Month: January 2020

Categories
Reflections

Jan. 25, 2020

  • I found myself tempted to skip steps.
    Source: None
  • At times recording empathy can feel like a redundant process but it is nonetheless important.
    Source: Design Thinking Process/Modes
  • Reflection and accountability is important to development. Looking at feedback from assignments is crucial.
    Source: Slide 3 – Week 3 Overview
  • During the week we focused a great deal on observing behavior.
    Source: None
  • Stories are connected to knowledge.
    Source: “Knowledge is captured in stories…”
    Mark Zeh, design leader at IDEO and Bose (Slide 7 – Week 3 Overview)
  • A visual depicting our story share in class–an important part of the design process.
    Source: None
  • The theme of the importance of asking questions is reiterated. Who is an important question regarding the target audience.
    Source: Design Thinking Process/Modes (Slide 9 – Week 3 Overview)
  • Displays how questions reveal a great deal. The importance hierarchy of questions and answers is displayed as it pertains to the design process.
    Source: “Stories ask questions and delay the answer.”
    Ellen Lupton, Design is Storytelling (Slide 8 – Week 3 Overview)

Week three contained a holiday (MLK day), thus there was only one day of class. What the lessons of the course revealed is the repetitive nature of the design process. Though sometimes it can seem redundant to record and carry out each step, it is crucial to follow the process. The empathy process is particularly important as it can help save time and money.

A special takeaway from this week is that patience is key. Moving forward I plan to practice patience so that I do not fall into the temptation of skipping steps within the process.

Categories
Reflections

Jan. 20, 2020

The second week of class was crucial in exploring the design process. The process is important when finding direction in design. While some use objectives, these can actually derail the propper progression of a design by limiting it to specified goals.

In class, we have begun our design projects. I am working on Eco-to-go Coffee Cups. One of the challenges I am facing is eliminating my preconceptions of what I want. I have found that a lot of my initial questions for the empathy stage are leading. So I have had to go back and rethink more objective questions even though they may lead away from what my vision is for the design. I think these concessions are important to make in order to produce something that consumers want.

Categories
Reflections

Jan 20, 2020

  • The various steps of the design process.
  • The importance of empathy in design. Moreover, the limitations one can put on empathy by allowing preconceptions to block it out.
  • The importance of listening in design. Listening can be very lucrative.
  • Highlighting the importance of observation in design as a part of the design process.
  • The importance of fusing personal narratives with consumers.
  • A display of how immersing oneself in the world of the consumer can open up a whole new world of unimaginable ideas though it can be scary.
  • Questioning everything is important in the design process, especially when consumerfacing.
  • Objectives can be important to understand but can also prevent progression in the design process, and cause misdirection.
Categories
Reflections

Jan 12, 2020

  • An individual’s values and needs can lead to design thinking and further questions.
  • The connection between designers and consumers in their narratives is important.
  • Creativity and science in collaborating to create products is essential.
  • A display of an in-class activity where we found our connections with each other despite not having known one another. 
  • My discovery of the question “why” and the revelations to follow.
  • Finding meaning in separate needs or wants can be difficult, and feel as though these factors can conceal the decided solution.
  • Females from varying generations viewing a board that says “design can change the [world].” It speaks to the impact that design can make on our day to day lives as well as the world. 
  • Prototyping even when the prototype may be far from a final project is important. I chose to base this card on the in-class activity we had, designing wallets and prototyping.
Categories
Reflections

Jan. 12, 2020

The first week of class provided a variety of lessons. In regards to design thinking, we learned how involved the design process is. Likewise, we learned how important asking the right questions is. For instance, “why” is a deep diving, crucial question for research. The question “why” can result in answers that can help spark new ideas as well as broaden or narrow the selection of potential avenues.

When designing the consideration of consumer and self is paramount. A personal narrative is key. Considering the narrative of the consumer is also crucial. Going through the process is a dynamic process, each stage is a different space. At every stage, a good design thinker should be ready to be wrong or restart. Understanding that the design process is flexible and not every solution conceived is feasible or solving the problem at hand.