
Introduction To Product Design Short Course
Course description
How do designers generate ideas? Where do ideas come from? A finished product is a combination of understanding form, function and material. In this beginners course, you'll be encouraged to look for ways of arriving at new possibilities. With an emphasis on the creative process and self-direction, it will take you from an initial brief through to your own product design and presentation.
The course will give you a taster of what practising product design involves. Although there will be some soft model making, this is a studio-based, rather than a workshop-based course. The focus will be on the generation of ideas and design thinking.
You'll explore how to represent design concepts through drawing exercises and how to document ideas through sketches and photographs. You will also be introduced to a number of processes and vocabulary employed in 3D design.
There will be tutor briefs and presentations, but students can expect to spend a considerable amount of class time developing their own design ideas.
Course Outcomes
By the end of this course, students will:
- Allow the introduction and application design methodologies which may inform and expand to your ideas.
- Communicate the design through 3d means with the introduction of soft modelling.
- A body of work which can presented for a portfolio for further studies.
- An underpinning for your own personal projects.
- Translate and communicate your designs through the means of technical drawing which is a good under pinning for introduction into C.A.D.
- Consideration about materials and construction.
- Storytelling of the product through the use visual means to communicate the visual language and the function of the product.
- You will gain an insight into perspective drawing to explore your ideas through drawing.
- Turn your ideas into concepts.
Entry requirements: none
Level: Beginners
Please note: this course is for students aged 18 and older
Clear, easy to understand lessons:
- Our tutors will explain things in easy to understand, accessible English. If they need to use any special terminology, they will make sure they explain what they mean.
- New methods will be shown to students through live demonstrations, in a way that’s crystal clear and easy to understand.
Experience life on campus:
- Study at Central Saint Martins, Granary Square a world-famous art and design college
- Network and share ideas with students from across the globe
- Access the technology and materials relevant to your discipline
- Ask questions of your tutor in real time
- Receive feedback and critique on your assignments
- Experience the many sights of London on your down time
All our online short courses include:
- Live and interactive online lessons with classmates from around the world
- The same course content and learning outcomes as our face to face courses
- Lesson recordings, for review, so you never have to miss a class
- Access to the virtual learning environment with course content
- Forums for support
- 2 weeks online access to the recordings of the live classroom sessions
- Ask questions to your tutor in real time
A certificate of completion:
- You've put the work in so we want to make sure you have something to show for it!
- As long as you attend a minimum of 80% of your classes, we will provide you with a certificate of attendance.
- However we always recommend you attend all of the classes so that you get the most out of the experience!
- Certificates are a great addition to your CV.
Available dates
Details
Topics covered:
We will start with a short introduction to the college’s design orientation and library resources.
Using a four-stage design model (research, idea generation, development, and presentation), practice-based projects will guide students through the language and the practices of product design. The course will cover:
- professional terminology
- 2d and 3d design
- sketch-drawing
- studio soft model making
- design development
- manufacturing processes
- orthographic drawing
- presentation
Materials
Please bring with you to the first session:
On campus:
- A4 layout pad
- Fibre tip pens, sizes 0.1, 0.5, 0.7mm
- Set of coloured pencils
- Scissors
- Craft knife
- 300mm ruler.
Online Short Course Materials:
To take part in the Online sessions you will need:
- An up-to-date web browser (we recommend Firefox or Chrome)
- Microphone and headphones (a headset with a microphone function is recommended)
- Webcam
- Strong Internet connection via WiFi or ethernet; 2G, 3G or 4G will not be sufficient
Meet the Tutor
Pay by:

In this course you'll be encouraged to look at ways of arriving at new possibilities. With an emphasis on the creative process and self-direction, it will take you from an initial brief through to your own product design and presentation.
Contact us:
- Central Saint Martins
- Telephone +44 (0)20 7514 7015
- Address 1 Granary Square King's Cross London N1C 4AA
-
College: Central Saint Martins
Make an enquiry - Sign up to our mailing list
- Contact
- Central Saint Martins
- Short Courses
- +44 (0)20 7514 7015
Address
- 1 Granary Square
- King's Cross
- London
- N1C 4AA
Follow us