The Design Process

INVESTIGATE

1. Identify Needs

• What are the objectives?

• What are the requirements or specifications?

  • Available Material, Size, colour, dimensions, budget, quantity?

2. Research - Gather Information

Others have likely been faced with the same design challenge as your facing now - USE THEIR RESEARCH AND EXAMPLES!

• Locate or gather appropriate reference material, models, samples and examples -

  • Copy and paste links to your Portfolio - Embed videos

  • Make notes about what your LIKE or DISLIKE about the exemplars

• Look for recommended guidelines or "Principals of Design" for your particular project

• Don't be content to COPY, but be INSPIRED by examples you find

PLAN

3. Generate Ideas

• Draw conclusions from your INVESTIGATION

• Create simple sketches or lists of as many solutions as possible, demonstrating the rules you established above

4. Evaluate the Viability of solutions (e.g., by testing, modelling, and documenting results) and choose the best one;

• Create proper PLANS with clearly labelled DIMENSIONS

• Create a PROCEDURE LIST outlining the STEPS you'll take in production

• Will your plans actually work? Revise them NOW if you can see ways to make the project more dependable

CREATE

5. Produce a working prototype, model, or drawing of the best solution

• This is a test of your production skills - you may only get ONE chance at production, and it will be evaluated based on your care and execution

EVALUATE

6. TEST the prototype and evaluate how well is satisfies the original requirements. How flexible is it? Refine or revise if necessary.

7. Present the solution, using one or more of the following: final drawings, technical reports, electronic presentations, flow charts, storyboards, mockups, prototypes, and so on

8. Obtain Feedback on the final solution and repeat the design process if necessary to refine or improve the solution.

9. REFLECT Write up a GoogleDoc report about the project. It should include;

• Your successes

• Your problems

• What you would do differently

• What you have learned

• What advice would you give someone that is about to start the same project.