Business, Commerce and Management Studies Marketing

Graphic Design Process Fundamentals For Beginners Training

SAQA US 117643 | NQF 6 | Credits 6 | Duration 3 Days
From $967 per delegate

Description

This course provides beginners with a foundational understanding of the graphic design process, from concept development to final output. Participants will learn essential principles, tools, and workflows to create effective visual communications. The course is aligned with SAQA Unit Standard 117643 and focuses on practical application in a corporate context.

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply the core principles of graphic design, including balance, contrast, alignment, and proximity, to create visually appealing layouts.
  • Demonstrate the ability to use design software (e.g., Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, or Canva) to produce simple graphic assets.
  • Analyze a design brief to identify client needs, target audience, and project constraints.
  • Design a basic visual identity, including a logo and colour palette, using established design methodologies.
  • Implement a design project from concept to final delivery, following a structured workflow.
  • Evaluate the effectiveness of a design against given criteria and provide constructive feedback.

Target Audience

This course is designed for individuals with little to no graphic design experience who need to develop basic design skills for their role, such as administrative staff, marketing assistants, or small business owners. It is also suitable for anyone seeking to understand the design process for personal or professional projects.

Prerequisites

None — open enrollment. Basic computer literacy is recommended.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Graphic Design Process

Objectives:
• Understand the fundamental stages of the graphic design process.
• Identify key design principles and elements.
• Apply basic research and brainstorming techniques.
• Create a design brief and mood board.

Topics:
• Overview of the graphic design process: brief, research, ideation, development, delivery.
• Design elements: line, shape, colour, texture, space, typography.
• Design principles: balance, contrast, hierarchy, alignment, repetition, proximity.
• Conducting client research and audience analysis.
• Brainstorming and mind mapping techniques.
• Creating a mood board to visualise design direction.

Day 2: Developing Design Concepts and Layouts

Objectives:
• Generate and refine design concepts based on the brief.
• Apply typography and colour theory effectively.
• Create thumbnail sketches and rough layouts.
• Use design software for digital mock-ups.

Topics:
• Concept development: sketching multiple ideas.
• Typography: selecting fonts, pairing, hierarchy.
• Colour theory: colour psychology, harmonies, and accessibility.
• Layout principles: grids, whitespace, visual flow.
• Creating thumbnail sketches and rough drafts.
• Introduction to design software: basic tools for layout and mock-ups.
• Peer review and feedback incorporation.

Day 3: Finalising Designs and Preparing for Production

Objectives:
• Refine designs based on feedback and technical requirements.
• Prepare files for print and digital output.
• Understand file formats, resolution, and colour modes.
• Present final designs professionally.

Topics:
• Design refinement: polishing details, consistency checks.
• Preparing print files: bleed, crop marks, CMYK vs RGB.
• Preparing digital files: resolution, file formats (JPEG, PNG, PDF).
• Creating style guides and asset libraries.
• Presentation techniques: explaining design decisions.
• Client handover: packaging files and documentation.
• Overview of design ethics and copyright basics.

Practicals

No practicals for this training.

This course is made up of exercises and case studies delivered alongside the theory — no separate practical sessions are required to complete it.

Summatives

Each delegate is assessed continuously throughout the course and a final summative test at the end.

Daily Exercises — 30%

Every training day ends with a multiple-choice exercise scored out of 100%. The scores from each daily exercise are averaged across the duration of the course to produce a Daily Average mark, which contributes 30% to the final total.

Final Test — 70%

On the last day a final summative test is written. It is a multiple-choice paper with multiple-answer questions: each question may have more than one correct option, and a single wrong selection on a question marks the entire question wrong — no partial credit. The final test is scored out of 100% and contributes 70% to the overall mark.

Final Total
Component Out of Weight
Daily Average (multiple choice) 100% 30%
Final Test (multi-answer multiple choice) 100% 70%
Final Total 100%

All marks are recorded on the AATICD LMS and visible to each learner under their account.

Certificate

Certificate of Completion

Awarded to delegates who achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher on the Final Total (Daily Average 30% + Final Test 70%).

How it works
  • Certificates are auto-generated on the AATICD LMS as soon as the marks pass the 50% threshold.
  • Each certificate is a branded PDF with the delegate's name, the course title, the unit standard ID, NQF level, credits, and the date of issue.
  • You can download or print your certificate from your LMS dashboard at any time after issue — there's no reissue fee and no expiry date.
  • If you scored under 50% you can sit the final test again at the next scheduled session at no extra cost.
Where to find it

Sign in to the LMS, open your dashboard, and your certificates appear under My Certificates. Each entry has a View / Download button and a print option.

Training Discounts

Group discounts apply automatically — the more delegates you enrol, the greater the saving. Discounts are calculated at 3% per 5 delegates, scaling up to 40% off for 100+ delegates.

Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% discount per 5 delegates, up to 40% off for 100+ delegates. Contact us for a custom group quote.

Upcoming Training Sessions
Online training — attend live sessions from anywhere via our virtual classroom.
Start End Delivery Season Price Action
Mon 07 Sep 2026 Wed 09 Sep 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Wed 30 Sep 2026 Fri 02 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Tue 20 Oct 2026 Thu 22 Oct 2026 Virtual Spring 2026 $967 Register
Mon 07 Dec 2026 Wed 09 Dec 2026 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
Wed 13 Jan 2027 Fri 15 Jan 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
Tue 16 Feb 2027 Thu 18 Feb 2027 Virtual Summer 2026 $967 Register
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Tue 16 Mar 2027 Thu 18 Mar 2027 Virtual Autumn 2027 $967 Register
Mon 07 Jun 2027 Wed 09 Jun 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $967 Register
Wed 30 Jun 2027 Fri 02 Jul 2027 Virtual Winter 2027 $967 Register
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Wed 29 Sep 2027 Fri 01 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $967 Register
Tue 19 Oct 2027 Thu 21 Oct 2027 Virtual Spring 2027 $967 Register
Mon 06 Dec 2027 Wed 08 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
Wed 29 Dec 2027 Fri 31 Dec 2027 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
Tue 18 Jan 2028 Thu 20 Jan 2028 Virtual Summer 2027 $967 Register
On-Campus training — face-to-face sessions at our training venues across Africa and beyond.
Showing all 498 sessions across 26 venues
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Mon 03 Aug 2026 Wed 05 Aug 2026 Pretoria, South Africa Winter 2026 $1,447 Register
Mon 03 Aug 2026 Wed 05 Aug 2026 Mauritius Winter 2026 $3,148 Register
Tue 04 Aug 2026 Thu 06 Aug 2026 Cape Town, South Africa Winter 2026 $2,392 Register
Tue 04 Aug 2026 Thu 06 Aug 2026 Lagos, Nigeria Winter 2026 $3,796 Register
Wed 05 Aug 2026 Fri 07 Aug 2026 Dubai, UAE Winter 2026 $4,552 Register
In-House training — we bring the trainer to your organisation, tailored to your team.
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Tue 15 Sep 2026 Thu 17 Sep 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Mon 05 Oct 2026 Wed 07 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Wed 28 Oct 2026 Fri 30 Oct 2026 Your Premises Spring 2026 $1,258 Register
Tue 15 Dec 2026 Thu 17 Dec 2026 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Mon 18 Jan 2027 Wed 20 Jan 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Wed 24 Feb 2027 Fri 26 Feb 2027 Your Premises Summer 2026 $1,258 Register
Tue 09 Mar 2027 Thu 11 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 15 Mar 2027 Wed 17 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 24 Mar 2027 Fri 26 Mar 2027 Your Premises Autumn 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 15 Jun 2027 Thu 17 Jun 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 05 Jul 2027 Wed 07 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 28 Jul 2027 Fri 30 Jul 2027 Your Premises Winter 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 14 Sep 2027 Thu 16 Sep 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 04 Oct 2027 Wed 06 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 27 Oct 2027 Fri 29 Oct 2027 Your Premises Spring 2027 $1,258 Register
Tue 14 Dec 2027 Thu 16 Dec 2027 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Mon 03 Jan 2028 Wed 05 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Wed 26 Jan 2028 Fri 28 Jan 2028 Your Premises Summer 2027 $1,258 Register
Training Discounts
Delegates Discount
5 3% off
10 6% off
15 9% off
20 12% off
25 15% off
30 18% off
50 30% off
75 35% off
100 40% off

3% off per 5 delegates, up to 40% for 100+

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