Overview
This foundational course develops the visual, digital, and written communication practices required in engineering study and professional practice. Students examine engineering drawing standards, lettering and annotation, geometric construction, orthographic projection, isometric and oblique views, section and auxiliary views, scales, dimensioning and tolerancing, materials and manufacturing conventions, assembly drawings, and the interpretation of technical documentation.
Practical work introduces a contemporary computer-aided design platform. Students develop constrained sketches, parametric parts, assemblies, engineering drawings, organized file structures, version-controlled design records, and documented design revisions. Communication instruction addresses audience and purpose, technical descriptions, design memoranda, laboratory and project reports, requirements documentation, data visualization, citation and source use, collaborative review, oral presentations, and visual slide design.
The course emphasizes accuracy, clarity, traceability, accessibility, and ethical professional conduct. Students apply graphical and written methods to communicate design intent, justify engineering decisions, and present technical work to professional and non-specialist audiences.
Learning Outcomes
- Apply engineering drawing standards, conventions, scales, dimensioning practices, and tolerancing principles to technical documentation.
- Construct accurate orthographic, isometric, oblique, section, and auxiliary views from three-dimensional engineering concepts.
- Develop organized, constrained CAD models, assemblies, and drawing sets using a contemporary computer-aided design platform.
- Manage CAD files, revisions, metadata, and version-controlled design records in accordance with professional documentation practices.
- Interpret technical drawings, manufacturing conventions, assembly documentation, and design requirements to identify engineering intent and constraints.
- Document design decisions through concise, evidence-based memoranda, reports, requirements records, and visual data representations.
- Present engineering work clearly through structured oral presentations, accessible visual slides, and collaborative technical reviews.
- Evaluate the ethical, inclusive, professional, and information-literacy implications of engineering communication and source use.
Timetable
| Type | Length | Frequency | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lecture | 2 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Lab | 3 hours | Weekly | All semester |
| Tutorial | 1 hour | Weekly | All semester |
| Workshop | 2 hours | Fortnightly | Second term |
Assessment Schedule
| Type | Description | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Assignment | Engineering drawing standards and graphical construction portfolio | 15.00% |
| Assignment | CAD modelling and assembly portfolio | 15.00% |
| Test | Technical drawing and documentation test | 15.00% |
| Deliverable | Design documentation and revision record | 20.00% |
| Assignment | Evidence-based technical report | 15.00% |
| Capstone | Integrated CAD drawing and technical presentation project | 20.00% |
Prerequisites
- Requirement 16 NCEA Level 2 Mathematics credits, externally assessed
Teaching Staff & Programs
This course is delivered jointly by faculty from the participating programs listed below. In line with the Douchewater Way, the University of Sexology tailors core instruction directly to each cohort's specific discipline — adapting curriculum to program needs rather than forcing students into a one-size-fits-all model. Learn more about our approach at The Douchewater Way.
