DES 360: Design Systems and Planning
Creative and consistent design thinking starts here
A design is more than an individual piece, it needs to be integrated into a system. You will begin your exploration of contemporary design systems with a focus on how to apply them when planning, developing, and advancing your design work. What kind of professional designer do you aspire to be? In collaboration with faculty advisors you will review and analyze your current portfolio and identify what kinds of design you want to develop and produce during your program of study and beyond. Together, we will create an individualized education plan will serve as a roadmap for the remainder of your Bachelor’s degree program. To put your plan into action, during this class, you’ll research design trends and potential careers, develop and execute a quality portfolio project, and develop a list of potential employers to contact for your internship.
Visit the Student Gallery.
About This Course
Project-Based Learning
This course will set the stage for a student's success in the remainder of the BFA degree program and beyond. Students will assess their career and portfolio goals, and develop a customized education plan to get the most out of the program. For the creative project in this course they will create a style manual by analyzing the design choices of an existing publication and use that knowledge to develop a publication style guide of their own design.
What Skills Will I Develop?
Students in this course can expect to learn to:
- Explore and evaluate contemporary design systems.
- Apply design systems principles when conceiving and implementing a final design project.
- In collaboration with the instructor, review and analyze your current portfolio including a focus on identifying missing components and/or areas that need further development.
- Create an individualized academic plan that will serve as a roadmap for the remainder of your Bachelor’s degree program and to present and update during future courses.
- Research and analyze design trends, potential careers, and develop a list of potential employers to contact for your internship.
- Review the Student Internship Handbook in preparation for securing an internship opportunity prior to enrolling in DES 410 Entrepreneur & Internship course.
What Software and Supplies Do I Need?
- Computer with Internet connection.
- Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign CC.
Course Instructor(s)
The course is taught by the following instructor(s):
Andrew Shalat
Andrew Shalat is an author, designer/illustrator, educator, and Mac expert who is a regular speaker at Macworld and has written several books on design for McGraw-Hill and Peachpit Press.
Course Outline
Design Systems
We will explore how establishing a set of rules gives you a space to create and play. We will show how the worlds of game design, visual design, and interface design are interrelated, so you can understand how you can set the rules.
Swiss Design: A Case Study
We examine some design systems created by designers in mid 20th century Europe and Russia. We will explore the Swiss Design Style and the impact of Constructivism, and look at the works of Josef Müller-Brockmann, Armin Hoffman, and Massimo Vignelli to explore how the concepts of design systems and design thinking emerged.
Design Systems Today: UX/UI
Companies like Apple, Google, Adobe, and Microsoft each have their own design systems to account for the constantly changing, flexible demands of user interfaces. We'll look at how the UX/UI industry is establishing new standards for designers today.
Your Portfolio As A Design System
Your portfolio is a system, or it should be! To prepare you for your upper-level courses, we'll discuss where you are, and where you want to go, with your creative portfolio.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How Do The Courses Work?
Our courses are project-based and instructor-led. In each course you’ll complete a series of lectures, projects, discussions, and critiques designed to stretch your creative skills. Weekly assignment deadlines keep you on track, so you can build your studies around your schedule. Two live Zoom meetings in this course provide the opportunity to work 1to1 with your instructor.
Who Are The Instructors?
Our courses are developed and taught by our industry-leading faculty of creative professionals. This means that you’ll learn in-demand skills, get feedback on your work, and build a portfolio of creative work. View our Student Gallery for featured student projects.
When Can I Start?
Classes start January, April, and August, and this course is completed in a 15-week term. This course is part of a Bachelor's Degree program at Sessions College.
How Do I Register?
To register for a program, complete our program application. This course is not available for individual enrollment; it can only be taken as part of a program.
Is Sessions College Accredited?
Yes. Since 2001, Sessions College has been accredited by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC). The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a recognized accrediting agency and is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).