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dmu.ac.

uk/portfolio

Portfolio Advice

For UK and European Union applicants

Product Design BA (Hons) / BSc (Hons) / Design Products MDes


Furniture Design / Product and Furniture Design BA (Hons)

dmu.ac.uk/portfolio

Your portfolio
Product and Furniture Design courses are rigorous, demanding and rewarding. You should show a wide variety of skills and be confident
about both drawing on demand and creating prototypes in a workshop environment. If applying for BSc Product Design your portfolio does
not need not be as artistically accomplished as those of BA and MDes applicants, however your work should demonstrate both an interest
and knowledge of the more technical aspects of design and of engineering generally.
A good portfolio should consist of quality not quantity, be selective about what to include and avoid repetition. Ensure that your work is
clearly laid out and easy to look through. In addition to discussing your portfolio with you at interview we will also review your work beforehand. The most successful portfolios are those which show how well you visually, and technically, observe and explore a subject in which
you are interested.
Product and Furniture Design require an improving/high standard of drawing and a good analytical approach to problem solving. At inter
view, we want to see evidence of reasoned development as well as resolution.

What are we looking for?


We are looking for:
Creative problem solving
Innovative thinking
Idea generation
Idea development
An interest in product and furniture design
Visual awareness
The ability to think in 3D

dmu.ac.uk/portfolio

What should a portfolio contain?


Generally you should choose between 15 and 25 of your strongest pieces of work. You
should also consider that staff are keen to see design / artwork produced independently from a taught curriculum. The following elements should be included in your portfolio;
Sketchbooks
Include several recent sketchbooks or work books that show what has influenced you,
your research, sketch ideas, preparatory work, written notes, analysis of your work etc.
Tutors consider sketchbooks to be important to a portfolio, as they illustrate how you
approach your work, how you think and how your creativity develops.

dmu.ac.uk/portfolio

What should a portfolio contain?


Drawing
Product and Furniture Design both require strong/improving drawing ability
and are particularly interested in 3D
drawing; both observational (objects,
people) and concept (ideas and development) drawing.

dmu.ac.uk/portfolio

What should a portfolio contain?


Projects
Include examples of different projects you have undertaken, illustrating your
breadth of experience. Show the development work that demonstrates how you
think and work through a project from research to final presentation.
It is usually better to include photos of 3D models rather than bringing them to
interview. However, one or two easy to carry examples can be worth including.
We are interested in seeing your model-making abilities in whatever format is
easiest for you.

dmu.ac.uk/portfolio

What should a portfolio contain?


Digital Work
Include any computer-aided design or artwork you have produced (3D CAD, Photoshop, SketchbookPro, etc).
Written Work
Writing is an essential tool for designers to develop their critical and communication skills. It can therefore be helpful to include a piece of
recent written work, such as an illustrated essay, for interviewing staff to peruse prior to interview.

dmu.ac.uk/portfolio

Mini projects
Try working on one or more of the following briefs. Wed suggest that a full day of work for each would be the minimum. At interview, we
want to see evidence of reasoned development as well as resolution. A clear understanding of a products function / scenario of use is also
important.
If you need any advice regarding your interview or require any further guidance with these briefs or any other matter, then please contact
Stuart Lawson smlawson@dmu.ac.uk
Brief 1 (Product): Play
The role of play is important in the balanced development of people in preparation for the demands and challenges of adult life. Different
physical and intellectual skills are developed, usually in a safe and protected environment, using particular products and activities commonly
referred to as toys and games.
Toys, and the ways they are used might become games. The ways in which particular toys become beneficial or favoured may be quite profound. Therefore, good toys that children want to play with need to be carefully designed, well manufactured, and above all fun.



Research a small range of scenarios for toy use


Sketch a range of concepts for toys (for specific age ranges) that encourage learning through play (include annotations, ideas etc)
Develop the strongest concept using drawing and (if required) simple test rigs / models
Create an A2 or A3 detailed presentation of the best concept using hand-rendering and / or digital techniques. Describe how the product functions, how its used, who its for, what it looks like, how its made, its materials, technologies, etc

dmu.ac.uk/portfolio

Mini projects
Brief 2 (Product): Security & Safety
The brief requires you to research and develop a personal safety or security device for men, women, OAPs, children, postmen, social workers, etc. Aspects of the design you may consider: Emergency alarm, anti-theft, child location, child protection, Dementia support device, etc.
A key part of this project is to identify specific areas of need and then design a solution to fit this group(s).
Research a small range of scenarios / needs
Choose one scenario / need and develop three distinct concepts through sketching (include annotations, ideas etc)
Develop the strongest concept using drawing and (if required) simple test rigs / models
Create an A2 or A3 detailed presentation using hand-rendering and / or digital techniques. Describe how the product functions, how its
used, who its for, what it looks like, how its made, its technologies, etc
Brief 3 (Furniture): Compact Workstation
You are commissioned to design a workstation for compact accommodation, such as for student living etc, home working, hotels etc . You
should consider, but not necessarily include space for:

Laptop / PC (tower, monitor, keyboard), Combined printer/scanner, Disc storage, Document / paper storage, Cable management
The workstation (which could be a group of objects) should occupy relatively little space and be flexible to some degree. You could also
consider making your design compactable, i.e. minimise / store away when not in use. Your design should conform to ergonomic standards
proven by your research and experimentation.
Research a small range of scenarios / needs
Choose one scenario / need and develop three distinct concepts through sketching (include annotations, ideas etc)
Develop the strongest concept using drawing and (if required) simple test rigs / models
Create an A2 or A3 detailed presentation using hand-rendering and / or digital techniques. Describe how the workstation functions, how
its used, who its for, what it looks like, how its made, its technologies, etc

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