Introduction:
Be a term that can change the world, design cannot disappear. In my life of design, I always thought about design is a difficult task. Design one thing takes many times to prepare and develop the idea. The creation of the design also can make me want to give up. But design is an interesting thing to learn and to work with. I can say if my life without design, I will be going crazy. Continue reading ‘Essay 3-Man Chau Chau(Eric)’
BLOG – SWOT
The BLOG was interesting for me because I had no experience, need or interest in visiting or creating one before.
I support Jon’s views that it provided a good forum to collaborate with class members. I enjoyed the keen and capable participation of BLOG-friendly members like Pete. I liked being able to look at other student’s comments and submissions and receive their views on mine.
Was a BLOG (as opposed to say a website, electronic game or another design practice) quite confined by electronic parameters that did not allow more innovative design options to emerge? While I appreciated the appearance and functionality of the site being controlled by others (because of my own ineptitude), I think it would have been fun to see what emerged with more input (experienced or not). Mistakes teach us things as well.
I share Jon’s views about info being split between the Google site and the BLOG. In all we had three sites to visit and/or manage.
I am concerned that a BLOG did allow more engaged practice of the ‘designerly acts’. I am not familiar enough with the practice of blogging to know whether this could be resolved with other software, manipulation, etc. We had a broad range of professional and cultural experience and some interesting things could have emerged.
June 8th, 2009
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Research led by a leading expert on the positive benefits of napping at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine suggests that Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep enhances creative problem-solving. The findings may have important implications for how sleep, specifically REM sleep, fosters the formation of associative networks in the brain…”
Read more at http://www.physorg.com/news163700544.html
At the conclusion of IDEA 9106 for the semester, it might be worth seeking comments from all class participants on the role of the BLOG and opportunities for further development.
This is my personal SWOT analysis for what it is worth …
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
What are everyone else’s comments on the BLOG???
Design Thinking – Roisin Kelly (200239096)
Kees Dorst questions, in his article Design Research: A Revolution Waiting to Happen (2008), how someone would start a new scientific discipline aimed at studying a complex area of human activity like design. First, he says, we would probably observe the activity, and then describe it (“which in itself involves a degree of interpretation”). Then we would seek to create models to explain the phenomena as observed. This explanatory framework could then be used to prescribe ways for improving practice and developing methods and tools.
Dorst (2008) says that this has not happened in the field of design research. He says the field emerged from practitioners developing ways of working to help them cope with problems they faced, that these prescriptive statements were put into words and published as formal tools and methods.
Dorst (2008) says that studying the process of design would include four components – the object of the activity (the design problem and emerging solution), the actor (the designer or design team), the context in which the activity takes place and the structure and dynamics of the activities (‘the design process’).
He says however that three of these four aspects are often ignored. He says the overwhelming majority of descriptive and prescriptive work in design research focuses entirely on the design process and, as a result, design methods and tools being developed inevitably focus on enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the process. He suggests that an overriding focus on design processes holds us back from a deeper understanding of the design activity.
I think that IDEA9106 and design thinking has challenged Dorst’s point. And while ‘designerly acts’ are part of the design process, I think that significant aspects of the other components emerged in a more rich and subtle way than they may have if we blatantly identified them and tackled them.
For example, I was curious and intrigued about the relationship between cognitions and the design process and how intricately linked they are. The class discussions around knowing, discovering and interpreting allowed these issues to emerge organically, as a consequence of the designerly acts.
Let’s look at interpretation for example. Gabriela Goldschmidt (1988) says that interpretation is the hinge on which the entire design process is pivoted. Consider how uniquely individual and misconstrued interpretations can be and ask whether looking this aspect of the design process can really exclude emotion or passions. I can vividly picture members of a design team departing a brief or brainstorming session in frustration because no-one cared about or understood their interpretations.
Goldschmidt says that interpretation can be the central process within the wider activity of designing. She refers to ‘knowledge’ which includes information, norms, beliefs, requirements, wishes or stylistic preferences that a designer is aware of, and ‘design moves’ which are actions on the knowledge – adding or subtracting from the knowledge, changing the relationship among items. Priorities, for example, can emerge from design moves. The possibilities of ‘knowledge’ alone are vast and, often, emotional or even irrational.
And what about discovery? Goldschmidt says that the opportunity for discoveries is wide open when designers experiment with their material intensively enough to see issues and problems in new ways. So if a designers ‘material’ includes their knowledge we are asking them to challenge and experiment with their beliefs, requirements or preferences. I ask whether looking at this part of the design process could ever exclude emotions or attitudes.
And what about reflection? Personal or collective reflection in a professional context can inevitably result in personal challenges that raise emotions.
Consider Schon’s (1983) chapter about the limits to reflection in action in town planning.
He talks about his (and Argyis’) models I and II of theory in action. Model I is typical of my experience with how statutory planners behave. Values in this model include (among others) achieving the task as I define it, try to win and control the task unilaterally. I have heard planners return from meetings with applicants and claim to have “won”.
Schon says that in applying this model negotiations will be imbued with “mystery and mastery” because each side protects themselves and hides information that could, if revealed, facilitate negotiations and achieve and a better outcome.
The model II theory in action, alternatively, proposes creating conditions for open and informed communication and exchanging directly observable information from which valid assumptions can be made thereby creating conditions where parties play an intrinsically satisfying role, rather than one based on loss or gain, and where commitment to decisions may be stronger. (I suspect that many professions could benefit from this model and I am certain that statutory planning could. I am curious to know whether I would derive such certainty if the chapter was written from the perspective of another profession).
When I consider Schon’s (1983) detailed assessment of reflection I again question Dorst’s (2008) comments that while the study of design has focussed on process this means it has ignored the design problem, the actors and the context because I believe that reflection in all its frustration and revelation cannot be reasonably considered without including at least some emotion, other actors or the context.
Consider, for example, a professional discussion of Schon’s two models. How is model I applied? When is model II applied? How useful have practitioners have found them in different circumstances? Are there benefits or drawbacks? Have there been gains or losses as a result of a certain approach? What may have occurred had the alternative model been applied? This debate, if nothing else, might allow practitioners to see and acknowledge their behaviour and surely this is the beginning of reflection.
The issues that would inevitably arise as a result of this professional discussion, whether personal or collective, would necessarily include feelings, other team members, the context and the actual design problem. Some would say “I felt angry, impatient, ignored…”. Others would say “The engineers/administrators would not allow it…” or “That is not suitable for this situation…”.
So while Dorst thinks that almost three-quarters of the aspects of designing have generally been overlooked by focussing on process I think that design thinking allows deeper understanding of the design activity.
Some further ideas for IDEA 9106.
Design has wide application in many professions. Furniture – from elite items in Milan to basic household or office furniture. Websites – from functional to funky. Games –board games, computer games, children’s playground equipment. Clothes – from catwalk to utilitarian. Machinery – household to industrial, useful to useless. Print media – catalogues, magazines, industry journals and bill boards. Packaging and advertising in their many shapes and forms. Vehicles – from skateboards to helicopters. Does drafting policy and legislation feature design? Does systems planning or business analysis use design principles? I think that many professions could and sometimes do apply some or many of the ‘designerly acts’.
IDEA 9106 could benefit from drawing on different examples of how and where design is applied.
I think that a class of people: younger and older, from all over the world, with different beliefs, knowledge and professional backgrounds will apply the ‘designerly acts’ individually with unique and possibly interesting results. Imagine for instance if in Week 4-6 students were asked to use the acts studied so far to design something – some would sketch, some would use computers, some may build it. Some might refine an existing example or come up with something entirely new. Some would focus on appearance and others may focus on function. Some would target marketability while others may aim for individuality. Some would mimic and others would innovate. There would be good, great and preposterous.
And what about other ‘designerly acts’? For example Goldschmidt (1988) refers to ‘play’. Apparently the word ‘play’, as a noun and verb, is often used in discussion of architecture and designing. One famous example in architecture is Le Corbusier’s definition: ‘Architecture is the skilful, correct and magnificent play of volumes assembled in light’. Likewise Donald Schon talks about ‘design worlds’, virtual in nature, within which design activities take place.
I raise play because speculative sketching or testing seemed to be a relatively common effort in the design process. And while play could be captured in other ‘designerly acts’ like exploring or modelling, I think that play allows or even encourages, less rigid or defined engagement with the brief whereby team members can test or sample fanciful ideas.
I think that IDEA 9106 allowed speculation, experimentation and engagement and also filled a gap identifed by Dorst.
References:
Crilly, Nathan; Good, David; Matravers, Derek; Clarkson, P John 2008 Design as communication: exploring the validity and utility of relating intention to interpretation Design Studies, Volume 29, Issue 5, September 2008, Pages 425-457
Cross, Cross 2007 Forty years of design research Design Studies, Volume 28, Issue 1, January 2007, Pages 1-4
Dorst, Kees 2008 Design research: a revolution-waiting-to-happen Design Studies, Volume 29, Issue 1, January 2008, Pages 4-11
Goldschmidt, Gabriela 1988 Interpretation: its role in architectural designing
Design Studies, Volume 9, Issue 4, October 1988, Pages 235-245
Schon, Donald 1983 The Reflective Practitioner Ashgate Publishing Ltd
| 1 | How would you describe your design philosophy? | Clarity and integrity dominate throughout all aspects of my design, including structural systems, materiality, circulation, modulation and detail | |
| 2 | How would you describe different ways of going about designing you have seen? | Reductive – starting with a solid ‘block’ and then reducing it for imposed reasons such as Council controls, solar access, sightlines etc resulting in an envelope which becomes the building. Additive – imposing a strong design idea on the site and developing it to fit within required controls or constraints |
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| 3 | Could you describe any differences in your way of designing, compared with other designers in your experience? | Generally more structured, with a central conceptual idea against which everything subsequent is tested against | |
| 4 | Perhaps you have observed that some designers progress fairly steadily through projects, while others fluctuate, apparently getting nowhere for a time and then suddenly progressing | ||
| a | Which of these patterns is closer to your own experience?
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Fluctuate | |
| b | What would you say are the main reasons why this happens? | Fluctuating progress is not by choice, but unfortunately a reality. Due to the time demands on my day I rarely get to spend continuous uninterrupted time on any one project | |
| 5 | Can you describe anything that you associate with your creative work? | Being away from interruptions such as the phone and email. Solitude. Background music, yellow trace, thick 6B pencil | |
| 6 | If you get stuck or find you can’t resolve tricky design problem, how do you deal with it? | Have a cup of tea and keep on sketching. Persistence usually pays off | |
| 7 | Can you briefly describe any examples of needing a breakthrough, during conceptual design, and coming up with one? | Designing a support structure for the Sydney 2000 Olympic cauldron post games was difficult. Eventually the game of ‘pick-up-sticks’ provided the stimulus to allow for both an artistic support structure and a direct path for multiple service conduits to the cauldron | |
| 8 | How often do you find design ideas come to you unexpectedly at times when you are not designing? | Occasionally come as I wake up in the early morning, with my sub-conscious obviously having worked through the night | |
| 9 | How did these compare, with discoveries you make while working? | These discoveries are usually more considered and resolved, whereas ideas from the conscious mind need to be tested and further developed | |
| 10 | Is there anything else that is emotionally important, or important in any other way, to your designing, or which helps to reveal ‘how you tick’? | Stay true to your beliefs and design principles, despite impositions and hinderances from clients and authorities |
This BLOG entry is a personal reflection on my education and ongoing development as an architect and exploring how my personal experiences to date have influenced and guided my individual process of DESIGN THINKING.
I was attending secondary school in Newcastle, contemplating my career options, when the Newcastle University medical department announced that it was completely re-assessing its approach to the selection of students into the graduate course and the form that the education would be delivered once admitted. No longer would students be admitted based solely on impressive quantitative HSC marks, they also were required to pass a qualitative assessment of their aptitude to conduct themselves as a doctor following their education. Learning the theory of medicine was no longer considered adequate for the practice of medicine and a more relevant selection process and form of education was required.
The curricula devised by the Dean of Medicine was based around ‘problem-based learning’ principles. The basis of this style of learning is to present the students with a problem to solve, rather than the traditional series of unrelated lectures or assignments, which by the end of the degree should provide all of the knowledge required. The learning process becomes ‘active’ in the sense that the students need to discover the content which is relevant to the problem, rather than being handed the content in predetermined doses, typically at periods when the information could not be implemented and remained purely theoretical.
Aspects of problem-based learning include:
• Lecturers and tutors take on the role of facilitators rather than a source for solutions, allowing the students to ‘learn to learn’ and make their learning relevant to their own educational needs
• Retention of knowledge is increased by the activation of prior knowledge to construct explanatory models, which subsequently facilitate the processing and comprehension of new information
• New information is better comprehended when provided at the time of need and when students can apply it and elaborate on it further
• Learning in context is considered to make information more accessible for later use because situational clues activate the knowledge stored within the same cognitive structures
• Integration of basic concepts and knowledge from different domains and disciplines is necessary to address problems
• Students tend to see gaps in their own knowledge base and learn to regulate their own skill development
The Dean of the Architecture faculty at Newcastle University at the time, Professor Barry Maitland observed the changes implemented by medicine and recognised that the problem-based form of learning would be just as relevant for architects as doctors, in that competence is fostered not primarily by teaching to deliver knowledge, but through teaching to engender specific kinds of cognitive activity.
Changes happening across the world at the time – such as rapid advances in technology, changes in community demographics, environmental factors and lifestyle expectations required a revision of the traditional system of education for architects. The intent for the new form of architecture degrees was to train students on how to deal with problems in the future, preparing us to become active, independent learners and problem solvers through an inquisitive style of learning.
Problems proposed were very much along the lines of ‘wicked problems’ as suggested by [Rittel & Webber 1984] and ‘ill-structured problems’ as proposed by [Simon] – unique with no definite formulation. Interpreting these required explorative and abductive thinking, re-interpretation of the problem and ultimately necessitating innovative and creative design solutions based on a first principles analysis of the problem.
Being students at the time we did not possess expert knowledge, so we were expected to gather information and learn new concepts, principles and skills to engage with the nature of Knowing. This included utilising what we already know from previous experiences and recognising what strengths and capabilities each member of the team had. Each problem was approached with a constructive mode of thinking within a broad systematic approach. After nearly 20 years of practice as a chartered architect many of these design problems have already been encountered and knowledge from previous solutions assisting in a more efficient and effective resolution second time around, though I still maintain a first principles approach to all design thinking.
The nature of these ill-defined problems posed at Uni developed self-confidence in our abilities to define and re-define the problem, negotiate a path between solution and problem to better inform both aspects. Generally I approached the Practicing of design through the use of a ‘primary generator’ as proposed by [Darke 1979], using this as a benchmark to assess further development and make value judgements. This is still how I work today, though my toolbox of guiding principles have been developed and refined over the years, allowing quicker and more accurate assessment of new ideas against the primary generator for a specific project. The delight of being a designer was obvious to us during our education and is a constant reward of being an architect, being able to transform cognitive ideas into a physical reality for the world to see and experience.
Researching the knowledge and data to support our proposed solutions was always critical and remains so. Precedent studies of historical and contemporary projects, technical information on existing and emerging materials and processes are essential to developing as an architect, though it is often tempting to “just do it the same as last time …”.
My tertiary studies occurred just at the time when computers were transforming from main frames housed in a hidden central campus building with punch cards and incomprehensible streams of data to personal computing, run by a beige box sitting on your desk. These improved the presentation techniques available and assisted in the calculations of structural solutions, however when it came to the Modelling of our ideas hand drawn sketches, hand made models and hand crafted images were the only realistic option. This has led to a lifelong joy of sketching, as a record of events and travel, as a relaxation, but more importantly as a communication technique with clients where a picture is truly worth a thousand words – especially when it is created in front of a clients eyes for their specific need. I firmly believe in the cognitive scientific research that has identified the intrinsic 2-way connection between the brain and the hand, where each is better informed by the operation of the other. To watch a new graduate head straight for the computer to develop an idea pains me. I am sure that there are some who have learnt this technique successfully, but typically I see a result which is limited by the constraints of the CAD package and the practicalities of setting out lines than ideas. Textures, shading are all mechanical considerations rather than an intuitive element of the design and representation of ideas. Line weight and connection take precedent over building plane and form.
Curiosity and a search for something new and innovative often lead me to Exploring new untested ideas. Travel is an important aspect of this exploration – not merely looking at carefully crafted and cropped images in glossy books, but actually Experiencing buildings and the built environment first hand. Many of my cohort took the year off between our two degrees and travelled and worked overseas. Studies of Andrea Palladio, Modernism, Ephesus, Louis Kahn and the Barcelona Pavilion took on a new meaning when standing within their physical walls, using all five senses to their limit.
Overall, this study of Design Thinking has led me to conclude that designing is not just a process, but it is intrinsic with our individual interpretation and personal experiences gained throughout life. My personal approach to designing has been significantly influenced by the style of teaching adopted by Newcastle Uni, resulting in my wholistic and intuitive design approach.
References
Norman GR, Schmidt HG, (1992) The psychological basis of problem-based learning: a review of the evidence
Rittel, H.W.J. and Webber, M.W. (1984) Planning problems are wicked problems, in N. Cross (Ed.), Developments in Design Methodology
Darke, J. (1979). The primary generator and the design process. In Design Studies
1. How would you describe your design philosophy?
Before I design things, I always research some similar project. So that I always design things is too naturally. Also, I explore about the project first than start to design. Continue reading ‘Short Deign Thinking Survey(Eric)’
Abstract
In this essay I will discuss some of the key notions and concepts that I have learned throughout my study in Design Thinking this semester. I will outline what the various ‘designerly acts’ are and discuss how studying them has benefited my own design thinking.
About me
I would still consider myself to be a novice of design. I am yet to work professionally; all of my knowledge and practice of design has been through my studies at either university or technical college. However, through my experiences through working on various assignments and projects, I have developed a good knowledge of various design applications, strategies of design and design philosophies.
My major is Design Science – Digital Media. During my time at Sydney University I have studied a wide variety of design subjects from Web Design, Sound Design for new media, Graphic Design, Video Editing, Photography and so on. I can still honestly say that I have not yet found which specific area I would like to focus on in my career. But, the same principles of design seem to apply to every subject that I have studied.
A famous Australian photographer that I have researched, David Moore, said that “It’s terribly important to understand and study the other creative disciplines – sculpture, painting, music, architecture, design – so that you’re feeding off all the creative world and being stimulated by it. So what finally comes out of you is affected by these things… hopefully in a positive way.” [1]
Although subjects like Photography, Sound Design and Web Design may not be my main interests, I too find that I am getting a more rounded view through embracing these other disciplines and discovering elements of good design principles within them. This also applies to the knowledge I have gained through studying design thinking.
I think that it’s great to learn about design software like Adobe Photoshop and know all of the tricks and special features, but without a good knowledge of design principles and theory, you can only do so much. I often find work created by ‘novice’ designers on the internet and in magazines that is aesthetically good, but you can constantly see that they have used a particular filter in Photoshop or a particular custom brush. Elements of their design are also often flawed such as the composition and layout, colour palette and confused concepts.
Being knowledgeable about design also means one very important thing – You are using the design software to create your design without being influenced by the software. What I mean by that is, that you won’t use certain tools like ‘dodging’ and ‘burning’ or a special ‘filter’ for no reason other than it looks ‘cool’. You will plan what you want to create and then the design software will help see your idea come to fruition. It is also important that a designer knows the limitations of what he or she can create within the software.
The designerly acts
I will now outline the designerly acts. It is important that I first make it clear that this is my interpretation of them. This is because designing means different things to every individual and“we cannot assume that the term would denote equal meaning to all designers.”(Petra Falin 2007) [2].
Interpreting
Interpreting means to make sense of something. Everybody has their own interpretation of things and the same applies to design and artwork. Peoples’ interpretations can change due to their cultural background, context, beliefs, prior experiences and so on. In terms of interpreting as a designerly act, I feel that this is how designers interpret design ‘problems’; Whether it’s instructions from a client or colleague, or their physical interpretation of their own thoughts. A designer’s interpretation of a ‘problem’ will influence how and what he or she will design.
Knowing
Knowledge about something; some people acquire knowledge through research, practice and study, and others seem to have a sixth sense. In class we discussed how a mechanic can listen to a car and tell you what’s wrong with it without being able to understand why. Sports people can seem to have an intuition as well. Similarly, a good soccer striker always seems to be in the right place at the right time. Designers use their knowledge to design. Sometimes they will not ‘know’, and this is when other designerly acts need to be used to gain this knowledge. In order to solve the ‘problem’ you need to understand it.
Practicing
There are some things that cannot be learned through research, exploring and discussing. These things must be learned through practicing and experiencing. For example, riding a bicycle; you could read hundreds of books about how to ride a bicycle, and watch people do it forever, but until you practice you won’t be able to ride it properly. I have found that this is similar with design applications like Flash. You need to practice using it before you can understand it properly and know your limits.
Researching
Research is a crucial part of the design process. It is used to understand the needs, scope, limitations and resources of the design. It is important that you don’t plagiarise other people’s work. In saying that, there is also no need to ‘reinvent the wheel’. Research of existing design can be beneficial in that you can find what is out there, what is successful, what isn’t successful and find inspiration. Good research can save a lot of time and effort because you can avoid mistakes and obstacles.
Modelling
Modelling is similar to presenting. A model is a simplified representation of something. In terms of design, a model can be utilised for many different purposes. For example: to test a design; to get approval to construct a final product; to help visualise an idea/thing or display a concept to others.
Exploring
Exploring was the topic of my assignment one essay. I found that exploring meant “to traverse or range over for the purpose of discovery… to look into closely / scrutinize / examine” (The Macquarie Dictionary 1990)[3] in terms of design, exploring is used for two main reasons: To help better understand a problem; To explore an idea or concept for the sake of discovery.
Discussing
Like presenting and modelling, discussing is a designerly act used to collaborate and present to other people involved in a design process. Discussing is used to get feedback from others and to raise concerns or ideas and hopefully solve design problems.
Experiencing
Experience cannot be taught. It is something that one can gain only after lots of practice and time. For a designer, experience is great because it enables them to overcome difficulties and problems easier as they have dealt with similar things in the past. Experiencing is also a great way to learn. I have been learning Japanese language for a long time. However, I found that living in Japan for 6 months was the best way to learn, and that I learnt more in 6 months there than I could in 2 or 3 years studying text books. Experiencing and practicing are different in that experiencing is the ‘real thing’ and not simulated.
Discovering
In my opinion, exploring and discovering are directly linked and overlap. People explore for the purpose of discovery and discovery both random and earned lead to more explorations. Discoveries can be either the best or the worst experiences during designing in my opinion: They can be discoveries that ultimately help you solve the problem, ‘eureka’ moments if you will; or they can be moments of grief, where you find a huge problem in the design or are met with an obstacle/difficulty.
Reflecting
As a designerly act reflecting can be used at early stages of a design process, where older designs and inspirations can be reflected upon. Reflecting is also used to ensure the initial purpose or need of the design is being fulfilled.
Presenting
Presenting is used to display the content of a topic to an audience; in design, whether it may be through sketches, descriptions, models or whatever to others. This was the topic of my second assignment. I found that designers will need to present different parts of their design to different audiences throughout a design process. For example, technical designs to colleagues and final design designs to clients. Presenting is crucial in design, as it is how an idea or concept is materialised.
Celebrating
Celebrating is usually done when a major milestone is reached during the design process. However, as I realised from my assignment one work, there is always a possibility for improvements of a design. This is because of factors such as better understanding of the ‘problem’, improved technology/resources/tools and so on.
I think that it is clear that the designerly acts are not rigid; many of the acts overlap and are directly related. They can be used by designers in many different ways at different stages of a design process. This is because design problems are different to regular problems. They are often unique, ill-defined, non routine or as Rittel and Webber defined them “wicked problems”. (1973)[4].
The design process
In my assignment two essay, I stated that although there is no definitive process of designing there seems to be three major stages which a design goes through – concept, development, and final product. There also seems to be two reasons that designing takes place which greatly alter the process in which designing is undertaken. That is, whether it’s designing to fulfil a specific need or purpose i.e. for a client; or whether something is designed simply for amusement, such as artwork. Design processes for the former are usually more structured than those that are for amusement.
The concept stage of a design is where the purpose of the design as well as the scope and limitations is defined. Designerly acts: interpreting, knowing, researching, exploring, discussing, modelling, presenting and reflecting come into play. Before the ‘problem can be solved’ or a final design solution be created; the purpose/need/goal/aim of the design must first be understood or at least acknowledged. Sometimes this means that a design will start at the development stage, when it isn’t being designed for a specific purpose; such as for art.
During the development stage of a design process, designerly acts like discovering, reflecting and experiencing are most used. Often during the development stage, obstacles and difficulties arise. This often leads to the concept stage being revisited or revised.
After the development stage, the final product stage is reached. During this stage, the designer/s will discuss, reflect and present the design and decide whether to go back to development or concept stage or whether to present and celebrate the final product.
Throughout my study during this course, I also found that design processes don’t always necessarily start at the concept stage. They can arise due to a discovery or a desire to explore. Later, a purpose for the idea can be developed and a design can be created. John S Gero from our University faculty wrote “Designing as exploration takes the view that the stated space of possible designs to be searched is not necessarily available at the outset of the design process. Here designing involves finding the behaviours, the possible structures and /or the means of achieving them, i.e. these are only poorly known at the outset of designing.” (Logan and Smithers, 1993; Gero, 1994)[5]
Another interesting point is that over time, newer designs can arise as new technology becomes available and the ‘problem’ is understood better. In my assignment one essay, I discussed this notion by using the example of mobile phones, discussing how they have evolved over time.
In addition, I found that new design can create issues that were not foreseen during the development of a design. In the case of mobile phones, I talked about some issues like electronic bullying and how people these days are prone to be less punctual and less planned as they have their mobile phone to help them when they get stuck. And furthermore, how the implementation of designs can lead to new designs; for example, mobile phone technology evolving and leading to devices like the ‘iPhone’.
Conclusion
As a result of the research and study that I have done for this course I have found that there is no one process that will be suitable for every design situation. The ability to utilise various design strategies and thinking, like the various designerly acts, when an obstacle or difficulty is faced is what makes a good designer. I also found it interesting that design is not art, science or problem solving, but a combination of the three. Although I would still only consider myself to be a novice designer, I feel that through learning about these various topics and my research about various expert designers has been extremely useful. I feel that my studies in Design Science – Digital Media at Sydney University have provided me a good theoretical and methodical knowledge base of design. From now, it’s just a matter of experience and time separating me from the experts.
References:
[1]
Contemporary photographers: Australia David Moore (1980)
[2]
Falin, P. The Social Dimension in Construction of Designerly Knowing in Design Enquiries 2007 University of Lapland, Faculty of Art & Design, Design Connections Graduate School (2007)
[3]
The Macquarie Dictionary (1990)
[4]
Rittel, H. & Webber, M. “Dilemma in a general theory of planning” Policy Sciences 4: 155-160 (1973)
[5]
Gero, J.S. Towards a Model of Designing Which Includes its Situatedness, Key Centre of Design Computing, Department of Architectural and Design Science, University of Sydney (Logan and Smithers, 1993; Gero, 1994)
For this task I have chosen to research the topic of ‘Presenting as a Designerly Act’ focusing on the topic from the vantage point of two designers from varying fields of design – that is, from the point of view of an architect and from the point of view of a video game designer. I will compare the similarities and contrast how these designers use ‘presenting’. I will also add my own thoughts and viewpoints to the topic throughout.
It is important that we understand what ‘Presenting’ means before we start to think about what it might mean in terms of a ‘designerly’ act. After looking at a few definitions, presenting can basically be defined as the process of showing and explaining the content of a topic to an audience. ‘Presenting as a Designerly Act’ maybe summarised as: the way in which designers display their design to others.
Presentation skills are vital for collaboration between designers; and between designers and clients. If a designer is unable to present his or her ideas or intentions successfully to his or her colleagues or clients, they could be misunderstood. This could lead to unexpected or poor outcomes. Some presentation factors that could lead to poor outcomes include:
As a result of the research for my first assignment for this course, I discovered that design and the process of design is different for every designer. Here is an extract from a paper written by Petra Falin that summarises this notion. “The term design covers a broad field of activities from systematic processes of engineering to the artistic processes of haute couture. There are elements of design that are common to all or most of the fields of design but still we cannot assume that the term would denote equal meaning to all designers.” [2](Petra Falin 2007)
This same principle applies for presenting. There is no definitive way to present and everyone expresses themselves and their ideas differently. However, some methods of presenting can be more desirable or suitable for certain situations. In Architecture for example, 3D rendered concept images of a building maybe more desirable or suitable than an artist’s drawing in some situations. In some cases a scale model might be even more desirable or suitable.
In relation to presenting in video game design, a concept artist’s drawing of a character could be more useful than a written description of a character; or a 3D modeller being more forceful and immediately understood.
Presentation is probably one of the most important factors in determining whether a concept/thing will be accepted. Although there are numerous ways and mediums in which an idea can be presented, there are some notions and strategies that can be applied to any presentation. There are skills that an individual can acquire that can improve their presentation skills as a whole. The most important attribute a presenter can have is confidence. Successful salespeople are those who are very confident and bestow confidence into their client leading to a sale. Confidence comes naturally for some people, but not for all. The best way to feel confident about presenting something is to know a lot about it. Knowledge can be achieved through research and practice.
Another useful presentation technique is the ability to listen to, get feedback and read your audience. Alan Pease is his book about body language [reference 1] talks about how to read other peoples’ thoughts and feelings through their gestures and body language.
Pease “addressed a series of meetings in New Zealand, where the audience comprised of about 100 managers and 500 sales people. A highly controversial issue was being discussed”. During this study, Pease found that at certain points during the meeting, when the salesperson was discussing the performance of members of the audience, several people took a “defence pose” – their legs and arms crossed; perhaps showing that they felt threatened or disagreed with what the salesperson was saying. Pease then noticed a loosening up in the audiences’ seating pose and body language when the topic of discussion changed.
Pease states that “in a selling situation it would be unwise to attempt to close the sale and ask for the order when the buyer takes this [defensive] position. The salesperson would need to use an open appeal, leaning forward with palms up and saying, ‘I can see that you have some ideas on this. I’d be interested in your opinion’, and then sit back to signify that it is the buyer’s turn to speak. This gives the buyer an opportunity to tell you his or her opinion.” And for you to get feedback! It seems that observation and interpretation of responses can be just as important as the presentation itself.
Simplicity and visual aids are often beneficial when presenting. Summarisation of points, images, charts and diagrams for example, are often very useful in ensuring that your ideas are understood by your audience. Re-iteration of key points is also very useful.
Another pointer from Alan Pease’s book is about how to control your audience’s gaze. Pease states that “Research shows that of the information relayed to a person’s brain, 87% comes via the eyes, 9% via the ears, and 4% via the other senses. If, for example, the person is looking at your visual aid as you are speaking, he or she will absorb as little as 9% of your message if the message is not directly related to what he or she sees. If the message is related to the visual aid, he or she will absorb only 25% – 30% of your message if he or she is looking at the visual aid.” Pease suggests using a pointer to control the audience’s gaze. This theory could be applied to other mediums such as text, by using bold or larger fonts or by using bright colours to highlight.
As Petra Falin stated, there is no definitive right or wrong way of a design process. However, there seems to be three major stages during any design process:
Concept; Development; Product
Concept: The idea, purpose or reason for the design and what it aims to achieve.
Development: Creation of a working model, testing and modification.
Product: The final outcome.
It is quite possible that the two designers from architecture and video game design disciplines would have different approaches to ‘Presenting as a Designerly Act’. Furthermore, they will utilise different presentation techniques and media in accordance to whom they are presenting – for example, their boss, team members or clients. Similarly, they will use different presentation techniques and media in accordance to what they are presenting – i.e. concept, working model, final product.
All design starts off as a big picture whether we are talking about an architect designing a block of units or a video game designer designing a new game. Through the stages of concept, development to final product, designers will have to show different sides of their design to different audiences.
Take for example when an architect is trying to get approval to build. He or she will have to present a concept and detailed drawings and models that comply with council regulations. When he or she presents to prospective buyers however, he or she has to show a different side of the design – one which will encourage buyers to buy.
Another key point to remember is that the two disciplines I am discussing here are not singular professions. A completed video game is the product of many designers – character designers, background/stage designers, sound designers, 3D model designers, storyboard designers, scoring system designers and so on. Likewise, an architect will often work with artists, 3D modellers, builders, plumbers, carpenters, interior designers, landscape designers and so on. Therefore, presentations that would be made to skilled audiences working on the project and those to the final audience vary in that the technical stage is presented to the former rather than the final product.
‘Presenting as a designerly act’ embraces the different audiences that are offered the design at its various stages. In these two disciplines there is some overlap in audience and the technology that would be utilised. For example: both disciplines present concepts in a similar way utilising artist’s drawings, 3D modelling and scale models. This is the beginning of the designerly act for both. Both disciplines have a technical stage. For the architect there are plans and scale drawings to presented to relevant authorities for approval as well as to the proposed builder for cost estimation. For the video game design the storyboard, artist drawings, sound library, 3D modelling is presented to the programmers who will actually write the software for the game.
Throughout the development stage there is further modelling, testing and modification of the design and this is presented to other audiences. For the architect this may be for the bankers who will finance the project, the marketers who will design a marketing plan, the real estate agents who will sell the building and the buyers who are the end users. For the video game designer similarly the game will be presented to game testers, marketers and retailers of the game.
Another finding from my research for this assignment that I believe is important is whether modern technology and tools are altering or determining the way in which designers design. In terms of video game design, it is quite clear. As the video game consoles, technology, software and hardware improve so does the ability to create more impressive games. The aforementioned also limit what can and can’t be created. In architecture however, the widespread usage of software such as ‘ArchiCAD’ may be altering or determining what architects are designing. In previous times, an architect would sketch ideas in a sketchbook or on scraps of paper. Often nowadays, this process is skipped and architects start ‘sketching’ and designing in the software. This raises some interesting topics of speculation and debate:
Usually a design’s scope and limitations are determined by the client, available resources and the skills of the designer. Is the widespread use of software like ‘ArchiCAD’ becoming another limitation or is it just another medium for presenting ideas?
From my research, I have found that presentation is very important in design. It is the way in which designers communicate ideas and intentions to colleagues and clients. I found that poor presentation leads to misunderstanding which can lead to unexpected and poor results.
From Assignment 1, I found that there is no definitive way to design. Through my research for this Assignment, I found that there is no definitive way to present but, there are some strategies and tools which one can consider to improve presentation.
These include things like confidence; reading, listening to and gathering feedback from an audience; simplicity of presentation through summarisation, visual aids and re-iteration of key points; and controlling the audience’s gaze.
I also found that even though my two researched design fields, Architecture and Video Game Design, both completely different, had a similarity in terms of presenting. Various sides and parts of designs had to be presented to different audiences at different times. Finally, some interesting points of further discussion and speculation arose, such as: Does modern technology like ‘ArchiCAD’ affect and alter the way in which designers design? Hopefully what I have learned from doing this assignment well help improve my presentation skills and my design thinking.
References
[1] Body Language (1981) by Alan Pease
[2] The Social Dimension in Construction of Designerly Knowing in Design Enquiries 2007 University of Lapland, Faculty of Art & Design, Design Connections Graduate School (2007) by Petra Falin
