Unfortunately; I have little knowledge about interview pattern (because I never faced design interviews anytime before), but the following topics/tips might help you face the interview; especially meant for M.Des. These are some tips that I gave as reply to comments by Nainika and Vaibhavi in Preferred Institutions for M.Des post as well as a request from my friend Gunjan Sobhani. Thanks to them - for initiating and making me write this post. Hope this will help you all; at least to an extent.
Interview Tips
Passion for Design
First of all you should be in a position to clearly communicate/explain your passion towards design. Yes, it's true that interview panel firstly check your interest for that stream or overall design. So, its advisable to make a detailed/clear list of the following :
Your interest rate
Why you are opting design as career ?
Is that suited for you ? (by explaining your previous design works)
As a designer, What you can contribute ?
Any of your future plans
Why did you choose that specific design stream/institute
Make a detailed list of the above topics and write in a paper. Revise the same many times, preferably in front of a mirror; in order to boost your confidence as well as for firm speech.
Portfolio
Major part of the interview questions were expected from your own portfolio. So, it's better if you prepare well on "HOW TO EXPRESS YOUR PORTFOLIO" prepare a list of things to be covered in your explanation and revise the same many times. Anyway; your portfolio itself should explain everything about you and your talent ! Make the following check list -
Design/Concept to be explained - what is your concept ?, how it works ? and what is the need for that ?
Features of your concept - what all can your proposed design do ?
Uniqueness of your concept - Any separate identity ?
How it acts as an alternative to the present design (if any) - by comparing and bringing any difference with similar product
Preferred Materials and process employed (if possible to make it better)
Prepare your portfolio
Self explainable
visible and clear
Design - eye catching layout and ease of accessibility
Design Ability
Next; they may check your design ability, so like you prepared for CEED, please do the same preparation (an overview) of the topics. I also expect some General awareness questions. I even heard that they will ask some simple aptitude questions
They may give a design question (or) creative exercise (or) any story writing , so be prepared for it.
You are also advised to get prepared for some hands-on exercises.
Communication
Nothing much to discuss about it. Everyone knows how important communication is during an interview. Let me tell you one thing - frankly, while I was in final year B.Tech, I got rejected twice during campus placements (in-spite of being one among the toppers of our university !), the reason is obvious, I was good at technical knowledge but poor at explaining the same in front of someone. Seems like, many people face the same issue. Well, communication doesn't mean speaking fluently but it mean how we express our thoughts/ideas.
Your views/ideas should be easily understandable by the other speaker (interviewer in this case). The above exercise 'stand in front of a mirror and practice answering/explaining to self'' is an important tool for improving communication skills very quickly (for people like me) as well as to boost your confidence level. Make the habit of 'being friendly while at interview', feel like they are your friends or colleagues to erase your inner fear.
General behavior
Other than the above, please prepare just like you prepare for any other interviews (software and core company interviews) like explanation about yourself, your passions/interests, aims, strengths and so on.
Finally I would like you to make an overview of
Color patterns, know about famous designs and designers
Sketching (esp. making of strips, stick figures)
Short and quick story making as well as writing
A list of things to be explained
Practicing in front of a mirror (i'm repeating this again and again to make you aware of its importance)
These are just my views. Hope this helps at least a bit, that's why I shared here.
Courses and preferred Institutions after CEED exam
Before going through the preferred institutions providing M.Des and Ph.D in various design fields, let me remind you that qualifying in CEED exam doesn't guarantee you for admission in any of the below institution as well as programme. After cracking CEED, you are required to go through the preferred institution website and apply to respective programme. You can even apply for multiple courses.
Short-listed candidates with valid CEED score will be called for the departmental written test (Design Aptitude Test, Studio Tests etc) followed by interviews conducted by the institutions, which usually happens yearly anywhere between March and June, as part of M.Des admission. Every institution has their own style of tests and interviews. CEED score (Part B) as well as marks obtained in written test and interviews are considered for final admission. CEED score is valid for two years.
A. List of various Design streams
Following are very few design streams (for M.Des) that you can opt after clearing through CEED :
Product Design
Industrial Design
Visual Communication
Animation
Mobility and Vehicle Design
Interaction Design
Othe MDes courses - Fashion, Textile, Retail, Apparel, UI/UX etc.
You may check the descriptions of some design streams here (LINK)
Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing (IIITDM) was established by Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), a Govt. undertaking.
Admission Process :
GATE/CEED score followed by written test/interview
NOTE : Some of the above institutes even provides Ph.D programmes
For your convenience, I've added some more institutions for doing post graduation (masters in Design) in India. Please note that these institutions might or might not require you to crack CEED. Most of them have their own pattern of selection like Design Aptitude Test (DAT) followed by departmental studio tests as well as interviews.
National Institute of Design
NID is one of the best reputed design institutions, not only for Indian students but also for for foreign students. Till date there are three branches in India and offers various courses in a span of 2.5 years.
Admission Process: DAT followed by studio test & interviews
DJ academy established in 1983 is one of the successfully running design institution with good faculty and facilities; offering a wide range of design streams.
Admission Process : DJ DAT test followed by interview/portfolio (CEED score as well as NID score are also accepted for entrance) Course : PG in
International Master of Interior Architectural Design
Master of Design - Furniture Design
Admission Process:
From among the applicants, short-listed candidates will be called for an interview at the CEPT University. The candidates will be selected for admission based on their interview. Their Higher Secondary, Secondary and Undergraduate exam scores will be considered. In addition, Statement of Purpose (SOP), professional experience and portfolio will also be reviewed. Where applicable, work experience of candidates will be considered.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Other than the above list you may also go through the following institutions offering different design program in India and abroad
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There might be a number of
design streams available, but you are probably gifted with some hidden talents
that prove to be suitable to one or more of the design fields. Unless you know
about all of the fields, you cannot get a clear picture of your likes. I therefore
wish to bring to your knowledge about the basic pattern, area and functionality
of each design stream (especially for M.Des).
You can also go through the examples
as well as companies; which may help you chose your field of interest.
Product
Design (PD)
In a developing country like India where there are large demand for customized products, almost all the products are undergoing regular changes in product design, appearance, size, functionality as well as usability.
Let me clear this by bringing Apple strategy, Apple released its first version of iPad mini last year. Definitely it proved a hit, but in spite of its popularity, Apple further aim to develop new product (2nd generation iPad mini) and of course the users are waiting for this. Almost all the sectors were engaged regularly to deliver newer, user-oriented and Eco-friendly products, thus demanding more product designers.
Let us see the definition of Product Design. PD is the process of creating a new customized product to be sold by a business to its customers. It starts with ideating a product idea and goes all through the process of concept generation, prototyping, modelling, sketching and mechanisms.
In a broad approach, product designers conceptualize and evaluate ideas, later turn them into tangible (which you can touch and feel) inventions and products. They need to have design perspective and innovative skills. The product designers role is to combine art, science and technology. There are good institutions supporting PD stream with good faculty and facilities in India.
Examples :
1. Design of a TV, Air cooler
2. Design of i mac by Apple
3. Sony concept bracelet computer by Hiromi Kiriki
Note : companies list were given so that you would go through them and check what actually they design
Industrial
Design (ID)
Industrial Design is mostly related to product design and the discussion for PD also applies here, except that only some institutions provide the course. Often this field is confused with product design.
ID is the use of both art and science focused to improve the aesthetics, ergonomics, functionality and usability of a product. It may even be used to improve the product's marketability and production. As an industrial designer you need to create and execute design solutions for problems of form, usability, ergonomics, brand development as well as marketing sales.
Recently ID became a broad term inclusive of service, software and PD. Designers usually get associated with craft design and ergonomics.
Examples :
Products like Apple's iPad iPod and iPhone were examples designed by celebrated Industrial designer - Sir Jonathan Ive
Well, most of you might have seen Hollywood movies like How to train your dragon, Wall-E, The Lion King and many more to mention. These movies were created where it is difficult to show the plot with human or in other words where humans are incapable. The base idea is showing of extra-ordinary visuals and dimensions with the use of graphical computer technologies. This is where designer creativity reveals.
Animation designers are more than a creative group, working either individually or in teams to create visual media. Animation is the art of creating a sequence of image (sketched or computerized) in order to create a motion, which can be observed as illusion. Animation does have a relation with Visual Communication, but recently got separated. The most common method of presenting animation is as a motion picture or video program.
India seems to play a major role in the international framework of animation production in the coming years. Many of the animators working in top animation studios like Pixar and Dream Works hail from India. There should be no wonder here as India got good institutes and courses related to animation. The important thing to be noted here is India as a hub for best creative, innovative and conceptual designers like you (lol...). Definitely this field helps you shape your career path if you are like a conceptual being with a zeal and passion towards creativity.
The AD program in India expects the students to assume direct responsibility for nearly all aspects of the film making process by exposing to IT capabilities and other engineering disciplines right concept to drawing, shooting, camera etc.
Examples :
1. Films, cartoons, advertising etc.
2. Making of Kung Fu Panda 2 (posted by cinemapopshot)
3. Making of simple walking animation (posted by TheMrGoman)
Although India doesn't have best institutions for
this study, the courses provided by the Indian institutions were good enough
for those aiming for automotive design. However, institutes in India focus mainly
on studies related to understanding and identification of the transportation
needs and issues facing the country as well as developments in other countries
and identifying creative solutions. But the thing worth noting here is analyzers
look automotive sector as a fast growing field in India. The fact that many
international auto players were setting up design studios in India strengthen
this.
In some Institutes
Mobility and Vehicle Design was also termed as Transportation Design. Both of
them mainly deal with the development of the appearance as well as the ergonomics of the vehicle. Trust me this design field will
definitely prove to be interesting and you will enjoy more if you have
Mechanical or Architectural background with immense design passion.
Let me clear
more by bringing you an example; say you are designing a car, it means
developing the concept from scratch, coordinating with other departments (say
engineering, R&D) for possibilities, modifying for new concept,
re-analysis, developing a model and prototype and finalizing the concept. Automotive Design in this context is primarily concerned with developing the visual appearance or aesthetics of the vehicle as said earlier, though it is also involved in the creation of the product concept. You will be going through a number of hands-on experiment experiments and assignments as a transportation design student.
VC is communication through the help of visual aid and is described as the deliverance of ideas and information in forms that can be read or looked upon.
As usual I will clear the topic by bringing you with some examples. Say you
are driving a car and you come across the traffic red signal on the junction,
the moment you see the red signal, your leg shift from accelerator to brake.
Nobody told you to stop, not even did you see any written board, but the signal made you automatically
stop your vehicle.
When you see a car with the
above symbol, immediately your mind starts wondering that the person sitting in
the car might be someone belonging to royal family with class facilities. You
went to purchase an electronic good and you will identify the products with the
below symbol as those belonging to Apple products.
Now what does the above
examples mean? Instead of dealing with verbal or other forms of communication,
we are communicating with visual forms, that when looked upon by us would give the clear idea of what they intend to tell us, that too in an instance. You may feel that, this is not that much
important as a career path, I only gave some simple examples just to make you
understand. But think yourself; every organization has got a unique brand representation
that will clearly tell you about the nature of the brand. Even this form of
communication sometimes represents the status.
This form proves to be the
most powerful communication in marketing as well as sales division. VC is everywhere
today. In a country like India, where we expect more developments and changes
to be taken place in the very near future, VC plays an important role.
As the name suggest, VC deals with eye contact or visual contact of the product, and is primarily presented or expresses with two dimensional images. As a VC student you will be given a chance in various design methods, aesthetic aspects and generating methods and processes for solving communication problem. Students may specialize in one of the many areas including signs,, typography, information visualization, exhibition design, photgraphy, animation etc.
Examples :
1. Signs, typography, drawing, graphic design, illustration, color, electronic resources, skype, webinars 2. Power of VC - funny video (posted by Pratik Ghosh)
All of the Design streams focus on users. Ultimately it's the end-users who are going to enjoy your designed product. But likely other design streams give importance to innovation also. IXD in this context is specifically concentrated on the user. ID is a mix of product and visual design, and deals with digital things for people's use; Wikipedia defined IXD as "the practice of designing interactive digital products, environments, systems and services". let me clear this with an example. Say if you want to design a mobile phone for elder people, you need to consider the term "elder people" as mobile phones designed for teens and children's may not suit for elders. IXD is heavily focused on satisfying the needs and desires of the majority of people who will use the product. What clearly marks IXD as a design field as opposed to a science or engineering field is that it is synthesis and imagining things as they might be, more so than focusing on how things are. IXD is more or less related to User Interface Design. Learn more about - User Interface Design principles and general rules for CEED exam Examples : 1. Video : Link 2. Nokia 888 concept - Link
A very good website detailing more about IXD - Link
I hope this article helped you. Now you should be in a
position to answer your question “which
stream is to be chosen by me?”
Leave comments regarding any additions to be made in this
article.
