Design can Change the World: Why and What is “Design Thinking” @rticle 1

So you want to be Design Thinker? I’m not talking about graphics, art, architecture and the alike but how your thinking processes can be directed to satisfy a need and create new value. Some people can be put off and held back by the term ‘design’ as it evokes an image of special talent and making something visually appealing or exclusive to command a higher price. Of course those are very valid design principles but there is so much more to it and arguably more important aspects of design as a whole.

So the first thing to do is throw out your existing preconceptions of what design means. We want to escape any thoughts that design is just to do with trendy visual stimuli and instead begin to really see the functionality of design.

Design is all around us. Take a look at the objects in your immediate area. What value do they bring? How did they solve a problem or satisfy a need? How have they evolved?Here’s an exercise to really get your mind into design thinking mode. Take a good look at this picture of the seaside.

Your task is to categorise from what you can see (and perhaps what you can’t see but know is there):

1. a) Things that have designed for visual attraction
2. b) Things that have been designed for their function
3. c) Things that have not been designed.

1. Take a good look at the image and before reading on.You probably have a long list of things that have been designed for a mixture of both function and attraction e.g. the sun shades, the deck chairs, the giant ice cream, the flags, the pier buildings etc.

2. Hopefully you also recognised those elements that have been designed but are not trying to shout about it. This is the unassuming design that we see all around us, but if it weren’t there we would certainly miss it. This includes things like the pier foundations, stairs, chairs, light fittings... the list goes on.

3. Also, did asking to find things that are definitely not designed allow you to find more things that are designed in some way? For example, the quantity of sand on the beach is a function of the design of beach defences. You could argue that the seagull has been designed by nature. Even the chaotic nature of the deck chairs on the beach will have an element of human organisational design.

   So what is Design?

   Design is simply creating solutions that fit a need or add new value. So in effect, design is another way of saying you’re a problem solver right? Well I believe being a design thinker is more empowering than being a problem solver. A designer sees the action in a more positive light. You might not always think you can solve a problem but you can certainly always design something if you try.

   Design instils a sense of openness to look for new opportunities in our surroundings and not simply wait for problems to arise. It's one of the beautiful things about our imaginative minds; when given an interesting task framed in a positive way, we'll come up with something. When given a task that initially looks closed we may struggle, lose heart and give up.

   Perhaps what really separates design thinking from problem solving is its people first approach. Design addresses wants and needs. A designer’s focus is placed on what is liked and disliked about the way products and services are made, marketed, sold, supported and of course, the way they function. Design thinking should take a deep look at how human emotions play a role in our interaction with products and services.

Think like a Designer

Great design satisfies needs and desires. Often impactful innovation is not the first to market but the first that appeals both emotionally and functionally.The dyson wasn't the first vacuum cleaner, the iPod wasn't the first MP3 player and EBay wasn't the first online auction site.

But these were all the first to be emotionally appealing to a wide audience.Let’s take a closer look at how good design thinking is done. These steps will also help you prepare for your future assignments, which is to design or redesign a product or service or process, it can be anything that has compelling need for change.

1.Select your target

Maybe you already have a target in mind. Perhaps a problem to solve, a need to be satisfied, a value to be added?

However, often the first and most powerful step is to realise something needs to change. Keep observant, notice things that feel stuck, things that you find frustrating, question things you would usually take for granted. If you get into the habit of recognising these moments, design targets will often present themselves you will be primed to seek new ways. The alternative is to remain blocked by adequacy and trapped by existing function.

2.Frame your challenge

Once you have your target, the next thing is to remember great design comes from seeking to improve human experience. Whereas we’ve previously explored how to define the right challenge to solve, here we’re trying to get to the nub of the needs and values.

And to get to the nub, you need to really understand the current frustrations; what doesn’t work/is inefficient/annoying/contradictory and so on. Identify the needs and motivations of your end-users to ensure your focus remains on target. Also collect examples of other attempts to solve the same or similar issue and pick out the motivations behind those attempts.

Here’s a handy hint to better frame challenges for motivational engagement. Instead of simply stating the problem, instead frame it as a ‘how to’ question. This inspires more productive thinking around desired actions. Better yet, ask ‘in what ways might we’. This brings in a greater sense of possibilities and gets the brain whirring away searching for multiple options

3.Rework functions

Once you’ve framed your design problem, it’s time to ask how else that function can be achieved or how that function can be better performed. For example, if you were struggling to think about how to make a more efficient lighting, you could instead explore the concept of channelling more natural light.With a design challenge, you will often need to delve beyond the main function and break down its many features. You can then beaver away at reworking the fractions individually, asking what is known about them, then challenging their use and seeing how they can be altered.

One of the great things about a design mentality is that you can go anywhere in exploration. It may even mean you’re not actually solving the direct problem after all, but instead creating a brand new and exciting opportunity.

4.Change behaviour

Design almost always impacts on people’s behaviour, whether intended or not. It is therefore important to consider how design can alter people’s perceptions and actions. The following is a run-down of various mechanisms in design that can cause a behaviour change.

• Forcing: A legal requirement to do so e.g. all commercial buildings are designed within the bounds of set regulations.

• Conforming: Create a social trend e.g. flashing your car lights is only to be used as a warning according to the highway code but it’s generally accepted as a give way gesture.

• Enabling: Providing a choice of other actions e.g. supermarket own brand essentials for those on a tighter budget.

• Guiding: Visual or other sensory information that instructs people on how best to react e.g. a flashing light on a burglar alarm will act as a strong deterrent.

Here’s a wonderful example of design that changes behaviour…

The play on words with polite and police, along with the checked strips, ‘tricks’ drivers into slowing down for horse riders and cyclists.In your design it is always important to ask 'how will this change behaviour?' and 'in what ways is this beneficial or even unfavourable?' Of course, design can also remove the need for certain behaviour and automate functions. However, it’s worthwhile remembering there will always be a resultant behaviour, even if just complacency.

  Separate objectives

 Often your designs will have to resolve multiple objectives. When using traditional analytical thinking, it might be tempting to give in if a solution doesn’t satisfy all objectives fully. However, when creating, it is important not to give up.If you prioritise and solve the major objectives first, you can always search for solutions to the others separately. However, a redesign of a main function may mean other objectives solve themselves or become redundant.

 For example, trying to design a cheaper and better quality packaging might present a contradiction. However if I focused on cutting costs by reducing the amount of material required in manufacture, I could then afford to use higher quality materials. Maybe if I cut out a section of material in the packaging the consumer could even perceive a higher quality of packaging as the actual goods would be on display.

 Simplify cliché units

 Simplification is often important part of redesign. Redesign that adds value can encompass a number of different components and ideas. Essentially this is taking the best aspects and combining them into a new solution.However, we can get so used to existing forms and features that some can become carried over into a new design even though they are now redundant. There is quite a high level of inertia when redesigning objects with which we have a rigid perception of. Just consider the symbol for saving your work on the computer. When’s the last time anyone actually saved work onto a floppy disk?!

Another great design !!!

http://www.yankodesign.com/2012/02/16/traditional-camera-shapes-are-wrong/ 

The shape of traditional cameras was a necessity to encase the film. But this simply isn’t an issue with digital cameras and yet they are all still made in that cliché rectangular shape.

Next steps to becoming a great design thinker

For truly creative design, make sure you are able to overcome inertia and preconceived ways of doing things. It is often tempting to look at what others have done for inspiration. This can be great for spurring ideas, but a copycat approach has its risks; you may not think through the design process entirely and could pick up bad habits. Plus there’s a chance of your customers seeing through it. So make your designs your own. Watch this space for more article on Design Thinking.

Cheers

DC*