Design Methodology in Industrial Design
Introduction to Design
1.1 Definition of Design
Design is a multifaceted concept with various interpretations. Here are some perspectives from notable figures:
- Bruce Iach: Design is an attitude focused on setting goals to solve problems.
- Victor Papanek: Design is the conscious effort to impose meaningful order.
- Christopher Alexander (1973): Design is the discovery of the true components of a physical structure.
- Jhones: Design is the realization of an act of faith. It marks the beginning of change in human-made things.
- Reswik: Design is a creative activity that pursues new and useful things that don’t yet exist.
In essence, design is an innovative process applied across fields to address specific requirements.
1.2 Industrial Design, Goods, and Objects
Industrial Design is a creative activity that involves determining the form, function, and material properties of objects intended for industrial production. It considers aesthetics, usability, and manufacturability.
Reasons for Creation
- Needs, gaps, or a lack of something
- Desire for improved satisfaction with existing solutions
Object Classification (Lobach, 1981)
- Natural objects: Stones, animals, trees, etc.
- Slightly modified natural objects: Carved stone, wooden planks, etc.
- Art objects: Primarily serve a sensory purpose without a specific function.
- Products: Objects created by humans, categorized as:
- Consumer goods: Products that cease to exist after use (e.g., food, hygiene products).
- Personal care products or I Use: Products with a personal association (e.g., glasses, pipes, clocks).
- Products for small groups or II Use: Products shared by a small group (e.g., appliances, tables, cars).
- Products with limited public interaction or III Use: Products the public rarely interacts with directly (e.g., motors, electrical circuits).
Industrial products typically have three functional components:
- Practical Role: Addresses specific needs.
- Aesthetic Function: Appeals to aspirations and desires.
- Symbolic Role: Connects the object to past experiences or sensations.
1.3 Industrial Innovation
Industrial innovation involves continuously creating new products or improving existing ones to remain competitive. This ongoing process aims to enhance quality, optimize pricing, and meet evolving needs and aspirations.
1.4 New Product Development and Introduction
The process of introducing new products involves several stages, from planning and design to manufacturing, distribution, sales, and gathering user feedback for future iterations.
Developments in Design Methodology
2.1 The Craft Method
The craft method relies on experience, oral tradition, and hands-on skill. It lacks formal methodologies, plans, or established manufacturing and marketing channels.
Characteristics
- Information is passed down orally through generations.
- Focuses on the “how” of production rather than the “why.”
- Changes occur gradually over time.
- The entire object is shaped and worked on as a whole.
- Drawings or explanations of changes are uncommon.
- New materials are adopted slowly.
- Rapid changes can disrupt the object’s design.
Advantages
- Optimal use of materials.
- Minimal non-functional elements.
- Seamless integration with society and the environment.
Disadvantages
- Resistance to innovation.
- Uncontrolled costs.
- Limited market reach.
- Potential for inaccuracies in oral transmission.
2.2 Design Through Drawing
This method emerged after (and alongside) the craft method. It involves representing and refining an object’s design on paper using drawings and scales.
Advantages
- Allows for designing objects of any size using scales.
- Enables dividing the object into parts for individual refinement.
- Facilitates collaboration among multiple designers.
- Cost-effective changes and amendments on paper.
- Designs can be implemented by various manufacturers.
- Supports industrialization.
Disadvantages
- Drawings primarily convey form and dimensions.
- May not fully address user needs.
- Limited suitability for designing systems; primarily for objects.
- Plans often lack considerations for external factors.
2.3 New Methods
Modern design methods emerged in the mid-20th century, emphasizing theory and structured approaches. These methods prioritize effectiveness and adaptability over rigid adherence to a fixed set of steps.
Methodology
Methodology provides a framework for addressing design problems, especially when challenges arise. It involves:
- Gathering information and understanding available resources.
- Defining the problem and its boundaries.
- Generating and evaluating potential solutions.
- Communicating ideas effectively.
- Optimizing designs for manufacturability.
3. Project Overview
3.1 Project Constraints
- Use and Destination: Purpose, role, and target audience.
- Legal: Ordinances, regulations, and standards.
- Location: Where the object will be used, its mobility.
- Economic: Budgetary limitations and financial considerations.
3.2 Documentation
Project documentation includes:
- Descriptive Report: Written explanation of the project from start to finish.
- Memory: Technical specifications, calculations, and justifications.
- Annexes: Supporting documents, drawings, and visuals.
- Goal Setting: Clearly defined project objectives.
- Specification: Agreement between the designer and client.
- Measurements and Budgets: Detailed cost breakdowns.
- Plans: Technical drawings and schematics.
- Marketing: Strategies for promoting the product.
3.3 Project Phases
Design projects typically follow these phases:
- Preliminary Study: Initial exploration of ideas and requirements.
- Draft: Development of fundamental aspects and general characteristics.
- Basic Project: Detailed design solutions and justifications.
- Project Implementation: Full specification of materials, components, and manufacturing processes.
3.4 Organization and Planning
Effective design requires organization and planning. Descartes’ approach of tackling simpler objects before complex ones provides a useful framework. Graphical representations, such as Gantt charts, help visualize project timelines and dependencies.
4. Planimetry
Planimetry involves creating technical drawings to represent the design accurately. Common types of drawings include:
- General Plans: Overall layout and dimensions.
- Dihedral Views: Orthographic projections (front, side, top).
- Axonometric Views: 3D representations showing multiple sides.
- Exploded Plans and Details: Illustrations of how parts assemble.
5. The Design Methodology
5.1 The Designer as a Black Box
This perspective suggests that a significant part of the design process occurs within the designer’s mind, often subconsciously. The designer’s brain processes inputs (stimuli) and generates outputs (design solutions) based on experience and intuition.
5.2 The Designer as a Transparent Box
This approach assumes that the design process is entirely understandable, even if the designer cannot articulate every decision. It emphasizes a conscious and analytical approach, with clearly defined objectives, criteria, and a systematic strategy.
5.3 Transformation or Generation of Ideas
- Brainstorming: A traditional black box method for generating ideas rapidly.
- Synesthesia: Using analogies and sensory experiences to stimulate creative thinking.
5.4 Divisible and Indivisible Design Problems
Design problems can be linear (broken down into sequential sub-problems) or circular (requiring iterative cycles of refinement). Circular systems acknowledge that sub-critical issues may emerge later, necessitating revisiting previous stages.
5.5 The Designer as a Self-Organized System
This perspective combines aspects of both the black box and transparent box models. It recognizes the importance of both intuitive and analytical thinking. To manage the complexity of design problems, the process is often divided into research (exploring potential solutions) and control/evaluation (monitoring progress and making decisions).
6. Strategies
Design strategies are sets of actions that guide the transformation of a problem into a solution. The choice of strategy depends on the nature of the problem and the designer’s approach.
6.1 Types of Strategies
- Pre-planned: Fixed strategies suitable for familiar problems or modifications of existing designs.
- Linear: Sequential actions where each stage depends on the previous one.
- Cyclic: Iterative processes with repeated stages based on feedback.
- Branched: Parallel actions that allow multiple designers or teams to work on different aspects simultaneously.
- Adaptable: Flexible strategies where subsequent actions are determined by the outcomes of previous ones.
- Incremental: Conservative strategies that involve making small, iterative improvements to existing designs.
- Fortuitous: Unplanned strategies that embrace randomness and exploration.
7. The Design Process as Three Stages
The design process can be broadly divided into three stages:
- Divergence: Expanding the design space, exploring possibilities, and gathering information.
- Transformation: Generating, developing, and refining design solutions.
- Convergence: Evaluating, selecting, and implementing the final design.
7.1 Methods of Conflict or Exploring Design Situations
These methods aim to challenge assumptions, push boundaries, and uncover hidden aspects of the problem. They encourage a broad and open-minded approach, delaying evaluation and embracing uncertainty.
7.2 Transformation Methods
This stage involves translating ideas into concrete solutions. It requires creativity, intuition, and a willingness to experiment. However, it’s also crucial to balance creativity with practicality and avoid costly mistakes.
7.3 Convergence Step
Convergence focuses on narrowing down options and selecting the best solution. It involves careful evaluation, decision-making, and a shift towards more detailed and concrete representations of the design.
A.1 Definition of Objectives
Clearly defining objectives is essential for a successful design. This involves understanding the client’s needs, identifying technical and economic constraints, and establishing priorities.
A.2 Research and Literature Review
Thorough research is crucial for understanding the problem, identifying existing solutions, and gathering relevant information. Sources include client briefs, supplier catalogs, publications, expert consultations, and the designer’s own experience.
A.3 Investigation of Visual Inconsistencies
This method involves analyzing existing designs or prototypes to identify visual or functional inconsistencies. By understanding the reasons behind these inconsistencies, designers can develop improved solutions.
A.4 User Interviews
Directly interviewing users provides valuable insights into their needs, preferences, and pain points. It’s essential to conduct interviews in a structured and unbiased manner to gather meaningful data.
A.5 Surveys and the Delphi Method
Surveys help collect data from a larger user group. The Delphi method, a structured forecasting technique, involves gathering opinions from a panel of experts through multiple rounds of questionnaires.
A.6 User Behavioral Research
Observing and analyzing how users interact with similar products or systems helps understand user behavior, identify potential usability issues, and design for optimal user experience.
A.7 Systematic Testing
Testing design solutions or prototypes under controlled conditions helps identify weaknesses, evaluate performance, and make necessary improvements.
A.8 Selection of Measurement Scales
Choosing appropriate measurement scales is crucial for quantifying design parameters and evaluating solutions objectively. Different scales, such as nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio scales, are used depending on the type of data being collected.
A.9 Data Recording and Reduction
Efficiently recording, organizing, and analyzing data collected during the research phase is essential for extracting meaningful insights and making informed design decisions.
B. Research Methods for Ideas
B1 Brainstorming
Brainstorming is a widely used technique for generating a large number of ideas in a short period. It encourages a free-flowing exchange of ideas within a group, suspending judgment and fostering creativity.
B2 Synesthesia
Synesthesia in design involves using analogies and sensory experiences to stimulate creative thinking. By drawing connections between seemingly unrelated concepts, designers can uncover novel solutions.
B3 Overcoming Mental Blocks
Mental blocks can hinder the design process. Techniques for overcoming them include using transformation rules (e.g., Osborn’s Rules), exploring relationships between different design elements, and reframing the problem.
B4 Morphological Tables
Morphological tables, also known as morphological charts, are tools for exploring design solutions systematically. They involve listing design parameters and potential solutions for each parameter, creating a matrix of possibilities.
C. Processing Methods and Divergence
C1 Systematic Research
Systematic research involves a structured and analytical approach to problem-solving. It includes identifying problem components, setting objectives, exploring potential solutions, and evaluating them based on predefined criteria.
C2 Value Analysis
Value analysis focuses on optimizing the cost-effectiveness of a design. It involves identifying cost drivers, exploring lower-cost alternatives, and evaluating their impact on functionality and performance.
C3 Investigation of Limits
This method involves exploring the boundaries of acceptable solutions. By understanding the constraints and limitations, designers can identify the range within which they can operate.
C4 Cumulative Strategy
The cumulative strategy involves progressively refining a design by addressing critical objectives and eliminating unacceptable solutions based on predefined criteria.
C5 Interaction Matrix
An interaction matrix helps visualize and analyze the relationships between different design elements. It’s particularly useful for understanding complex systems and identifying potential conflicts or synergies.
C6 Interaction Network
Similar to an interaction matrix, an interaction network represents the relationships between design elements graphically. It helps visualize dependencies and identify clusters of related elements.
C7 AIDA (Analysis of Interconnected Decision Areas)
AIDA is a method for identifying compatible design choices when multiple interconnected decisions need to be made. It helps ensure that the chosen solutions work harmoniously.
C8 Alexander’s Decomposition Method
This method, developed by Christopher Alexander, involves breaking down a complex design problem into smaller, more manageable sub-problems. It emphasizes understanding the relationships between requirements and identifying patterns.
C9 Ranking Design Information
This method helps organize and prioritize information gathered during the research phase. By categorizing and ranking information, designers can focus on the most critical aspects.
D. Evaluation Methods
D1 Data List
Creating a data list helps systematically evaluate design solutions against a set of predefined requirements. It ensures that all essential criteria are considered during the evaluation process.