DESIGN MUSEUM LIVE BRIEF: POSTER & MERCHANDISE WORKSHOP
Students are then introduced to a live design brief, including objectives, key deliverables, and guidance on logo usage, style guides, and print versus digital formats. I provide examples of professional work, run discussions on what works and what doesn’t, and prepare students to approach the challenge creatively.
We spend two hours at the Design Museum, where students are welcomed by the Museum team, guided around the exhibition, and inspired by professional design in context. Throughout the workshop, I give group and one-to-one feedback, helping students refine their ideas to exhibition-ready standards.
The workshop concludes with a mini-exhibition, where students present their final designs to the Museum team. The Museum selects pieces that could be used for marketing or merchandise, and the student with the chosen design receives a goody bag. I support students with exhibition layout, presentation techniques, and professional pitching, providing hands-on experience of a real-world creative environment.
Colleges and universities can also apply for funding to bring this workshop to their students, making it an accessible and fully supported opportunity to provide work-experience style learning.
With over three years of successful delivery at Kingston College, this workshop consistently produces high-quality student work, strengthens creative confidence, and provides portfolio-ready outcomes. It’s ideal for graphic design students, schools, and colleges looking to offer employability-focused, real-world creative experiences.
"Susannah has worked with our L3 BTEC graphic design students for the last 3 years, providing an excellent industry based client/designer scenario on both occasions.
She has fully understood how to create a relevant project brief, that understands and utilises the existing skills of our student cohort, but that has also provided achievable challenges to stretch their understanding of visual communication. Her involvement has provided the students with additional understanding of the design industry and the role of a creative designer, and the benefits of this partnership has been evident in their progress and assessment results.
Suzanne has worked with the students through all the stages of the design process, including initial presentation and briefing and accompanying them on research visits to a gallery/museum. She has also provided valuable, insightful and supportive industry feedback to the students, on numerous follow-up occasions, as they completed their design evidence and final outcomes.
Susannah has been a well organised and professional asset to our team, with her friendly and approachable manner, and I look forward to working with her again in future."
Alison Richards
Lecturer - Graphic Design. Kingston College, South Thames Colleges Group
