About design: Different Approaches to Design

About design: Different Approaches to Design Antonio Catalani -‐ 2014

2

The importance of design is improving

Copyright Antonio Catalani

SOME CONSIDERATION •  If you type “design” on Google you can found, it

happened to me, about 5,760,000 results •  Design is an ambiguous word that needs to be

defined on the basis of the application area: Industrial design, Fashion design, Graphic design, Web design,………

•  All items, services or process can be designed, including furniture, clothing, packaging, user interface, corporate identities, business processes

•  We can't say that a design product is more beautiful, more functional, more expensive

3 Copyright Antonio Catalani

DESIGN: AN OPERATIONAL DEFINITION

we can define an object of design the result of a process based on the following steps:

•  the specification of an object or service •  manifested by an entity (company, public institution, etc.),

•  intended to accomplish goals, (commercial, sales, distribution),

•  in a particular environment, (the competitive arena, available technologies),

•  using primitive components, •  satisfying a set of requirements, (costs, production

facilities), •  subject to constraints.

4


5

Propensity to purchase

The evolution of design is the result of changes in different areas:

Art Science/Technology

Social dynamics

Wealth

Consumptions

DESIGN: THE CONTRIBUTION •  Improves things that we use from the functional

and aesthetic point of view •  Is instrumental in the creation of brand identity •  Is an essential element in many differentiation

strategies •  Develop consumption and replacement of the

objects •  Educates the customers on the aesthetic •  Supports the social differentiation between

people


THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PRODUCT DESIGN

The shape of an object influence the purchase: •  facing two objects equivalent in price and function we

buy the more attractive The product design is relevant in competitive terms

•  is noticed by the consumer • helps in positioning and can reposition competitors •  transfers information to the consumer • has a relationship with the brand identity • affects the quality of daily life • guarantees the durability of the product over time


WHAT CAN DESIGNERS DO FOR YOU? •  Identity – builds a formal language that can strengthen

or establish the company identity

•  Conceptualization – definition of one or more concepts for a given product typology

•  Product form – study of a form

•  Re-styling – revamp the appearance of product lines

•  Problem Solving – provide a technical solution to a well-defined technical problem

Copyright Antonio Catalani 8

BUT YOU CAN’T SAY “BRING ME NEW IDEAS FOR A NEW KITCHEN…”

What do you really want?

• a project for new ways to cook

• a solution to furnish the kitchen space according to the new size of houses

• a new technology to build a kitchen

• a new model that completes the range

• a new aesthetic project

• …. Copyright Antonio Catalani 9

COMMON PITFALLS IN MANAGING THE DESIGN PROCESS

•  Generate photocopy ideas

•  Projects without a strategy

•  Involve designers late in new product development

•  Allowing sales and production managers excessive influence

•  Letting traditional market research dictate design policies


HOW DESIGNERS ARE WORKING?

11


DESIGN: THE PROCESS

12

GOALS & SPECIFICATIONS

IDEAS GENERATION

EVALUATION

PROTOTYPING

ENGINEERING

LAUNCH

Different methodologies

to generate ideas


13

If you start from the client needs how can

you be excellent?

If you start from your skills how can you find customers?


DESIGN AS A PROCESS: THE REASON-CENTRIC PERSPECTIVE

The Reason-Centric Perspective: • designers optimize goals mediating between

constraints and opportunities, •  the design process follows a methodology, •  the design process is based on a discrete sequence of

stages.

14

Analyse the

problem Observe Early

prototypes Alternative

options Final design


The approach 1.  Critically analyse the problem 2.  Observe the environment in which the product will

operate 3.  Analyse the solutions already on the market 4.  Generate alternative options 5.  Evaluate early prototypes 6.  Identify the best solution 7.  Finalize the project

15


DESIGN AS A PROCESS: THE REASON-CENTRIC PERSPECTIVE

THE TAKEAWAYS

•  Design requires a method

•  Designers (Design Consultancies) are mediators between environment (behaviours and choices) and company

•  Design has an alphabet-based on technologies, materials and shapes

•  Evaluation on the basis of prototypes


DESIGN AS A PROCESS: THE ACTION-CENTRIC PERSPECTIVE The Action-Centric Perspective

• designers use fantasy and emotion to generate solutions,

•  the design process is synthetic, • analysis, design and sketching are co temporal and

inextricably linked

17

Iteraction drawing Immersion Analysis Concept Concept Concept Final

design


The approach 1.  The designer has his own style and his own vision

2.  Immersion in the project (company, market, technology)

3.  Analysis of the previous solutions

4.  Intuition of the concept (analogical process)

5.  Exploration of possible solutions

6.  Finalize the project

18


DESIGN AS A PROCESS: THE ACTION-CENTRIC PERSPECTIVE

THE TAKEAWAYS

•  Design requires style and vision

•  The designer is a mediator of languages •  The shape, materials and colors are a

symbolic language that stimulates responses and emotions

•  Experimentation is the pillar when tastes are unpredictable and when the formal identity is a strategic element


DIFFERENT APPROACHES TO DESIGN •  Reason-Centric

•  Design as problem solving

•  Team-based •  Start with analysis of

user’s needs and practices

•  Balance between form and function

•  Designer mediator between environment and company

Action-Centric •  Design as expression •  Individual •  Start with the designer’s

dream and vision •  Emphasis on form

•  Designer mediator of languages


DESIGN •  In terms of process is matter of approach •  In terms of evaluation is matter of perception •  Always is matter of gradient


ALTERNATIVES ON THE DESIGN •  art or craft •  method or intuition •  achieve the objectives or create an object? •  utility or significance •  shape or decoration? •  poetic or language? •  design comes the first poetic or technology?

22

PRODUCT IDENTITY BRAND IDENTITY


DESIGN: NEW CHALLENGES

•  quality or quantity •  products for a global market or local market •  attention to the environment and energy

•  ……..

23


Innovation vs.

Evolution

24
