
- techniques used to deliver a pitch to present and explain design concepts
- the extent to which design concepts meet the requirements of the brief
- conceptions of good design
- legal and ethical obligations relevant to the designer’s work
- appropriate design terminology.
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024-28, p. 39)
The pitch
Plan pitch
Produce written and visual material
Students prepare written and visual material to support them as they explain the design problem and the design thinking and design decisions that have enabled them to create a design concept that meets the needs of their target audience or users. The visual material comprises the mock-ups and other support material that will help students to explain how they have addressed the design criteria and conceptions of good design. Teachers may ask students to prepare feedback strategies, paper or digital forms, for their peers to record feedback. Alternatively, teachers may create these forms for their students.
Present pitch
Students will present the pitch to the class following their teacher’s directions. Support materials for the pitch, such as mock-up concept boards or models, may be presented in real life or digitally by making a PDF file.
Students must present information that allows their peers to comment on:
- the extent to which the design concepts satisfy the requirements of the brief
- the incorporation of the students’ conceptions of good design in each design concept
Please note: teachers must ensure that a suitable method is provided for students to record constructive feedback on their peers’ concepts before conducting the pitch presentations.
Further information on presenting a pitch can be found here.
Receive and incorporate feedback
Following the presentation of pitches, students will receive feedback about the effectiveness of their designs. They should process and present the feedback showing how well their audiences felt their design concepts met their design criteria. This evidence will be used to inform decisions about how to refine the designs for each communication need. Below are images that show ways students have processed the feedback and used it to sign-post their next steps in resolution.

This summary of feedback shows the raw data, a summary of the positives and negatives then what needs to be improved. Raphael Nichols.

This summary shows what was done well, what can be improved and a priority list for what must be done. Harry Tinker.

This evaluation of feedback shows the raw data, positives and negatives and then a comprehensive moving forward section. Olivia Willsher.
Legal and ethical obligations
Students must demonstrate an understanding of the legal obligations of designers when using any material that the students did not generate in their presentations. This includes but is not limited to images, typeface designs, text, colour swatches, patterns, etc. Each instance of non-original material must be referenced by placing the source beside the resource.
Further information on how to cite references can be found here.
Jump to
key skills

How I will demonstrate skills and knowledge
key Skills points for this outcome
- devise and deliver a pitch that supports the presentation of one design concept for each communication need
- apply practices that fulfil the designer’s ethical and legal obligations
- use appropriate terminology to document the refinement and resolution of design concepts.
(VCE VCD Study Design 2024-28, p. 39)
task

Show I know ...
4.1 Plan pitch
Follow your teacher’s directions on what to include in your written and visual material for your pitch presentation and how to provide it when required. Remember, it is not a ‘how I made it’ presentation, but a ‘why I made it’ one.
4.2 Present pitch, offer feedback
Take turns presenting your pitch. Be respectful of your classmates and listen carefully as they explain their designs. When asked, provide constructive feedback about their designs on the form your teacher provides.
4.3 Analyse and present feedback
Take the feedback you have received and consider it carefully. Process the data, identify common trends and present it on separate A3 pages for your visual diary. Ways to summarise feedback include;
- View, consider and present raw data
- Synthesise five positives and five negatives from your feedback
- Synthesise five areas you need to improve
- Suggest five ways you will be able to achieve the improvements. Reference your design criteria and conceptions of Good Design
4.5 Ethical & legal obligations
Jump to
Component 10
Further resolution
The final step for Unit 4, Outcome 1 is for students to resolve their design concepts so they are ready to be presented in the next outcome. Students will act on the summaries of the feedback they received in the pitch for the refinement and resolution of concepts.
Resolution
Students act on the feedback they have processed and synthesised from the pitch. They should resolve and refine each concept by losing themselves in the methods, media and materials, visual language and conventions they are using to evoke emotions or communicate ideas and information to audiences and users. This is the most exciting time. A time when students get to see the results of their work.

Further refinement and resolution involve getting every detail of a design exactly right. This may entail going back and re-making certain components or just tweaking them over and over. Don’t forget to print your work at each stage of refinement. Alyssa Ngo.

Resolving the final details of a logo and business card. Jesse Briffa.

Resolving the frame structure of the portable greenhouse. Olivia Willsher.

A resolved third angle orthogonal drawing. Olivia Willsher.
Jump to
task

Show I know ...
5.1 Refine design concepts
Refine and resolve each selected design concept carefully to ensure that it fulfils the requirements of your design evaluation criteria. Print each version of your refinement and place them on A3 pages for your visual diary.

assessment criteria
The criteria for assessment of the SAT is published annually under the title 'VCE Visual Communication Design: Administrative information for School-based assessment in (Year ...)'. It is usually published in February of the relevant year.
Click here to visit the VCAA VCD page where assessment and other information can be found.
Please note: To achieve good marks in criteria-based assessment, you must include some work for each part of the task. Spread your time evenly across the tasks.