Judging process

The RSA appoints a different judging panel for each Design Directions project, usually comprising a chair selected from the RSA Council or the Faculty of Royal Designers for Industry, together with design professionals, design educators and representatives of the sponsoring organisations.

Although each panel may work in a slightly different way, all are looking for responses to the brief that are clear, demonstrate an innovative and creative approach and a high quality execution of ideas.

The RSA's process is rigorous, taking place over two stages:

• initial viewing by all the judges of each of the entries submitted in order to draw up a shortlist
• interviews of each of the students on the list, where their work is discussed in detail.

Only then can decisions made about winners and awards.

Design Directions Plus

Assessing Design Directions Plus submissions will work in a different way. It will follow the process of Design Directions up until the initial viewing, when a shortlist is drawn up. Shortlisted people will then have the unique opportunity to come to the RSA for a one day workshop (around Easter - date to be arranged) where they will work with a group of key stakeholders in their project areas (professionals, users etc) to refine and develop their projects. A final judging day will take place around May/June when projects will be presented to an expert panel.