Here, you can learn about design skills - a key skill to have for budding tinkerers and innovators.

Design can be applied to various fields and disciplines, such as architecture, engineering, fashion, graphic, product, web, and more. Each field has its own methods, tools, and principles of design, but they all share some common elements, such as:

• Design involves a problem-solving approach, where the designer identifies the problem, generates possible solutions, evaluates and selects the best solution, implements the solution, and reviews and revises the solution as needed.

• Design is a creative and iterative process, where the designer uses imagination, intuition, and experimentation to explore different possibilities and alternatives, and to refine and improve the design.

• Design is a human-centered and user-oriented process, where the designer empathizes with the users and their needs, desires, and preferences, and creates a design that is desirable, feasible, and viable for the users and the stakeholders.

• Design is a collaborative and communicative process, where the designer works with other designers, experts, users, and clients, and uses various forms of representation, such as sketches, models, diagrams, and prototypes, to communicate and test the design.

Design is not just how something looks, but also how it works.  If you look at the design of the below products, you will realize that none of them are good designs.  The products may look good, but they fail to work satisfactorily.

Design is an important and influential activity that affects many aspects of our lives, such as our environment, our culture, our economy, and our society. Design can also be a way of expressing our identity, our values, and our vision.

Suppose you are designing a mobile app for a fitness tracker.  Some of the possible design constraints are:

• Cost: You have a limited budget to develop and maintain the app, so you need to optimize the use of resources and avoid unnecessary expenses.

• Time: You have a deadline to launch the app, so you need to prioritize the features and functionalities that are most important and valuable for the users.

• Feasibility: You have to consider the technical and practical aspects of the app, such as the compatibility with different devices and platforms, the performance and reliability of the app, the security and privacy of the data, and the availability and quality of services that the app relies on.

• Safety: You have to ensure that the app does not harm the users or the environment, such as by causing physical injuries, mental stress, or environmental pollution.

• Performance: You have to ensure that the app meets the expectations and needs of the users, such as by providing accurate and timely feedback, offering useful and relevant information, and supporting the users’ goals and motivations.

• User needs: You have to empathize with the users and understand their context, emotions, motivations, and challenges. You have to create a design that is desirable, feasible, and viable for the users and the stakeholders.

• Creative skills: These are the skills that allow you to generate original and innovative ideas, concepts, and solutions for various design problems and challenges. You need to have a good sense of imagination, intuition, and experimentation to explore different possibilities and alternatives, and to refine and improve your designs. You also need to have a good eye for detail, style, and trends, to create designs that are relevant, appealing, and effective for your target audience and purpose.

• Soft skills: These are the skills that allow you to work well with others, communicate your ideas and feedback, and manage your time and projects. You need to have good communication skills, both verbal and written, to present and explain your designs to users, and to listen and respond to their needs, expectations, and opinions. You also need to have good collaboration skills, to work effectively with other designers, developers and stakeholders. You also need to have good problem-solving skills, to identify, analyze, and resolve design issues and obstacles, and to adapt to changing requirements and situations. You also need to have good organizational skills, to plan, prioritize, and execute your tasks and projects, and to meet deadlines and quality standards.

Design and build a Tower or a Bridge using the design constraints mentioned in the below dlide deck.  Make use of the resource materials listed in the same slide deck.

Submit a photo of your design / creation as part of your assignment submission.