Comments on: What is design? http://www.rega.in/2008/10/20/what-is-design-part-1/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:33:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: My blog » Blog Archive » problem solving - designer and the developer http://www.rega.in/2008/10/20/what-is-design-part-1/#comment-362 My blog » Blog Archive » problem solving - designer and the developer Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:34:58 +0000 http://rega.in/?p=262#comment-362 [...] This is the second post where I ponder about design. Here I am thinking aloud my experiences with developers. You can read the first post here. [...] [...] This is the second post where I ponder about design. Here I am thinking aloud my experiences with developers. You can read the first post here. [...]

]]> By: admin http://www.rega.in/2008/10/20/what-is-design-part-1/#comment-234 admin Sat, 01 Nov 2008 06:43:33 +0000 http://rega.in/?p=262#comment-234 i totally agree with the idea of "ability to learn new things". along with that their also has to be willingness and initiative to be able to learn new things. also as you said marketing or selling your design is also essential. but it's a double edged sword too, as in a bad designer could be a good marketeer or seller and thus sells his design. i totally agree with the idea of “ability to learn new things”. along with that their also has to be willingness and initiative to be able to learn new things.
also as you said marketing or selling your design is also essential. but it’s a double edged sword too, as in a bad designer could be a good marketeer or seller and thus sells his design.

]]> By: Vinay http://www.rega.in/2008/10/20/what-is-design-part-1/#comment-223 Vinay Sun, 26 Oct 2008 18:27:31 +0000 http://rega.in/?p=262#comment-223 by its very nature design is a very collaborative activity. You can't stand alone, a good design needs good engineering and selling. I like Don Norman's three legged stool. See this post by Luke W. http://www.lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?121 by its very nature design is a very collaborative activity. You can’t stand alone, a good design needs good engineering and selling.

I like Don Norman’s three legged stool.
See this post by Luke W.
http://www.lukew.com/ff/entry.asp?121

]]> By: Vinay http://www.rega.in/2008/10/20/what-is-design-part-1/#comment-222 Vinay Sun, 26 Oct 2008 18:23:25 +0000 http://rega.in/?p=262#comment-222 yes, a designer needs to understand the material and the domain. However, you can't expect to be equally good at everything, so a designer should be willing to find a middle ground by talking to people who are experts in their own areas( engineering, sales etc.) This consensus building and ability to learn new things is another must-have skill in a designer. yes, a designer needs to understand the material and the domain. However, you can’t expect to be equally good at everything, so a designer should be willing to find a middle ground by talking to people who are experts in their own areas( engineering, sales etc.)

This consensus building and ability to learn new things is another must-have skill in a designer.

]]> By: admin http://www.rega.in/2008/10/20/what-is-design-part-1/#comment-221 admin Sun, 26 Oct 2008 17:38:28 +0000 http://rega.in/?p=262#comment-221 i agree about the engineering design and the user centered design. only thing is this is not a 0/1 case. What if the user experience guy designs a bottle which is great to look at, has great ergonomics, everything that is desired, only to make it would mean a 25% increase in the cost of production. or rather the extreme case of it not being possible. if the user expereince designer also has some basic engineering design knowledge, then this case won't arise. i agree about the engineering design and the user centered design. only thing is this is not a 0/1 case. What if the user experience guy designs a bottle which is great to look at, has great ergonomics, everything that is desired, only to make it would mean a 25% increase in the cost of production. or rather the extreme case of it not being possible. if the user expereince designer also has some basic engineering design knowledge, then this case won’t arise.

]]> By: Vinay http://www.rega.in/2008/10/20/what-is-design-part-1/#comment-220 Vinay Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:42:26 +0000 http://rega.in/?p=262#comment-220 see this, a link to something I wrote a while ago on another blog http://vinaymohanty.com/?p=1220 also, I think as you have rightly mentioned design is applied art. Art for a purpose. The goal of any design, is to create a happy customer base, thereby leading to increased sales and more profits for the business. When I talk to the uninitiated :), I use this example to demonstrate the difference between user centred design and engineering-design. Scenario: A company manufactures a mineral-water-bottle.It wants to increase its profits. What would you do ? Engineering-design answers: Make a better die, decrease wastage during manufacturing, have a more efficient assembly line, use a cheaper material and so on... All these answers are focused on increasing profits by reducing production costs. The engineer usually employs methods that deal with materials, technologies and proposes solutions that should be implemented before the bottle comes to market.An engineering problem mostly doesn't take into account the touch point of a product with a customer. Contrast this with a User-centred answer: Increase sales by making the bottle stand out. A designer considers the end point of purchase. How does the user make a decision of which bottle to buy in a bevy of competing bottles ? Can we design a graphic or a form that would make the bottle catch the customer's attention ? Can I make this bottle more ergonomic and easy to carry and fill water ? how will the user drink water, will she pour it into a glass or should we provide a nozzle? In all of the above, a designer considers the user and her interaction with the bottle a very important factor. Typically, the engineer doesn't do that. I think maybe that is where we get user-centred-design from. see this, a link to something I wrote a while ago on another blog
http://vinaymohanty.com/?p=1220

also, I think as you have rightly mentioned design is applied art. Art for a purpose.
The goal of any design, is to create a happy customer base, thereby leading to increased sales and more profits for the business.

When I talk to the uninitiated :),
I use this example to demonstrate the difference between user centred design and engineering-design.

Scenario: A company manufactures a mineral-water-bottle.It wants to increase its profits. What would you do ?

Engineering-design answers: Make a better die, decrease wastage during manufacturing, have a more efficient assembly line, use a cheaper material and so on…

All these answers are focused on increasing profits by reducing production costs. The engineer usually employs methods that deal with materials, technologies and proposes solutions that should be implemented before the bottle comes to market.An engineering problem mostly doesn’t take into account the touch point of a product with a customer.

Contrast this with a

User-centred answer: Increase sales by making the bottle stand out.

A designer considers the end point of purchase. How does the user make a decision of which bottle to buy in a bevy of competing bottles ? Can we design a graphic or a form that would make the bottle catch the customer’s attention ? Can I make this bottle more ergonomic and easy to carry and fill water ? how will the user drink water, will she pour it into a glass or should we provide a nozzle?

In all of the above, a designer considers the user and her interaction with the bottle a very important factor. Typically, the engineer doesn’t do that.

I think maybe that is where we get user-centred-design from.

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