Success in any approach to basic design studies and choice of assignments depends on how these assignments are presented to students and how these assignments are configured. While describing an assignment if unnecessary emphasis is given to freedom and self-expression, that is if students are expected to create a work of art, the work is going to be conceptually shallow and meaningless. It is usually imitation rather than an innovation; it is predictable. Students sometimes work under the assumption that they are creating a piece of art, but the fact is that students are often handicapped by lack of information and experience which they would gain in the basic design course. In the absence of such a course, an architectural design assignment given to the student will result in him imitating a preconceived solution or an existing visual image in his mind as though it was his design. The entire design process in future years will be without any intellectual challenge to the students. The architectural design process without a basic visual design foundation will reduce to a process of imitation rather than innovation. Basic design assignments are the best or an excellent method to develop visual concepts, to experience materials and processes and to learn with given constraints.

To achieve growth in visual design thinking, students have to take risks and learn to accept failure positively. Some students may even fail totally at some times, but the new assignments encourage them to think boldly and take risks and ultimately succeed.