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This Month's Quote

A question often asked is, what is design, and how do you teach it? Since design pretty well encompasses everything humankind does, I guess the question is valid and needs to be addressed. Another reason for addressing this question is that applied design, and the systematic application of the principles of design, is the basis behind teaching technology. Here in Ontario, (and most everywhere else for that matter), there seems to be much confusion regarding teaching design. Everyone is a "designer wannabe". Everyone thinks they are teaching design if they force students to "use the design process". Unfortunately, many teachers miss the boat. Design is about solving open ended challenges for specific situations and/or needs, (read: no apparent solutions at the beginning of the challenge). Design is about testing and failure and success, about rationalized selections, about relevance. I hope the following principles will help educators understand what design is all about.

Our design students at St. Peter High School garnered many (more than any other school in Canada) national design awards at Carleton University's School of Industrial Design High School Design Competition, including 1999's George J. Klein Medal and the 5th Annual logo design. Congrats to all my students who have put St. Peter on the map over the years! Just goes to show ya what can happen when you give students a chance, and a relevant challenge.

What is design?

Technological design includes the following areas:

1. architectural design (includes interior design, urban planning, structural and civil engineering, commercial and residential construction, etc.)
2. electronic design (includes microprocessor computer hardware, software engineering, consumer electronics, telecommunications, robotics)
3. industrial design (includes mechanical engineering, manufacturing, fashion design, consumer design, biotechnology, etc.)
4. graphic design (includes communications technology, environmental signage, broadcasting arts, animation, advertising, marketing, etc.)

Design includes both the built and the bought environment
And don't forget the study of natural design. (Nature has had several billion years of testing!)

Design is truly the broad-based integration of art and engineering
Design combines the study of all areas of technology, engineering, science, art, language, business, society.

Design teaches the 4S's, the "3Rs" of the 21^st century:

1. problem solving skills
2. communication skills
3. team work skills
4. technical skills

Designers have to consider many aspects of a problem

1. aesthetics and function
2. safety and reliability
3. cost and marketing
4. materials: working characteristics, physical and chemical properties, joinery
5. process of production: cost, efficiency, time, project management
6. ergonomics; how humans use and interact
7. efficient use of technology

Problem solving in design involves:

1. developing of specifications, criteria and evaluation of solutions
2. development of design proposals, marketing of ideas
3. physical testing of ideas
4. researching and innovation

Problem solving is the "Prime Driver"
Above all else, design fulfills a need. Design begins with identifying a problem situation, a need or a change in need.

Design is chasing an idea

A designer, through analysis, investigation and research, begins to synthesis an idea for a possible solution to the challenge at hand. The process is then to chase that idea down to see if it works, to test it, to modify it, to branch out in a different direction, or to reject it altogether and "go back to the drawing board".

Avoid solutions looking for problems
It seems design newbies for the most part already have a "great idea", before they even thought of the problems it solves or the users who will need it.

The "Design Process"
So many circles, arrows, paths, boxes, charts and diagrams. Seems everyone has a Design Process. The problem is, it's not really a "design process", but a product development process, a different matter all together. Design takes place before, and throughout, a product development process. (OK, so I have one too!) It is true, that like most endeavors in creativity, there is no one approach in design problem solving. Logical design processes does not and should not supercede creativity. However, that said, a beginning designer or student designer could use a little hand holding by following an established procedure. Most procedures are common in that there is some analyzing, some synthesizing, and some descision making, either in a step by step procedure (with positive feedback along the way), or in an ever tightening circle until the Prime Driver becomes a solution, or a pointer to a better solution.

Failing
Failure is good. One learns from failure. One learns by taking risks. Back to the drawing board! This is OK until the final design of course.

Design vs. styling
If design is just a styling exercise, nothing is learned.

Good design satisfies many needs
Good design solutions usually satisfies criteria from many problem areas, such as:

1. function
2. ergonomics
3. "usable" use cycle
4. manufacturing processes, assembly
5. transportation/shipping
6. maintenance
7. marketing and cost
8. standards and law
9. aesthetics

The process of making
One must consider the impact of process on design, how will this product be created, manufactured, built, delivered, whatever. Making a custom item is fine (and is what we usually end with in schools), but usually is not the last step. There is much to learn about mass producing the idea.

Communication before manufacturing
I think many educators forget that before something can be made, a lot of communications between co-workers, experts, clients, manufacturers, etc. must be accomplished. A good designer has to be able to illustrate and discuss and present their ideas, and this is no trivial matter.

A note about the Digital Nation
The 21st century citizen lives in a different world than we do. It's a whole new ballgame with a whole new set of rules. Its an age where a good designer is a wired designer. We are in the midst of Jeremy Rifkin's Age of Access, and soon will be moving on to the Age of Experience, where our lives, and the experiences that make up that life, are neatly packaged for us. The Digital Nation needs relevancy, needs opportunities to explore, needs the space to break down the rules and redefine whats up. Let 'em rip!

Beam me up, Scotty!

Teaching design is not easy. It relies on a lot of subjective criteria, keeping tabs on students at all different levels and needs, and constant gathering of resources. Sure would be a lot easier to have all of them make the same keychain, bookshelf or bike rack. Somebody shoot me if I ever fall into that rut.

Do not panic!
Design is a far reaching and all encompassing subject area. There are no experts, mostly informed and talented individuals really. It is subjective...teach the students how to rationalize and critique, and you are on your way.

Design is not drafting
Many tech educators think that drafting is design. Drafting is just one component, and one tool, in the process of designing. I can't imagine teaching students to draft jigs and fixtures and houses when they haven't learned what they are designing. Drafting is one of the last steps before manufacturing, not the first step. Kind of like teaching calculus before you have a use for it!

The consumer
Teaching students how to be better consumers is a good way to start to analyze design, good design will follow. (Thanks for this particular insight goes to Prof. Brian Burns, Carleton University's School of Industrial Design). Note that it is a rare product indeed that is invented...almost everything is innovated from preceding ideas.

RELEVANCY
The design project must be relevant to the student's needs and experience.

SIGNIFICANCE
The design project must be significant, it must have a purpose and never should be treated as a make-work time filler.

NEED
Have students analyze the everyday:

• around the home
• games and toys
• around the school
• tools
• around the neighbourhood
• pets
• parent's professions
• trends and fads

Limit the variables
Constraining the project creates more room for creativity. I learned a lot about painting from my art teacher who made us paint with one colour.

Avoid vacuums, kitchen sinks and little black boxes
Students can't design in a vacuum, they need to see what was done before, what the rationale is, what their experience gives them. Another tendency is for students to throw everything into the design, such as the built in jacuzzi and surround sound in the portable chair. Also avoid the "black box", such as "well, you put it on your tail pipe and it eliminates pollution and creates energy and world peace" type of solution.

Setting it all up
The design brief is a short description of the problem to solve that you give to students. This includes:

• the background
• the tasks to perform
• the deliverables (reports, sketches, models, illustrations, etc.)
• the timeline

Record everything, throw away nothing
Always.

Skills students need to learn, can learn from design:

research team work computer related tasks human interaction with technology properties of materials the process of analyzing

marketing visualization project management sketching and 3D illustration, drafting and CADD use-cycles

manufacturing law and regulations community involvement environmental concerns electronics testing procedures

Some thoughts on using computers

• yes, the computer lies
• the computer slows process
• the computer divorces us from reality
• the computer is one of the best damn tools we have, and one of the worst

How to judge aesthetics

• does it make sense?
• does it meet design criteria?
• most important: can the designer rationalize their design decisions?

Make and build, make and build, make and build
The secret to learning

On sketching
Sketching is a talent, students need to be trained how to visualize, use abstraction, put it down on paper. Engineers should be fired if they can't draw.

On visualization
Visualization is a talent, students need to be trained. The real clue to innovation is to see in one's mind's eye.

Conceptual blockbusting
There are many ways to remove the barriers to creativity…you have to break the ice. Try speed sketching, word associations, etc.

Humour works
Another secret to learning. And by the way, did I mention it must be fun?

GO BEYOND THE ORDINARY
Enough said.

Beam me up, Scotty!

Every source on teaching design has a graph or chart or step by step directions to describe how to go about designing something. So as to not feel alone, I hereby provide mine, which I developed when I started teaching back in 1992. Teachers of design make a serious mistake if they ill-define the problem situation at the outset, if they demand a minimum number of sketches or ideas, (there is only a need for one...the Prime Driver), and if they expect drafted drawings before students had a chance to build hands-on to learn what it is they are drawing.

Teachers:

• don't expect students to sit still and sketch and draw and draft endlessly at the beginning of the project
• get students to model... work with clay and paper and wood and scrap... you have to build enthusiasm and excitement at the beginning or you'll kill it before it had a chance to live.
• don't expect three or five or ten ideas, expect at least one...studies show designers work at one idea then will work on others if the first one doesn't fly.
• make it a BIG thing. Make it WOW! Instill the motivation to take on the project and make it their own. Stand back and watch the learning happen in front of your eyes.

PLANNING STAGE

• WHAT, WHY, WHO
• what is the purpose here?
• what is the problem, why is there a problem, who needs a solution?
• research, conceptualization, group think, brainstorm

SET GOALS, NOTE CRITERIA

• HOW and WHEN
• consider resources, materials, funds, time constraints
• discuss goals with clients, users, investors
• refine solutions, more thumbnails, models

EVALUATE, TEST, SELECT AND IMPLEMENT SOLUTIONS

• brainstorm, sketch, doodle, thumbnails, roughs, models
• group discussions, decisions
• block out solutions with models, test: Does this work? Why? Why Not?
• pin down solution(s)
• feedback to other stages

PRESENTATION STAGE

• polish, and layout solution(s), comp drawings
• present ideas to users, management, clients, investors
• feedback to other stages

PRODUCTION STAGE

• develop engineering details, prototypes
• fabricate solution
• evaluate process, verify, modify if necessary
• monitor production: is there a better way?
• feedback to other stages

POST PRODUCTION STAGE

• analyze and conclude, report results
• refine ideas for further work
• feedback to other stages

© Michael A. Scott 1997

Beam me up, Scotty!

1. ENTHUSIASM
2. DISILLUSIONMENT
3. PANIC
4. SEARCH FOR THE GUILTY
5. PUNISHMENT FOR THE INNOCENT
6. PRAISE AND HONOUR FOR THE NON-PARTICIPANTS

(source unknown)

Beam me up, Scotty!

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Please acknowledge author in use of any original material