Intuitively my understanding of the design process begins with looking at the situation. By looking at the situation, I am gathering information and all relevant data. I ask myself what am I trying to do? What is the situation? What problems am I trying to address? For whom is this? What are my guidelines and limitations?
After I’ve answered these questions, I start to generate some ideas. While generating ideas, I am also filtering through the ones that directly answer or solve whatever situation I am trying to solve. This part is really important to put aside those that do not actually respond to whatever you are trying to do, no matter how cool it is. It’ll save you from having to go back and start over again. Although there are many cases where even if you do answer these questions, your ideas still need improving upon. You might find yourself starting at the beginning anyhow. But those chances decrease if you spend a lot of care at the beginning.
So with the ideas, I generally pick one, or a mix of several. Then here is what I’ve recently been acquainted with—prototyping.
the original or model on which something is based or formed.
–dictionary.com
This definition does describe generally what a prototype is, but it leaves out the most fundamental part that I enjoy: creativity! Prototyping is all about using your creative side (left brain… but sometimes I hear it is the right brain.. so pick whatever side of the brain that isn’t all technical). This aspect of I find is fun, it’s open, it’s innovative, it’s at the core of design. Design from my short experience in taking this course, isn’t limited to the status quo. It can utilize existing concepts, it can generate new solutions, and it’s really up to the individual/team who uses their own experience.
From prototyping there is the actual implementation, which is something I haven’t had too much experience in, in the “real world”. I’m sure the in between stages of prototyping and implementation, there is a lot of revision, negotiations, and reconstruction of ideas. But when one actually implements something it becomes real. It becomes real in the sense that people start to actually use it. The solution that the “project” aimed to solve is actually doing something and is consistently doing it. One thing to remember is that the product/service may need to be revised, and new prototypes may be created in order to respond to changes in the environment. So I call this process is quite “loopy” (I think Moura actually said that in class too!)
In Schon’s The Reflective Practionner: how Professional Think in Action, he illustrates how widespread design can be used and the importance of reflection in this process. Schon explains how design can actually link together very different professions such as architecture and therapy as should use an element of reflection in their activities. Reflecting asks, what am I doing? what impact am I making? etc… questions that help to deliver and enhance learning.
What spoke to me the most in Sara Beckman and Michael Barry’s Innovation as a learning process: embedding design thinking was their their formulation of how to stucture an innovation team. I’ve been learning more and more these days about what really determines the success of new projects, start-ups, etc… are the people involved! Not necessarily their background, education, talent, networks, but a combination of all three with a passionate and committed personality. It takes courage to follow through and believe in your ideas. I also agree with Beckman and Barry that working in interdisciplinary teams play an important role in developing and successfully performing products/projects/services/ideas…