Design process
Design process
Design briefs
Investigating
Designing
Producing
Analysing and evaluating
Design process wall charts
Design briefs
Design process
Starting points
A situation, problem or need may lead to the decision
to create a design.
Design can be stimulated from a variety of starting
points, for example:
• market-based demands (real world influence/s)
• client-based demands (responding to a problem,
need, request, or identified opportunity)
• personal expression (focusing on one’s own feelings,
interests or personal necessity).
It is important to explore and define the parameters of
the problem, situation or need.
A design brief is used for this purpose.
Design briefs
Design process
What is a design brief?
A design brief documents:
• an outline of a situation, problem, need or opportunity
• specifications that apply to the problem (including
constraints and considerations).
A design brief provides a structured way to develop and
apply knowledge and skills to solve problems.
Design briefs can vary in the amount of information they
provide and in the way that information is presented. Both
of these factors are usually determined by the scope of
the project.
Design briefs
Design process
How should a design brief be structured?
A design brief should be structured logically. It must
clearly define what is required, and contain information
the designer needs to know. This includes:
• what kind of product/object, place, event, system,
visual or sound communication needs to be designed
• who will use it
• why it is needed or wanted
• when and where it will be used
• how it will be used
• what constraints are placed on the design (for
example, cultural, safety, age or ability of user and
the possible effect on society and the environment
• when it needs to be finished and available for use.
Design briefs
Design process
Developing design briefs
Annotated design briefs
Advice on developing design briefs
Writing and using a design brief withina unit of work
English
Music
Investigating
Design process
Before research and investigation is undertaken,
it is important that the nature of the design
problem contained in the brief is clearly
understood.
Identify what information, knowledge and
experience is required to complete
the design process.
Consider:
• what currently exists
• what is required
• what is possible.
Investigating
Design process
Identify areas for investigation or research.
Investigating should broaden the knowledge of
the designer and influence how the product or
outcome will be developed.
Investigating
Design process
Methods of investigating
Concept mapping
Forced combinations
The five Ws and how web
The five whys
Fishbone diagram
Sticky note analysis
Input – output diagram
KWFL chart
Designing
Design process
Designing is the process by which ideas
are generated and documented.
When creating and developing ideas you
draw on:
• experience
• research
• intuition
• imagination.
Designing
Design process
Creating and developing ideas.
• Select relevant and useful ideas and elements.
• Generate solutions.
• Reflect on alternatives, strengths and weaknesses.
• Refocus on whether the solution satisfies the
problem.
• Test alternatives.
• Make informed decisions.
• Develop and refine ideas and options.
• Integrate elements/parts into a whole.
• Plan for producing.
Designing
Design process
Methods for creating and developing ideas
Innovative design and problem solving
Keys for thinking creatively when designing
Keeping a design journal
Designing
Design process
There are many ways designers can visually represent
ideas, for example:
• drawings or sketches
• storyboards
• prototypes or models
• Computer-aided design (CAD).
Developing ideas in visual form before completing a design
has many practical benefits that can:
• help the designer, client, or others who may be involved
in the production, to visualise the design
• highlight any design issues that will need to be resolved
in the final design
• provide a model to guide the production of the final design.
Designing
Design process
The way a designer chooses to create
and develop ideas is often informed by
the medium of the finished work. For
example, storyboards are often used to
represent ideas for a video or film and
models or prototypes are often used to
represent ideas for a three-dimensional
design such as a building.
Designing
Design process
Drawing / Sketching
A drawing or sketch is a two-dimensional image which
describes the visual appearance and/or construction
techniques of a proposed design.
Depending on the nature of the design, drawings and
sketches for designs can be detailed and technical
(architectural drawings) or broadly descriptive and
free-hand (fashion design drawings or sketchbook
drawings for a visual communication).
Drawings and sketches made as part of the design
process are often annotated to provide information
required to complete the design.
Designing
Design process
Storyboards
Storyboards show a sequence of annotated
visual images of the narrative or steps to be
used.
Storyboards are used extensively in creating
video, film and advertisements.
Designing
Design process
Models and prototypes
After the most appropriate or best design is
selected, a model or prototype of that design may
be produced.
A model or prototype is a three-dimensional image
or form created to show the appearance of a
proposed product.
A model or prototype is often:
• significantly smaller in scale that the proposed
design
• made from less durable material than the final
design (for example, a balsa wood model of a
building or a calico toile for a garment).
Designing
Design process
Computer-aided Design (CAD)
Computer-aided Design (CAD) can be used to
visualise, and show parts and construction of
models and prototypes.
Designing
Design process
Selecting the best option
Selecting the preferred option involves making
judgements about the design that best meets the
requirements of the design brief. Through filtering and
funnelling, parts of a design my be selected, modified,
recombined and refined until the most appropriate
design evolves and emerges. Planning for producing the
preferred option can then commence.
Designing
Design process
Methods for selecting the best option
Evaluating as you design
Design criteria hierarchy
Designing
Design process
Methods of planning for producing
Flowchart
A flowchart is a pictorial way to represent the stages of
production in a symbolic way. It shows the flow of work
and where checks need to be made and problems fixed.
Timeline
A timeline is used to plan the use of time required for
each stage of production.
Sequence table
A table that clearly defines in a logical sequence the tasks
to be completed and the required resources and skills.
Producing
Design process
Producing involves implementing or making the
design. It will be necessary to refer back to the
design brief, drawings and production planning.
Produce the model, prototype, product,
artwork, event or piece of writing by:
• using materials
• using techniques/processes
• using data.
Analysing and evaluating
Design process
It is important to reflect on and analyse and evaluate
the outcomes of design and production activities.
Key questions to ask:
• Does the solution solve the problem, needs, wants
and opportunities outlined in the design brief or
further developed during the design process?
• How could the process of designing and producing
be improved?
• What has been learned about ways of thinking
throughout the design process?
Analysing and evaluating
Design process
Analysing and evaluating worksheets
Analysing and evaluating
Identifying attributes of a product