- Device and internet (for digital ideation)
- Notebook or digital portfolio for reference to guiding statement and inspiration page
- Paper
- Pencil/pens/markers
- Ruler
- Eraser
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Investigating Potential Sites
You Need
Think About
- Having a look at the achievement standard for generating ideas, found here: Achievement Standard (nzqa.govt.nz) This will help you understand what NZQA is looking for, helping you meet the standard
- The goal of idea generation is to use techniques to comprehensively explore the functional and aesthetic qualities of the design to reflect on and extend divergent design possibilities. This ideas can become convergent as research informs design decisions
- Design ideas are student generated responses to a design brief (such as a landscape design brief). The design ideas must have identifiable functional and aesthetic qualities
Let's do something!
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Understand all the possible techniques
In this standard, idea generation has a focus on using multiple visual communication techniques to explore design ideas with depth.
Visual communication techniques may include but are not limited to:
- Sketching
- Rendering
- Modelling/model making (e.g. mock-ups and 3D constructions)
- Collage and overlays
- Digital media (e.g. CAD, image manipulation and animation)
If possible, we recommend exploring as many of these techniques as possible, as the rearrangement of a model/mock-up may promote new ideas that can be sketched and rendered, helping you explore the possibilities of divergent design.
Chris's example of generating ideas through multiple techniques
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Use Research to Refine Ideas
To produce ‘design ideas’, you need to use your independent research that relates to the considerations of your design intentions and inspiration. This is where sculptural ideas become design ideas, meaning they have both functional and aesthetic qualities.
Functional qualities may include but are not limited to:
- Operation (e.g. movement and ergonomic interface)
- Construction (e.g. material and assembly)
- Size, scale, and proportion
.
Aesthetic qualities may include but are not limited to:
- Colour
- Tone
- Texture
- Pattern
- Shape
- Balance
- Surface finish
.
First, you may want to start off with 2D ideas which you can manipulate and arrange in multiple ways. Next, develop these 2D ideas into 3D ideas, giving dimension which helps you start exploring further design elements and principles, which is key to producing a successful outcome.
Chris's example of using research to refine design ideas
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Collate your Idea Generation in your Digital Portfolio
For safe keeping of your generated ideas, you should ensure that you have digital copies of them in your digital portfolio.
- For physical drawings, scan these in the scanner and email them to yourself to put in your digital portfolio
- For physical models, photograph them and email the images to yourself to put in your digital portfolio
- For digital media, take screenshots of the CAD models or animations, placing them into your digital portfolio
Chris's example of collating model ideation images in digital portfolio
Extra Help
If you need help in drawing 2D ideas in 3D, then watch the video below for some pointers to drawing exercises that will help improve your 3D visualisation skills
