After successfully completing the course, a student:has developed a visual literacy and an awareness of the importance of visual design in digital media and print media, is familiar with the domain-specific vocabulary, is able to identify essential design flaws in others' visual designs and knows how to avoid such in his/her own designs, is able to make appropriate decisions regarding font selection, color selection, and element layout for visual designs,is familiar with some of the basic psychological processes involved in visual communication and interpretation of visual information, andunderstands and can use the fundamental concepts, elements and principles of visual design.

lectures • discussions • in-class hands-on exercises • design project (group work)

Not only artistically talented persons and design experts can create purposeful and appealing visual designs. This course is for the beginning “visual communicator” or anyone who wants to know how to create convincing visual designs (such as for graphical user interfaces for desktop applications and mobile apps, web pages, posters, presentation slides, flyers, and text documents). This course provides the theoretical and practical foundations necessary for effective visual communication.Topics:human-centered designvisual psychology / human perceptiondesign theorytypography / textcolor theorygraphics / images

Many introductory books in visual design cover all (or most) of the topics covered in the course. The university library has a wide selection of appropriate books for this course, such as:In English: Evans, P. & Thomas, M.A.: Exploring the Elements of Design, Delmar, 2013. Johnson, J.: Designing with the Mind in Mind, Morgan Kaufmann, 2014. Lidwell, W., Holden, K., & Butler, J.: Design – Die 100 Prinzipen für erfolgreiche Gestaltung, stiebner, 2004. Millman, D.: The Essential Principles of Graphic Design, How Books, 2008. Poulin, R.: The Language of Graphic Design, Rockport, 2011. Schlatter, T. & Levinson, D.: Visual Usability. Morgan Kaufmann, 2013. In German: Stapelkamp, T.: Screen- und Interfacedesign, Springer, 2007. Teeps I.E.: Joy-of-Use, VDM Verlag Dr. Müller, 2006. Thissen, F.: Kompendium, Screen-Design, Springer, 2001. Wäger, M.: Grafik und Gestaltung, Galileo Press, 2010.

Participation in discussions and other in-class activities (10%)Group work – design project (40%)Written exam (50%)Digital written closed-book exam using the Secure Exam Environment (digital exam using a computer in the lecture hall).  Information about digital exams at the University of Klagenfurt is available here: Center for University Learning and Teaching.

Content covered in the lectures and other in-class activities: human-centered designvisual psychology / human perceptiondesign theorytypography / textcolor theorygraphics / images

The final grade is based on the in-class participation, the design project and the exam. The scores on these work items depend on their overall quality, completeness, and correctness according to the following grading scheme.Grade 1 – Excellent: 89 – 100 percent pointsThe work item is complete and of superior quality. The work item is very well written, has a professional touch, and is profound. The student is very reflective and insightful. The work item may contain very few clarity, structure, or presentation problems.Grade 2 – Good: 76 – 88 percent pointsThe work item is complete and of high quality. The work item is well written and in-depth. The student is reflective and insightful. The work item may contain few clarity, structure, or presentation problems.Grade 3 – Satisfactory: 63 – 75 percent pointsThe work item is complete and of good quality, but several points could be better articulated, be more insightful, or more thorough. The work item may contain some clarity, structure, or presentation problems.Grade 4 – Sufficient: 50 – 62 percent pointsThe work item is mostly complete and of satisfactory quality, but most points could be better articulated, be more insightful, or more thorough. The work item contains clarity, structure, or presentation problems.Grade 5 – Failed: 0 – 49 percent pointsThe work item is incomplete or of lower quality. The points are not well articulated or thorough enough. The work item may contain significant clarity, structure, or presentation problems.