My biggest complaint with this class is the unclear instructor feedback. They don't directly state what's wrong/bad with your work and are extremely lukewarm. Very frustrating as they won't have much to say in critique, making you think the piece is good, then hitting you with a terrible grade. Maybe they try not to give direction because they want to see your natural instincts/talent? Idk. Putting aside the grading, I'd say the content material is pretty interesting if you're into design. The course is pretty broad, touching on typography, photography, colors, shapes, product packaging and more.

Personality-wise, Jayme is very lukewarm, even bland. As an instructor she is very strict with grading, deadlines, etc.

Unless you're already really good at design, I would say to have a back-up plan. (You can look at the graduating senior's project showcases at {year}.uwdesignshow.com to see what level of design they're at.) Take the class like an intro to design, and try to have fun.

This is the intro class/requirement for the DESIGN major, and runs very differently compared to other classes--in workload, instructional style, and expectations. There are three big projects in the class. No exams (at least when I took it). Much of the class is dedicated to group critique of each others' projects, rather than lecture or instruction. Expectations are high, but if you are able to 1. effectively seek out and process critique, and 2. put in the effort, you will do great.

Hours/week isnt an adequate measure of effort here, its very different for everyone.

Cheng is hilarious