Visual Communication and Design: Brief, Audience and Resolution
Design as problem-solving
Visual Communication and Design is framed around a design process driven by a brief. Candidates must understand: the client and audience, the purpose and context of the communication, constraints (budget, format, timeline, legal and ethical considerations), research and idea generation, development of concepts, and final presentation. Know the difference between a visual communication (informing, persuading, identifying, instructing) and a purely aesthetic object.
Design elements and principles in practice
Apply the design elements (line, shape, colour, type, texture, form, space, tone) and design principles (balance, contrast, hierarchy, scale, cropping, proportion, repetition, movement) to solve a stated communication problem. Typography matters: typeface choice, weight, alignment, legibility and hierarchy must be justified by audience and message. Layout decisions - grid, margins, white space, focal point - should be explained in terms of reading order.
Traps in questions
- Designing attractively but ignoring the brief's audience, purpose or constraints.
- Using design terminology loosely (calling any repetition "rhythm", or any large element "hierarchy").
- Skipping development: presenting one idea with no evidence of alternatives tested.
- Forgetting legal and ethical issues such as copyright, cultural sensitivity and misleading imagery.
Worked example
For a brief targeting older readers, a strong justification reads: "A high-contrast serif typeface at a larger point size and generous leading improves legibility; the single-column grid and clear heading hierarchy guide the eye from headline to key message, meeting the brief's requirement for quick comprehension."
Rule of thumb
Test every design decision against three questions: does it serve the brief, the audience, and the message?