Frequently asked questions
The Guidelines and Conditions of Entry can be found under 'key downloads' on the How to Enter page. Please make sure that you have read and fully understood these before entering.
Who can enter Design Directions Plus?
What is Design Directions Plus?
1. Do I need to be studying on a design course to enter?
2. Must I be in full time education?
3. I'm doing a post-graduate course - can I still enter?
4. How much does it cost to enter?
6. I am living/studying abroad - how do I pay?
7. How many people can work on a brief?
8. Can members of a team be from different departments in the same college, or a different college?
9. Can those who graduated in 2006 enter as a team with candidates studying at college?
10. Can I enter more than once for the same project, and for different projects?
11. When is the deadline for entry forms and fees?
12. When is the deadline for submission of entries?
13. What if my entry is late in arriving?
14. Where should I send my entry?
15. Can I deliver it personally?
16. Do I send my entry fee with my entry?
17. Should I send in my original work?
19. Do I need to put an RSA label on every piece of my entry?
20. What happens if my entry gets damaged?
21. Can I send my entry in in plastic sleeves or a folder to prevent it being damaged?
22. On what type of card should I mount flatwork?
23. In what formats can I submit digital work?
24. If I am shortlisted, what happens if my tutor hasn't signed my form?
25. Can my work be disqualified for any reason?
26. Who will be judging my work?
27. When and where will my work be judged?
28. When and how will I find out if I have been shortlisted for interview?
29. Do I get my entry returned to me?
30. Will my work be shown anywhere?
31. What do I get if I win an award?
32. Is there any other recognition apart from the awards?
Who can enter Design Directions Plus?
The opportunity of working on a Design Directions Plus project is open to any student (undergraduate or postgraduate) or someone recently graduated.
What is Design Directions Plus?
Design Directions Plus is an enhanced version of a standard Design Directions project. It has been developed in order to offer participants a way of developing their projects with the input of key stakeholders in the project area (eg professionals in the field, users etc). This gives participating students a unique opportunity to access feedback and advice in a workshop environment.
Will undertaking a Design Directions Plus project take up more of my time than a standard Design Directions project?
This is up to you. You will work on the project in the normal way in the autumn. You have been granted a little longer than standard Design Directions projects to work on your project if you so wish (ie over the Christmas holiday) - the hand in date is early January. If shortlisted, you will be invited to attend a one day workshop at the RSA to develop your project with key stakeholders. This is a great opportunity for you to work closely with stakeholders and to get expert feedback on your work. You may then choose to develop this in your own time. This could make an impressive addition to your portfolio and your final year show. There will be a final presentation of the best projects in May/June when a winner(s) will be selected.
1. Do I need to be studying on a design course to enter?
No - you can be studying on any course at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
2. Must I be in full time education?
At the time of completing your entry, you must either be studying on a full or part time course at higher education level, or have graduated in 2008 - all the projects (Design Directions and Design Directions Plus) are open to those who are in their first year following graduation.
3. I'm doing a post-graduate course - can I still enter?
Yes - see above.
4. How much does it cost to enter?
£30.00 per entry (whether submitted by an individual or a team).
5. How can I pay?
By personal or college cheque (in pounds Sterling and drawn on UK banks only), or postal order. Your college may also submit a purchase order number if they are paying by college cheque for a number of students, and will be sent an invoice. Your tutor should collect individual payments and send them together with any college cheques or purchase order numbers, and the entry forms, to the RSA.
6. I am living/studying abroad - how do I pay?
By a cheque or bankers draft in pounds stirling, or credit card.
7. How many people can work on a brief?
You can enter as either an individual or as a team; please refer to the Submission Details for each project for details. Some projects are specifically aimed at teams and strongly recommend team entries - see the project details. No team, for any project, should consist of more than 3 people.
8. Can members of a team be from different departments in the same college, or a different college?
Yes. In all cases, each team member must complete an entry form.
9. Can those who graduated in 2008 enter as a team with candidates studying at college?
Yes. If shortlisted, each candidate will be asked to submit their own entry form which will also list other team members, and in the case of the candidate still studying, contain their tutor's reference.
10. Can I enter more than once for the same project, and for different projects?
There is no limit to how many times candidates can enter the same or different projects provided the correct entry fee, for each individual entry, is submitted each time.
11. When is the deadline for entry forms and fees?
Thursday 20 November 2008.
12. When is the deadline for submission of entries?
Friday 12 December 2008 at 18.00 GMT (except the Design Directions Plus projects - Action for Age and The Visit). Entries can be submitted up to this point from Monday 17 November 2008. The deadline for submission of entries for Design Directions Plus is Friday 9 January 2009 18.00 GMT.
13. What if my entry is late in arriving?
Unless previously arranged with the RSA under exceptional circumstances, no late entries will be accepted.
14. Where should I send my entry?
Brooks Transport Services Ltd, Unit 2/15, Second Avenue, Bluebridge Indistrial Estate, Halstead, Essex CO9 2SU, UK.
15. Can I deliver it personally?
Yes, if you arrange this with Brooks Transport Ltd (or, in the case of Inclusive Worlds Digital Submissions, the RSA) .
16. Do I send my entry fee with my entry?
No, entry forms and fees should be sent to RSA Design Directions Registrations, 8 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6EZ, UK, by the date stated in the schedule.
17. Should I send in my original work?
Yes, and you are advised to make a copy of your work wherever possible.
18. What if my entry is bigger than A3?
Can I send A2 or A1 size boards?
Can I fold large boards to comply with size requirements?
Any flat artwork not mounted on A3 boards, or A2 if stated in the Submission Details for a brief, will be automatically disqualified. Boards may not be folded or hinged.
19. Do I need to put an RSA label on every piece of my entry?
Yes. Failure to do so may result in your work not being judged, irrespective of any payment submitted.
20. What happens if my entry gets damaged?
While this is a very rare, parcels do sometimes get damaged in the post, so it is always a good idea to ensure that you or your college package your work carefully before sending it in, and where possible, keep a copy. The RSA does not accept responsibility for damaged work.
21. Can I send my entry in in plastic sleeves or a folder to prevent it being damaged?
No. Work submitted in plastic sleeves or folders of any kind will not be judged.
22. What type of card should I use to mount flatwork?
Presentation boards should be lightweight card (700 gsm), and all items should be securely fixed to boards.
23. In what formats can I submit digital work?
Application software shouild be Macromedia Director (or a popular alternative) and should be able to be viewed using Shockwave Player, Quicktime 4 or 5, Director, Flash Player or Adobe Acrobat. Files must run on their own without requiring additional software. Discs should be clearly labelled with viewing information as well as the standard RSA label.
24. If I am shortlisted, what happens if my tutor hasn't signed my form?
If you are shortlisted, your entry form must be signed by your tutor, and a reference supplied. Without this you will not be eligible for interview.
25. Can my work be disqualified for any reason?
Yes. Here are a few of the most frequent:
- Incorrect, missing or uncleared payment
- Work without RSA labels attached
- Work mounted incorrectly, such as on paper rather than board or on a size other than A3 or other size specified in a project's Submission Details
- Digital work incorrectly formatted (see point 23)
- Unreadable or unclear digital work
- Submitting more than the required deliverables stated in the brief (such as sending in five boards instead of four or a CD when asked for just boards)
- Two different responses to a brief submitted as one entry (in this case you would need to enter twice with a separate payment for each entry)
- Putting your name on the work anywhere other than the RSA label, which should be on the back of any item
- Shortlisted candidates - no entry form or no tutor's reference or signature on the entry form
26. Who will be judging my work?
Each year a jury is put together for every project. You can see details of jury members on each project page via a link named 'Judging Panel'.
27. When and where will my work be judged?
At the RSA in London between January and March 2009. Design Directions Plus projects will also have a workshop for shortlisted students around Easter 09 and a final presentation in May/June
28. When and how will I find out if I have been shortlisted for interview, or in the case of Design Directions Plus, the workshop?
You will receive a letter from the RSA informing you of the date and time of your interview or workshop(a letter will also be sent to your tutor). This will be sent out to you a few weeks before the scheduled date.
29. Do I get my entry returned to me?
Yes, your work will be returned to your college, or in the case of 2008 Graduates, the address supplied, by Brooks Transport, after preliminary judging if you have not been shortlisted. If you have been shortlisted, the RSA will return your work during May/June 2009, except in special circumstances (in which case we will liaise with you). Tutors must submit a Return of Work form when submitting entries to Brooks Transport. This will provide the information for the address to which the work is to be returned and is very important.
30. Will my work be shown anywhere?
Winning work is shown on the Design Directions website www.rsadesigndirections.org, and some may appear in the media, subject to press coverage.
31. What do I get if I win an award?
Each project has its own sponsors and awards - see individual project pages for the link to 'Awards'.
32. Is there any other recognition apart from the awards?
Shortlisted students may be Highly Commended or Commended where the jury deems it appropriate. Being shortlisted for interview is also widely recongnised as an achievement, and should be put on your cv.