Product Design Award Submission Checklist

Design Skill · Published 24 September 2026

Use this checklist when your product presentation is ready for a final review. Work through it against the actual requirements of your selected award and edition.

Keep one folder containing the approved description, image files, credits and supporting links. Assign one person to check consistency across the pack. This is a preparation checklist, not a list of mandatory files for every competition.

Project identity and eligibility

• The project name is identical in the form, description and captions.
• The designer, studio, client and collaborators are credited accurately.
• The concept, prototype or production status is stated clearly.
• The project dates meet the selected edition’s requirements.
• The chosen category matches the work shown, and any uncertainty has been clarified with the organiser.

If the product includes packaging, software or a wider service, define what this entry covers. Readers should not have to guess which contribution is being assessed. The product design entry guide explains how to choose that focus.

Project description

• The opening identifies the intended user and the problem or activity.
• The important constraints are explained.
• Two or three design decisions are connected to those needs.
• Technical terms are defined when a general design reader might not know them.
• Statements about performance, usability or environmental benefit match the evidence available.
• The text fits the current form’s limits without cutting a sentence halfway through.

Read the description without looking at the images. Then view the images without reading the description. Each should help orient the reader, while the combination should explain more than either does alone.

Images and supporting media

• An overall view introduces the object.
• A view in use or a scale reference makes its size and handling understandable.
• Detail images explain the feature central to the entry.
• Renders, prototypes and production photographs are labelled accurately.
• Captions describe what matters in the image.
• Files meet the organiser’s current format, size and quantity requirements.
• Text within images is legible at the size a reviewer will see.
• Any video can be understood without essential information being available only in its soundtrack.

Avoid filling the available slots with near-identical angles. For a repairable object, for example, a component-access view may explain more than another hero photograph. Only show disassembly or technical claims that accurately represent the submitted design.

Evidence and project status

• Measured results include the method, baseline and scope of the comparison.
• User observations identify the task and stage of the prototype.
• Estimates are labelled as estimates.
• Unverified outcomes are described as goals, not achievements.
• The version shown in the images matches the description.

If there are no production results yet, explain what has been demonstrated and what remains to be tested. An accurate project status gives the reader a reliable basis for understanding the work.

Credits, permissions and access

• Project and image credits have been checked with the relevant contributors.
• You have the necessary permissions to submit and publish the material.
• Confidential client information and identifiable research data have been removed or approved for publication.
• Links open for someone outside your organisation.
• Supporting files do not rely on a temporary local path or an expiring private account session.

Use consistent file names and retain a copy of the exact files submitted. This helps resolve later questions about which version was entered.

Final submission review

• The award is accepting entries for the edition you intend to enter.
• You have reviewed fees, deadlines, publication terms and any optional purchases.
• Required fields are complete and the selected nomination is correct.
• A colleague unfamiliar with the project can explain its purpose and central design decision.
• After submission, you can retain the confirmation and entry reference securely.

A payment receipt and a completed project submission may be separate records. Follow the programme’s actual process and confirm that all required steps are complete rather than relying only on reaching a success screen.

Useful next steps

Use the case-study framework if the narrative still needs work. Browse Product Design Award Winners for published examples, then return to your own project’s requirements and evidence.

Entry requirements vary by programme and edition. Check the Design Skill Awards brief or the International Excellence Awards brief for the current status, categories, fees and deadlines. These preparation guides do not replace the official rules.