Structured programs for design professionals

What you will be able to do

• Translate design intent into a defensible scope and deliverable schedule
• Build realistic timelines that account for approvals, consultants and site reality
• Manage stakeholders, change requests and variations without losing design quality
• Use risk, cost and quality controls suited to studio-scale practice
• Run coordination and handover with documentation that holds up on site

Module outline

1. 01

   Framing the project

   Client brief to project charter: objectives, constraints, success criteria and the boundary of the architect's role.

2. 02

   Scope and deliverables

   Work breakdown for design stages, drawing registers, and defining what 'done' means at each stage.

3. 03

   Schedule and sequencing

   Dependencies across design, consultants, statutory approvals and procurement; buffers that reflect real practice.

4. 04

   Cost, quality and risk

   Fee planning, resource loading, quality gates for drawing sets, and a working risk register.

5. 05

   Stakeholders and communication

   Structured client reviews, consultant coordination protocols and decision logs that prevent rework.

6. 06

   Execution and close-out

   Site instruction discipline, change control, snagging, handover documentation and project retrospectives.

What you will be able to do

• Develop a concept that can be defended, tested and carried into detail
• Produce coordinated layouts, sections and detail drawings that contractors can build
• Specify materials, finishes and services with realistic cost implications
• Plan procurement, vendor coordination and site sequencing for fit-out
• Run site supervision, quality checks and handover with confidence

Module outline

1. 01

   What is interior design

   The scope and purpose of interior design: shaping enclosed space for how people live, work and move. We cover spatial intent, function, comfort, proportion, context and the relationship between user, space and built form.

2. 02

   Interior design styles

   A practical survey of major styles including Victorian, French, contemporary and regional idioms: their origins, signature materials, motifs and how to adapt them to a project rather than copy them literally.

3. 03

   Color theory

   Understanding colour wheels, harmony, warm and cool palettes, value and saturation, and how colour changes perception of space, light and proportion in interior settings.

4. 04

   Spatial planning

   Circulation, ergonomics, zoning and furniture layouts resolved against services and structure.

5. 05

   Materials and detailing

   Material behaviour, joinery detailing, finishes schedules and buildable junction design.

6. 06

   Lighting and services

   Layered lighting design, coordination with HVAC, electrical and plumbing, and ceiling resolution.

7. 07

   Documentation and costing

   GFC drawing sets, BOQs, specifications and estimating a realistic project budget.

8. 08

   Execution on site

   Vendor selection, sequencing of trades, site quality control, snagging and handover.

What you will be able to do

• Work confidently with workbooks, worksheets, cells, rows and columns
• Enter and format data neatly with fonts, colours, borders and number formats
• Write basic formulas and use SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX and COUNT
• Calculate percentages and build a simple IF-based pass/fail check
• Sort and filter data and present it with basic tables and charts
• Complete four school-life projects and earn a certificate of completion

Module outline

1. 01

   Excel fundamentals

   Getting comfortable with the Excel screen: workbooks, worksheets, cells, rows, columns and moving around quickly.

2. 02

   Data entry and formatting

   Entering data cleanly and formatting it well — fonts, colours, borders, alignment and number formats that make sheets easy to read.

3. 03

   Basic formulas

   Writing your first formulas and using SUM, AVERAGE, MIN, MAX and COUNT on real marks and attendance data.

4. 04

   Percentages and simple IF

   Calculating percentages and building a simple IF-based PASS/FAIL result — the logic behind a working marks calculator.

5. 05

   Sorting, filtering, tables and charts

   Sorting and filtering lists, organising data into basic tables and presenting results with simple charts.

6. 06

   School-life projects

   Bringing it all together hands-on: a marks calculator, an attendance tracker, a study planner and a personal expense tracker.

What you will be able to do

• Structure a DPR around its purpose, audience and decision requirements
• Document project background, existing conditions, need, objectives and scope
• Present technical and planning proposals with clear assumptions and supporting evidence
• Organise quantities, costs, schedules, risks, approvals and stakeholder inputs
• Compile a concise, review-ready report with coherent visuals and appendices

Module outline

1. 01

   DPR purpose, audience and structure

   What a DPR must establish, how reviewers use it and how to plan the document. (30 min)

2. 02

   Background and existing-condition assessment

   Project context, baseline information, surveys, site constraints and evidence. (35 min)

3. 03

   Need, objectives and scope

   Defining the problem, outcomes, boundaries, assumptions and exclusions. (25 min)

4. 04

   Technical proposal and planning considerations

   Options, design basis, capacity, standards, planning logic and preferred solution. (45 min)

5. 05

   Quantities, cost and financial considerations

   Measurement basis, estimates, contingencies and relevant financial or economic framing. (35 min)

6. 06

   Implementation, phasing and schedule

   Delivery method, work packages, milestones, dependencies and operational continuity. (30 min)

7. 07

   Risks, approvals and stakeholders

   Constraints, mitigation, statutory pathways, consultation and responsibility mapping. (20 min)

8. 08

   Documentation and presentation

   Executive summaries, drawings, tables, appendices, quality checks and review-ready presentation. (20 min)

What you will be able to do

• Set up accurate drawings using units, templates, coordinates and drafting aids
• Use layers, blocks, lineweights and properties to maintain drawing standards
• Produce plans, elevations, sections and construction details efficiently
• Apply dimensions, annotations, hatches and scales consistently
• Organise, check and publish a readable project drawing set

Module outline

1. 01

   Interface, setup and precision

   Units, templates, coordinates, snaps, selection and essential drawing commands. (75 min)

2. 02

   Editing and efficient drafting

   Modify tools, construction geometry, reusable workflows and accuracy checks. (80 min)

3. 03

   Layers and drawing standards

   Layer conventions, properties, lineweights, linetypes and office-ready organisation. (70 min)

4. 04

   Plans and site drawings

   Building and civil plan development, references, levels and coordinated information. (100 min)

5. 05

   Elevations, sections and details

   Projecting views, resolving junctions and producing readable technical details. (100 min)

6. 06

   Dimensions, annotation and hatching

   Styles, scales, leaders, notes, symbols and material communication. (75 min)

7. 07

   Blocks, sheets and references

   Reusable content, layouts, viewports, external references and sheet consistency. (55 min)

8. 08

   Project workflow and publishing

   Drawing checks, issue organisation, plotting and a final coordinated-set exercise. (45 min)