Design Thinking
Here’s Why and How Anyone Can Be a Designer.
I introduce a simplified and methodical view of the design approach based on experience.
I design artificial intelligence systems for a living. I am also a parent. In this article, I will show you how relatable these two jobs are and how the skills needed for each are translatable and transferable to each other.
We all design things daily without noticing we design them. Writing, editing, preparing food, gardening, and many other chores require design thinking and approach.
If you are raising kids, you certainly undertake some design activities. You may be designing their daily routines and many needs.
Before taking a design activity, we need to understand the problem. A design activity solves a problem and produces a solution. Designers start asking questions. Good questions and an attempt to answer them bring solution options.
An analysis is a vital part of the design process. Sometimes we may not be aware of conducting design, but we always compare and contrast things. Our mind works very fast.
When we come across an obvious solution, we sometimes rush to implement it. Quality solutions require time and effort. A little extra thinking time and producing more options can bring novelty. It is also good for our brain to exercise and contribute to neuroplasticity.
We can look at the problems from different perspectives. We can categorize them as scientific, technological, practical, business, educational, personal, financial, etc.
I divide solution designs into two main categories. I call these categories creative and procedural.
The creative aspects of the design process require imagination. Some call imagination a vision because designers create a mental image of the product they design. Mental imaging can be just as effective as drawing and building. Brain studies have proven this.
The procedural aspect of design requires a methodical approach. A method shows us examples from a successfully completed design outcome.
Methods are also context-specific. Designing a food project and a gardening project will require different methods.
Let me explain a methodical approach at a high level with simple terms.
We start with understanding the requirements of the solution.
We can ask questions of the user about the solution. For example, if we design a gardening project, we talk with the owner of the garden. We ask them what they want by asking many questions about the type of materials, the look of the landscape, its color scheme, etc.
The purpose of requirements is to determine what the user will want with a specific object that we design. We try to understand how, when, and where they will be using it. How often will they be using it? The more questions we ask, the better we can understand and confirm the requirements.
By asking questions, we can understand the use cases of the solution.
Every design solution must have one or more use cases.
We need to be detailed and precise for each requirement and use case. Otherwise, our solution cannot meet the desired quality.
If we design something and the user does not like it, our solution will simply fail. We waste our time and the user’s time. And in some projects, the design is also associated with the cost.
A failed project can cost both designer and the consumer.
Some people don’t like documenting and drawing, but this is essential for the design process. For your home projects, you do not have to draw well — only you and your family would need to understand the drawing.
Once we validate the requirements and use cases, we can create a simple solution context diagram. This simple context diagram shows the main parts of the solution. This diagram can also show important relationships between the parts and components.
Depending on the project we work on, we can create a model for the solution. A model represents the smallest scale of our final design product. Some people develop the model on paper, and some on a computer screen. Attributes can include color, size, dimensions, and type of materials.
A function is a critical concept in the design process. We can think of functions as the features of the productions. For example, our design can perform functions such as cooking, cleaning, watering, etc.
Once we document details for functions, we can start the integration process. Integration means connecting and combining items based on the requirements and use cases coherently. Some items may require linking, some contrasting, and some can have various other relationships.
Every design requires testing. The first test can be a proof of concept. We test whether the concept would work. A proof of concept can be conducted based on the requirements and use cases of the product validated previously. Testing can help us determine whether the product is ready to implement as the first version.
In the professional world, we seek the input of potential customers and consumers — Beta Testers. We direct questions to them, and they provide us with valuable feedback, both in the form of answers and intelligent questions.
In your household, your partner and your children could be your Beta Testers. You know the phrases “from the mouth of babes” and “kids say the darndest things”. Keep that in mind as you design systems for your lives.
If our tests are successful, we can proceed to the implementation phase and go to the next version of the product. So we can further improve the product in the next version. When the tests fail, the designer examines the solution and looks for faults.
When errors are identified, necessary adjustments and amendments are made, and we can test the designed product again. In the business world, this frequent testing approach aiming to get the minimum viable product is called the agile method.
Agile means quick design, development, and implementation of a project. Using an agile approach, we can create more economical, faster, and higher-quality design products. Many business organizations commonly use agile methods. We can design products and services in every field by using an agile approach.
Anyone can be a designer at home and in small businesses. As parents, we design chores and daily activities for our kids. As business owners, we design to address the demands of our customers.
I hope this high-level and simplified approach can provide a valuable guide to thinking like a designer and undertaking some simple design projects methodically and with awareness.
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