Application
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to adopt a professional, commercial approach to graphic design practice.
It applies to individuals who work autonomously across a diverse range of industry and community contexts. They could be employed by others in small or large organisations, operate as freelancers or set up their own studios.
No licensing, legislative or certification conditions apply to this unit at the time of publication
Elements and Performance Criteria
ELEMENT | PERFORMANCE CRITERIA |
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. |
1. Adopt professional work practices | 1.1 Develop and maintain a 1.2 Collaborate, communicate and share ideas with other professionals about creative and commercial aspects of graphic design 1.3 Evaluate the skills and knowledge needed to operate as a professional graphic designer 1.4 Evaluate own current skills and abilities and the need for further professional development 1.5 Evaluate all aspects of own practice on an ongoing basis |
2. Develop commercial skills for graphic design | 2.1 Assess the key commercial relationships that operate in the graphic design sector, and how they are affected by changing trends 2.2 Investigate costing practices and charges for graphic design work in different industry contexts 2.3 Assess the opportunities used by graphic designers to promote their services 2.4 Analyse the client perspective of graphic design and its impact on professional practice 2.5 Evaluate relevant information to build own approach to the commercial position of own practice |
3. Analyse the rights and obligations of graphic designers | 3.1 Evaluate the legal and moral rights and obligations of graphic designers 3.2 Practise work and business in ways that meet legal and moral obligations 3.3 Pursue own rights as a graphic designer consistent with own professional and ethical standards |
4. Pursue professional graphic design opportunities | 4.1 Evaluate new work opportunities for graphic designers at a local and global level 4.2 Identify and evaluate opportunities that exist in current and |
Evidence of Performance
Evidence of the ability to:
research and evaluate a broad range of professional and commercial information about graphic design
develop approaches and strategies for own practice based on research and reflection that address:
legal, ethical and moral obligations
business and design practice skill development
how to promote services
how to pursue new work opportunities
communicate with other professionals to collaborate and share ideas.
Note: If a specific volume or frequency is not stated, then evidence must be provided at least once.
Evidence of Knowledge
To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:
explain factors that influence the client perspective on graphic design practice
describe legal rights and obligations of graphic designer, particularly in relation to intellectual property
identify common professional development opportunities in graphic design
summarise the range of local and global work opportunities open to graphic designers
summarise current trends in graphic design and their effects on professional practice
identify key behaviour, skills and practices required in professional graphic design practice
describe typical ways business is done in graphic design practice including key commercial relationships
explain ways that graphic design work is costed and priced in different practice contexts.
Assessment Conditions
Assessment must be conducted in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates consistent performance of typical activities experienced in creative arts industry environments. The assessment environment must include access to:
opportunities for collaboration with others
sources of business information about graphic design.
Assessors of this unit must satisfy the requirements for assessors in applicable vocational educational and training legislation, frameworks and/or standards.
Foundation Skills
This section describes language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the performance criteria that are required for competent performance.
Skill | Performance Criteria | Description |
Reading | 2.1, 2.2, 2.5 | Interprets and assesses complex and varied information for use in own practice |
Writing | 1.2 | Extracts and records key facts, information and ideas from a variety of sources for personal use |
Oral Communication | 1.2 | Uses listening and questioning skills to gather information and confirm understanding Participates in exchanges of ideas and relatively complex information with others using language appropriate to audience and context |
Numeracy | 2.2 | Identifies and compares numerical information from different texts to assist business management of professional practice |
Navigate the world of work | 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 3.1-3.3 | Self directs own investigation and analysis of skills, knowledge and behaviours required to develop and maintain a professional practice Monitors legal and moral rights and obligations within own practice |
Interact with others | 1.2 | Selects and uses appropriate conventions and protocols to collaborate and share information |
Get the work done | 1.5, 2.1-2.5, 4.1, 4.2 | Takes responsibility for planning, sequencing and implementing tasks required to increase business-related skills and maximise design opportunities Systematically gathers and analyses relevant information to make decisions about the operation and future of own professional practice |
Sectors
Visual communication – graphic design