Assessing a visualization paper

In order to cast off the shackles of subjective judgment, I have developed this method for assessing product design visualization work done by students. It may read cumbersome now, but much of the information contained in it is unnecessary. This could be shorter for the student user.




DC3
Assessment of Sketches
chris ebbert

Student name:

Assessment criteria of our first presentation:


We want to create real designer grade sketches – think “documents”, things with a trade value. You are going to be billing for those before long – make them look the part.

They must be a documentation of our thought processes, and there is nothing flighty about them. They are clean, firm, elegant pieces of work with flawless perspective and delightful, artistic touches such as shading and highlighting.


These are our criteria; 100 points are possible, and your mark will be computed out of them:

A demonstration of breadth in exploratory sketching (20 points/ 100 total):
(Ask yourself: “Does this pile of sketches really show every possible way of addressing this design problem? Every imaginable facet of it, as in, what it is made of, what aspects of relevant human psychology for this project it reflects, and are there matches for everything the competition is making?”).
You have produced about 80 – 120 sketches to attempt to cover the entire range of possibilities (20 points/ 100): Yes/ No

A visual image that fits the brand and product you have chosen (15 points/ 100 total):
(Ask yourself: “Does this presentation look like something which almost could be a magazine ad by this company?”).
You have chosen a brand name (5 points/ 100): Yes/ No
You have created a successfully composed layout (5 points/ 100): Yes/ No
Your colour scheme is in tune with the brand (5 points/ 100): Yes/ No

A unified look to all your individual presentation boards (5 points/ 100 total):
(Ask yourself: “Is it clear that these all came together, for the same occasion, by the same designer?”).
It is visually obvious that all your pages belong together (5 points/ 100): Yes/ No

Proper labelling (14 points/ 100 total):
(Ask yourself: “If these documents were found by someone who has no idea about the project, would they understand so well what it is about just by looking at the stats that you would stand a chance of getting your cheque even if the person who ordered you to do the work doesn’t work there anymore?”).
name (6 points/ 100): Yes/ No
project name (2 points/ 100): Yes/ No
company logo (2 points/ 100): Yes/ No
date (2 points/ 100): Yes/ No
variation name (2 points/ 100): Yes/ No














Sufficient bulk/ commitment/ value impression to the client (6 points/ 100 total):
(Ask yourself: “If you had your own manufacturing company, and this work was brought to you by a designer, together with a bill over a few thousand dollars, how inclined would you feel to pay up? Does it satisfy you? Do you feel like you got your money’s worth?”).
sturdy materials or good resolution if on-screen (2 points/ 100): Yes/ No
large enough format (2 points/ 100): Yes/ No
filled with a satisfying amount of sketching/ imagery (2 points/ 100): Yes/ No

Neat lines, possibly done in Illustrator or with French curves; no pencil (10 points/ 100 total):
(Ask yourself: “Does this look like something the layman is unable to do? Does it justify bringing you in? Is it neater than an average person could ever hope to depict something? Does this blow people away?”).
In exploratory sketching (4 points/ 100): Yes/ No
In presentation sketching (6 points/ 100): Yes/ No

Faultless perspective (10 points/ 100 total):
(Ask yourself: “Is there anything wrong at all with this perspective? Does this look absolutely right?”).
In exploratory sketching (4 points/ 100): Yes/ No
In presentation sketching (6 points/ 100): Yes/ No

Meaningful picture itinerary to explain how the object works and how it gets assembled/ what parts it is made of (configuration drawings would be good; 10 points/ 100 total):
(Ask yourself: “If someone who has no idea about this project found your work, would they understand what it is you have depicted just by looking at it, and without your explanation? Would they understand how it comes together, and what the different parts are made of?”).
10 points: Yes/ No

Well-chosen views of object (4 points/ 100 total):
(Ask yourself: “Would you actually see this object in that kind of perspective, in a realistic situation? Or would you need to be an ant/ bird/ space alien to see it in that kind of view?”).
Realistic views for depicted object (2 points/ 100): Yes/ No
No key aspects hidden by perspective or viewing angle: (2 points/ 100): Yes/ No


Neat, written explanations and referencing on the sheets (no serif type font; 3 points/ 100 total):
(Ask yourself: “Does this writing reflect trust? Does it look like you actually believe what you have written? Will someone who reads it be able to understand your visualizations better?”).
(2 points/ 100): Yes/ No

3 – 5 neat presentation boards, complying with all of the above except point 11, of course (3 points/ 100 total):
(2 points/ 100): Yes/ No