Foundation Course
The foundation course is a suite of three half-day workshops covering core aspects of design communication. Together, the three workshops support a logical process of refining the content, structure and delivery of a message. Each participant applies the principles to a current project and discusses their project with the group. The course is perfect for team-building and an excellent opportunity to share information across the office. The workshops can be delivered over individual days or back-to-back to suit your workload.
This course is for
Design professionals from all levels seeking to build confidence, expand skills and consolidate strengths in their own communication style.
Part 1
Distil the Message
Describe your work in concise language
CORE TOPICS
- Identify the essence of an idea.
- Use words that say exactly what you mean.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
Participants will learn the principles of clear writing and how to apply them to a current project. You’ll learn how to explain why your idea matters in a sentence.
WHAT WE’LL DO
Each participant brings a work-related project to the workshop. We will use these as a starting point for practical exercises that help clarify the core idea. Participants will write a one line description of their project that captures its essence. Time is allocated for self reflection and group feedback to help refine your message.
Details
Duration: 3.5 hours
Maximum no. of participants: 8
Part 2
Tell the Story
Structure information for your audience
CORE TOPICS
- Identify the goal of your communication
- Connect with your audience.
- Construct an appropriate narrative
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
Learn to place yourself in the picture by building detail, experience and personality into your core message. You’ll learn how to construct a narrative and write engaging material that speaks to your audience’s interests. You’ll come away with a story outline that is tailored to a specific audience and the skills to design your next presentation.
WHAT WE’LL DO
We will analyse the audience, context and objective for a specific communication task on your project. Through a series of practical exercises, we’ll plan how to structure and sequence the information with a strong narrative arc. Time is allocated for self reflection and group feedback to help make your story strong.
Details
Duration: 3.5 hours
Maximum no. of participants: 8
Part 3
Own the Stage
Deliver a confident verbal presentation
CORE TOPICS
- Identify your verbal communication style.
- Build confidence speaking in front of others.
- Presentation techniques: physical, vocal, breathing and nerves.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN
You’ll get a picture of your natural style as a presenter and learn how to make it work to your advantage. You’ll come away with useful knowledge on how to manage nerves and think on your feet, so you can feel confident and prepared when it’s your turn to speak.
WHAT WE’LL DO
We will use practical exercises and video to identify your key strengths and natural habits. Using your story structure from Workshop 2, you will prepare a short speech to deliver to the group. Time is allocated for self reflection and group feedback to help build your own style of delivery in a supportive environment.
Details
Duration: 3.5 hours
Maximum no. of participants: 8
Embedding the Training
We provide follow-up training to ensure newly-learned skills are being put into practice, including:
- An extra workshop to consolidate learnings, present to a director and receive feedback.
- Six-monthly or yearly review sessions to sustain progress.
What people are saying about the course
“I cannot recommend Saneia's Design Communication training highly enough. We intend to have her roll out this training to the majority of ASPECT's employees over the foreseeable future.”
Lenae Watson, Human Resources Manager, ASPECT Studios
“Hands down, the best training we did in 2019. Saneia’s approach is relevant for the design industry and highly valuable as it builds confidence in communication and presentation skills. This course is essential for all role levels in a design studio.”
Jayde Hunt, People and Culture Manager, Allen Jack+Cottier Architects
“Great application to current work and common communication issues across projects.”
“Clear and valuable methods that can easily be utilised in work presentations and critiques”
“Covers all of the components of a presentation, while being able to practice and learn from each other in a safe environment.”
“Helped overall confidence and debunked some myths about what constitutes effective communication.”
“The amount of strategies on how to present better was amazing. Anyone that presents to clients would find it useful.”
“Aimed towards designers and very useful for projects at all stages in design and delivery.”
“Uni doesn’t really prepare you for this aspect of the job. Designers speak through their images, so it’s good to have some guidance verbally.”
“Engaging and interactive format helps to develop an individual approach and technique. Saneia is fantastic - very constructive and supportive.”