OUGD501 - Study Task 6 - Contextual Research

Contextual Research 

Research into the Design Process

The Design Process : What is the Double Diamond?

- designers from different disciplines have very similar design processes with some common ways of working across disciplines 

- The Design Council illustrate the design process through the use of 'the Double Diamond'

The Creative Process

- lots of ideas are created through divergent thinking 

- these are refined and reduced to the best idea through convergent thinking, which is shown through the diamond shape 

- this happens twice in the process to confirm the problem and to create the solution

- if the first diamond is ignored then the wrong problem may be solved 

- the creative process is iterative so ideas are developed, tested and refined more than once

The Double Diamond 

- The model is divided into four parts, Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver

- Discover - this is at the beginning of the project and designers try to gather insight

- Define - this means having an understanding of the possibilities in the Discover phase. This involves asking questions about the information collected. A clear brief is developed that frames the design challenge.

- Develop - ideas and concepts are developed through creation, prototyping, testing and iteration. Trial and error allows ideas to be refined.

- Delivery -  This is when the product or solution is finalised, produced and launched 

https://www.designcouncil.org.uk/news-opinion/design-process-what-double-diamond

What is the Design Process? Why is it helpful?

- the design process helps to break the project into chunks

- different disciplines use the process to solve problems

The Design Process Steps:

- Define the Problem - a clear idea of the problem is needed

- Collect Information - collect information, photographs and data for inspiration 

- Brainstorm and Analyse Ideas - sketch, make and study information and data collected to understand how this could influence the design

- Develop solutions - Convert initial ideas into simple design solutions 

- Gather Feedback - Show your ideas to different people to gain feedback 

- Improve - use the feedback and decide which is relevant and which should be incorporated. Solutions may be taken back through the Design Process to refine and clarify them.

https://www.discoverdesign.org/handbook 

The Do It Yourself Lobotomy 

Techniques

Probing questions allows for things outside the known to be imagined.
Asking a question early allows the subconscious to work on the problem.
100MPH thinking focuses on coming up with a large amount of ideas in a short amount of time. By aiming for a quantity of ideas, quality will be found. The speed of generating ideas allows judgement and fear to be navigated around.
180 Degree thinking involves looking in the opposite direction to the what is first considered allowing for predictable patterns to be broken and creative outcomes to be produced.
Intergalactic Thinking is looking for ideas outside of the known home galaxy and making links between them and you own galaxy.  
Collaborate with a Genius involves going to an excellent mind within your own field and asking how they would approach this.
Conceptual Solitaire is a individual brainstorming session that involves writing out the problem then rewriting it in a list format, whilst leaving a keyword within the new version, to create different perspectives on the topic. By putting effort into the problem then this can help solve or make progress towards the solution.   

Basics Graphic Design 03 - Idea Generation by Neil Leonard and Gavin Ambrose

Intro

Good ideas lead to good design

Different ways designers can generate ideas

Good ideas generate successful visual outcomes

creative thinking can be developed over time

Kick Starting the Process

Creative Environment  - the place that you work in should suit your creative practice. It should also have tools and supplies to help you be creative.

Be inspired and be informed - inspiration comes from the brief and the designer. Knowing about trends, technologies and designers will suggest possibilities for moving a project forward. Inspiration can come at any point so keeping something to document these discoveries e.g. sketchbook is useful

Context - Understanding the context in which a design will exist will help generate ideas about materials and construction

Distraction - distraction and a change of environment can help the mind relax and allow new ideas to be thought of. 

Spider Diagrams - this involves writing the aim in the centre and branching concepts or topics off this, each will then be explored. Allows lots of ideas to be thought about in a short space of time. Combining strands in the diagram can lead to innovative solutions.

Mindmapping - these can use text, drawings, photos etc. The initial design problem is summarised with a word or phrase. A second tier explores concepts around the problem, once done a new tier is added etc. Drawing lines between similar / relating information allows for understanding about the ties between the ideas. Using colour to show important information or different sections can help create a hierarchy within the mind map.

Visioning - a group activity in which the design problem is identified through dicussing the brief. A facilitator allows everyone to equally participate. People discuss their knowledge of the subject and it is considered what else needs to be known and what is needed to do this. This techniques is forward thinking and ignores barriers that may arise. 

Po This was created by Edward De Bono. Adding unexpected elements into the thinking process changes normal thinking patterns leading to new ideas. This can include suggesting the reverse, exaggerating, distorting or wishing new ideas. These questions can lead to obscure answers which can lead to possible solutions.

Random Word (association) - Random word inputs can allow you to consider this word alongside the project and allows you to see the project from a different perspective.

Strategies and Methods

Free Association - means taking an element from the project and coming up with as many associations as possible. They do not have to be directly linked to the project as a whole but can be a part that is being considered. From these associations further associations can be considered.

Word Association - this involves getting people to say words associated to the initial word this continues in a cycle with each person coming up with a word associated with the last. This allows insight into what people think about the project. 

Divergent and Tangential Thinking - this means thinking about as many options as possible and can come from tangential, lateral, mindmapping etc. Convergent thinking is needed after to refine ideas into a practical outcome.

Radical Thinking - promotes the most extreme solutions to a problem without concern for the feasibility. This helps to understand the problem through defining it broadly. 

Audience and Context 

Understanding the audience - Who is the audience? This can be considered in terms of age, gender, interests etc. What are their needs? What is it about the product that appeals to them? Primary research can help identify this through questionnaires, surveys, test or observations.What could the design offer them? Brands and products have become lifestyle items which become part of a personas identity

Observation - this allows you to better understand the audience and the context in which the design will be seen in. Looking for specific things such as audience behaviour, colour schemes and typography etc. Methods of observation include video , photographs, sketches and notes

Understanding the client and competition - Understanding the client and the are that the design is for is important. What is the client's background? What do they do? Wat are they known for? What are their values? Knowing about competitors and existing design will help understand where the project could be taken.

Practical Idea Generation: Working in the Studio

Breaking apart the problem - breaking the problem down into smaller bits makes it easier to solve the problem and allows for deeper understanding of what the brief is asking. Briefs can hide or overlook the actual design problem so what is being asked may not actually meet the aims of the client. Looking at the elements individually within the brief can allow designs and ideas to come together in bits. The brief can be broken up by looking for key words, questions and phrases which will allow the needs of the client to become apparent.

Appropriation - uses found objects or materials form popular culture to create new work. Referencing work allows the audience to make associations and help them understand the work better. Paying homage or parodying work are effective ways of appropriating without plagiarism. 

Bricolage - the designer uses things, objects or ideas, that are around them to create new things 

Six Thinking Hats - De Bono's parallel thinking process allows for focussing the direction of idea generation. Each hat has a different colour to signify a different thought process.

The hats include:

The white hat - all the facts about the subject 

The green hat - will suggest ideas and make statements using creativity, investigation and provocation to lead the project in different directions.

The red hat - this considers how the designer feels about the subject and is not always justifiable.

The yellow hat - looks at the positive attributes which can be used to counteract negatives responses from others 

The black hat - means looking for problems within the idea to highlight flaws 

The blue hat - this keeps things moving and makes sure decisions are being made and thinks are on track

SCAMPER - developed by Bob Eberle each of the letters represents a verb, making the designer look at the problem differently.

These include:

Substitute - things are swapped to create something different e.g. changing materials , context or elements

Combine - things are brought together, which is often done to increase productivity 

Adapt - means changing how something is used or integrating it into something else. Changing the nature of an outcome can solve the problem.

Modify - style, size , material etc can be modified to create a sense of new.

Put to another use - elements can be used in different ways e.g. audience or context.

Eliminate - take elements out of the situation or idea, what is the bare minimum that is needed for the idea to be successful?

Reverse - reversing the problem creates a new perspective. How can the opposite effect be created?