Introduction:

Design is a huge term that includes many definitions. That is because different people have different logical thinking and different experience in their life, so that they may have different definitions and views of design things. There is no argument in this state. Every design views are real and absolute. Every designer has his or her own experience in their design thinking. Sharing their experience to others and getting feedback form others to increase their design levels is a good way for improving their design thinking. The design process of them may have different steps. Presenting is an important step and must need to be included in their design process.

 

What is presenting in design

According to Tim Sales said that “….. The definition of present is to bring before the public. The word present comes to us from Latin, which means to show. That’s the dictionary definition, ………Presenting at its very core is taking a concept or idea that is in your head and conveying it to another person or persons so that they adopt the same or similar view on that concept or idea.” In design, presenting is not only means show to other people, but also to assume others to agree or to know about you idea or design. In fact, to show to other people is a very important step. When designer finished a design, he or she will need to show to audience the design and get feedback from them, hence designer can improve the design and make it prefect. In addition, presenting can adopt other people’s view or thinking for the idea or design. For example: Design a computer game. At the beginning, designer may think a computer game must need a character, some levels, NPC, weapon, score and time system etc. But now the client gives some unique computer game, after seen those games, designer know that a computer game may don’t need NPC, weapon, score or time system. And without those things, the game still is a unique game. That is also a presenting as well. The clients present their game ideas for designer to design a game that they want and adopt their thinking or view of design a computer game.

 

Why presenting is important in design process

According to LukeW said that “Good design is problem solving and should always be presented as such. Whenever a designer (be it an interaction designer, an information designer, or a visual designer) presents a client with too many options they risk undermining their value and opening themselves up to “design by committee”. The message is “I don’t know enough about your users or goals so you pick what works best.” Now the design is in a non-designer’s hands (who may very well be wondering why he hired a designer in the first place). There’s also a very high probability that upon seeing multiple design options, a client will ask for some of each one resulting in a “Frankenstein design” ”, designer not only need to be do presenting to others, they also need to do presenting from others. Presenting is important for them to communicate with each other. Without presenting, designer cannot translate their idea to the client and client also cannot translate their meaning to the designer. Presenting is a process before finalizing the design. Client may not like the idea or want to add some unique part inside the design.

 

How to present the design to other

Presenting is an important process in design. People need to know how to present.

According to what is stated on the webpage (http://thinkvitamin.com/features/design/tips-for-presenting-your-work/) “1. Present with confidence”, “2. Defend Your Concepts”, “3. Listen to Criticism”, “4. Don’t be a “Yes man” ”, “5. Find the stakeholders/decision makers”.

1. Present with confidence

            When people do a presentation, some people always feel nervous. This may be because they don’t have enough practice and there are too many audiences to listen to their speak. In a professional presentation, the speaker needs to present with confidence to let audiences to pay attention and attract them to agree his or her point of view. The work is done by the speaker and the speaker should be confident that he/she knows the work thoroughly. The speaker needs to believe his/her work can convince the audience.

            2. Defend Your Concepts

            Every works must have own concepts. But client may not think that concept is suitable for their purpose. In fact, designer designs to solve the client’s problem. So that, when designer doing a presentation, they need to defend their concepts to client and let them know how the design can help them to solve the problem. In addition, these can attract them to adopt the design.

            3. Listen to Criticism

            Audience may have some feedbacks or criticism for the work. Designer or the speaker need to pay attraction of this comment include that is good comment or not. Because, sometimes they may say some point of view that the designer don’t thought about it.  So, that is important for designer to listen the criticism.

            4. Don’t be a “Yes Man”

            The different of the previous and this point is not only just say “yes” when audience give feedback. Sometimes the designer needs to ask more questions for audience about their view or their comments. That is because sometimes, designer may thought some point, but they didn’t tell the audience.  Audience may have questions about what they didn’t know. In addition, audience may not know too much about the problem or the work. So that their comments are only base on their own understanding of the work. In this state, their comments may not be suitable for the work and sometimes may make the designer go to a wrong way.

            5. Find the stakeholders/decision makers

            In the hold presentation, there may not be final a decision. hence, it may be necessary to find one people to present the work. This can make it easier to communicate with client and let them easier to understand the work and convince of the point of view.

 

My opinion

            Before I come to Australia, I have no idea about presenting. I never did a presenting in the past and I did not know what the purpose of presenting is. During my study in Australia, I know why do we need presenting. The purpose of presenting is not only to let people know about the work or the design, but also get feedback or comment from audience. In my opinion, feedback is very important to designer that is because audience or client’s idea may be restricted by the designer’s view. They will think about more different view for the design. In addition, sometimes they can think about something designer did not think about. For example: I have an experience of designing a computer game. The computer game is my assignment. That is an assignment instructing me to create a computer game using some software and make it successful to play. My design is based on a real computer game that means my computer game needs to include most of the features of the real computer game. I just put everything into my game and my tutor gives me the feedback is “The game is too complicate”. This is an outcome of I only focus on my game need to be look like a real computer game. I only focus on the design view; I have not put my eyes on the player view.

            Presenting happens around our life. Some people tell other people something, that is presenting. Presenting is important. For example: Design a logo. At the beginning, clients present their rules, the product or project and designer follows that rule to design. During the design process of the product, they need to communicate with the client and present their idea of that product. Presenting is the process of the communication of designer and client.

            As I mentioned at the above of the essay, I never did a presentation before I came to Australia. All the presentation skill I have learned is during my study in other collages.

Doing a professional presentation, speaker needs to dress professional cloth. This is the first impression of the speaker and shows the speaker values audience. I think this is the first step to do a professional presentation. The second is what the website said (http://thinkvitamin.com/features/design/tips-for-presenting-your-work/) “Present with confidence”. When presenting with other, speaker need to be believe what they done. Present with confidence to make audience adopt of the project or design. In addition, defend the concept and listen to criticism is important for doing a professional presentation. Concept is the mind idea of the presentation. If the presentation does not have a concept, audience will feel confused. Listening to criticism is a good way to improve the project. Feedback and criticism are the most things that professional designer want..

            I think that presenting is a hard part of finalizing the design because of language problem and understanding. For example: In my group project assignment. I have a group project assignment at the past, when one member wants to tell an idea to another member. Because of the language, the member do not know what the member idea is. Finally, I need to explain more one time for him. I believe that many people have this experience in their life. Some people do not understand the designer’s idea. Designer need to use other things like: sketch, modelling etc. method to present their work.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, presenting is to show the work to other people to look at, get feedback from them and to convince other people to believe or buy the work. To show the work to other people and explain the work is the action that designer always do. A professional designer needs to get feedback form audience to improve their work. In addition, audience may find some points that the designers miss out in their design. To convince other people to believe or buy the work is the purpose of presenting. Designer designs things to help people for solving their problem or explain something. Presenting is not one way, designer always need to do a presenting with audience or client. As the point motioned in above, designer design things to help people for solving their problem. Designer needs to have the idea of the client and designer will communicate with them to develop the idea. Presenting is important in a design process. If designer wants to do a professional presenting, they need to values audience such as: dress professional cloth, present with confidence etc. Design is a huge term that includes many definitions. Presenting is one of important step of design process and is the process designer should not forget it.

 

 

 

 

References List:

http://www.ex-designz.net/articleread.asp?aid=4387

http://sellingbrand.ducttapemarketing.com/2006/07/why_presenting_.html

http://www.lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?76

http://thinkvitamin.com/features/design/tips-for-presenting-your-work/