Jared Bloom @jaredbloom-blog - Tumblr Blog

Blog Essay 2: Human Centered Design

Designers run into problems that require solutions in order to continue to work on their finish product. Human centered design is an interesting process that is a problem solver for designers. It is used to create products, services and other tools. This design method is used by many designers but share a different meaning or visual representation. Human centered design includes three phases which are Inspiration, Ideation and Implementation.

In the first step of Human Centered Design, Designers use the Inspiration method which is the start of the project and more of how is the designer going to begin on the project by obtaining details and other useful information. In an online article, it discusses about human centered design and what makes it more unique and different from other problem solving method. The article states “its obsessive focus on understanding the perspective of a person who experiences a problem, their needs and whether the solution that has been designed for them is truly meeting their needs effectively or not.”(Medium) This all contributes to the starting method for the designer, gathering the details for the material and the project, then running into an issue and figuring out how to get past it and determining if it is beneficial for them.

A different method for Human Centered Design is Ideation. In this stage, the designer has to now think what is next after obtaining details. New ideas and other directions will occur that will add on to the project. In another article, the described meaning of the ideation stage is that “you’ll make sense of what you have learned”(Design Kit) Ideation is more of beginning to putting the whole details together and continuing the process of the project. Unlike the other article, one states their opinion on the Inspiration stage and the other has their opinion on all stages but also states what ideation stage means to them. It demonstrates just how designers view human centered design differently and in their own point of view.

The final stage for human centered design is Implementation. This is the stage where everything contributes to the final product of the project. This stage should be complete where there are no issues and all the problems that were involved in this project have been solved and fixed to look better than how it originally was in the previous stage. Implementation is the finished stage where now the only step left is to show the work completed to the world. In an article, it states “Now that you’ve validated the usefulness of your solution with the end-user and gotten your design just right, it’s time to get your idea out into the world.”(User Testing) I agree with what this article and the previous ones as well, as I designer this is all apart of the process to presenting finished work to the world and the steps on how to get there. These steps are all time consuming as well, as a designer nothing should be rushed and all projects should be shown in the Implementation stage that the time has been put in effectively.

Human centered design has more of an impact to just designers, it can be used in different work fields as well. The designing method is a problem solver and is useful if anyone needs solutions to proceed on with their work. The main point is that their are other point of views for this method, many people can see this differently and also be correct and there is not only one correct way to see human centered design. This is what makes this problem solving useful and also more effective in the real world.

Works Cited:

https://medium.com/dc-design/what-is-human-centered-design-6711c09e2779

http://www.designkit.org/human-centered-design

https://www.usertesting.com/blog/how-ideo-uses-customer-insights-to-design-innovative-products-users-love/

jaredbloom-blog

I really appreciate the depth you go into for each phase, which is something i should have done myself. I also like your conclusion, as it highlights the fact that Human Centered Design is not specific to artists, but rather any field where empathy can be applied. You also mention that the design process varies from person to person and it is always up for interpretation. There is no “correct” way to go about designing something as long as you successfully get the job done.

alyssajenningss

Human Centered Design (essay #2

In the design world, every great designer must keep in mind the concept of human-centered design. The name sums it up pretty well. When you are designing you have to think about the people you are doing it for. DesignKit states, “…you’ll learn directly from the people you’re designing for as you immerse yourself in their lives and come to deeply understand their needs” (https://bit.ly/1ufI28y). Without empathizing and communicating with the client, your design may not satisfy their needs.

The most important aspect of human-centered design is empathizing with who you are designing for. You have to see things in their eyes. Understand why they want what they want and cater to those exact needs. Research can be very helpful in completely understanding what it is you are creating, because going in detail about a subject matter can bring you to new educated design decisions. A quick Google search may do the trick, but it is better to use more trustworthy sites or books. Designers must be knowledgeable and willing to learn to be successful in their field.

In order to create a rewarding design, a phase called ideation is crucial. The things done in this phase are usually the first thing beginning designers learn in school: thumbnails, sketching, word-mapping, word-lists, etc. There are many different things you can do to prepare for a design such as writing out ideas and research. The Interactive Design Foundation says ideation “provides both the fuel and also the source material for building prototypes and getting innovative solutions into the hands of your users” (https://bit.ly/2FQJd0D). In this phase of the design process, one can eliminate the bad ideas, dig deeper into the great ones, and discover things they never thought to use. It would be impossible to create successful solutions by just using whatever comes to mind. The ideation phase should never be skipped no matter how small a project.

Lastly, an essential thought process of human centered design is whether the design you create will be beneficial to the company in the present and future. Art is an ever-lasting thing that can be around for decades. The designer must think practically about the sustainability and relevance of their work. MovingWorlds states, “Human-Centered Design checks to make sure that not only will the population adopt the solution, but that it actually creates impact along the goals of making things better” (https://bit.ly/2DyfqW4). A huge part of the art of communication design is the message and impact you are putting out. Without meaning, a design is just a design.

In conclusion, human centered design is a way of thinking and working through a project that can take any design to a new meaning. It is important to consider the people you are designing for, what their needs are, and how your work will help convey their message. Researching, planning through brainstorming ideas or other methods, and collaborating with others are all important parts of making something impactful. The concept of human centered design is the backbone of a successful design.

jaredbloom-blog

I really enjoy how well this essay is written. I particularly enjoy the example you provide when discussing the ideation phase. I would argue that this is the most important phase because its where you implement the ideas that both you and your client(s) have discussed. Furthermore, i appreciate how you mention that designers must be willing to learn. It is impossible to know it all, so being able to take criticism as well as deliver it is only beneficial to both parties.

Essay 2: Human Centered Design

Human Centered Design (HCD) is a design process that focuses on the humanity of a situation and finding a solution tailored to the individual. HCD has 6 notable phases in order from Observation, Ideation, Rapid Prototyping, User Feedback, Iteration, and finally Implementation [Designkit].

Observation is all about developing empathy for the issue by almost putting yourself in the shoes of the client. The goal of this phase is to understand certain behavioral patterns or observe certain areas of discomfort within an individual’s daily life and understand what the issue truly is.

Ideation is all about brainstorming different solutions to the issue. At this point, it is more about quantity than quality while still remaining reasonable with your ideas.

Rapid Prototyping requests that you construct a very simple and fast prototype of your best idea to further communicate its concept. Make as many prototypes as you can in order to have various iterations of the same concept.

User Feedback is the most necessary phase of the 6, as it allows the client to discuss their thoughts on the solution. With their feedback, the designer is able to enhance various aspects of their original idea in order to be able to further suit the needs of the individual.

Iteration is essentially just the testing phase in which you narrow your concept down to one final solution and begin to apply changes suggested by the individual.

The final step, Implementation, is when the designer integrates their product into society be it through marketing, self-promotion, word of mouth, or any other method [UserTestingBlog].

Human Centered Design is a brilliant suggestion for a streamlined way of deigning a product because it allows for the designer and the client to form a unique bond and solve an issue all in one move. This approach to design is also good because it is not specific to graphic designers or artists in general, but can be applied throughout many fields of study. Several industries where HCD has been used to solve a problem is Nursing and Dental Care.

For many people, myself included, its always getting started on something that seems to be the hardest part of any project or assignment. With some sort of system such as Human Centered Design, I would be able to streamline the process of seeing something through to the end. What makes this approach so unique is that it does not necessarily have to be done in the order it is presented either. You can always back track, or of you so desired you could always go from ideation to user feedback.

Being able to empathize with a situation allows you to invest yourself in the project. When you care for something, you are driven to solve it regardless of any sort of monetary gain. In a way, its even more rewarding to know that your creation and collaboration has improved the quality of life of an individual and hopefully those around them. While Human Centered Design is not entirely based on a single client, the one-to-one connection that you have the possibility of experiencing is worthless.

"IDEO's Human Centered Design Process." UserTesting Blog. N.p., 05 Dec. 2018. Web. 24 Apr. 2019.

Design Kit. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2019.

"Human-centered Design." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 31 Jan. 2019. Web. 24 Apr. 2019.

somrashafiq

Essay One: Design Thinking

Design is an important element of everyday things. It can be found anywhere and is part of the process of any project, whether it being a website, logo, buildings or even a chair. With design, comes efficiency and it allows the user to use the product to its most potential. Design thinking is when a designer understands what customers and users want in a product and uses a process of thinking, understanding and implementing in order to build an outcome of what is wanted. Design thinking is needed to practically deliver a message, but also done in a way that is creative.

Design thinking is a process and can be a difficult process, nonetheless. The designer must think of ways to satisfy the needs of the client, but also in ways to satisfy the needs of design. An open mind is needed in order to reach a goal of the best, successful outcome. Design thinking is important because it brings together what the buyer wants and what is available. It is a challenge though, as many first ideas can be shot down. When a designer allows ideas to be shot down and critiqued, they have a better chance of taking feedback and applying it to the works ultimately creating a better platform for everyone. In the article “What is Design Thinking and Why is it so Popular?”, by Rikke Dam and Teo Siang, it is explained that “Design Thinking offers us a means of digging that bit deeper; it helps us to do the right kind of research and to prototype and test our products and services so as to uncover new ways of improving the product, service or design”, (Dam and Siang). It can be difficult to come up with ideas that haven’t been around yet, but the challenge is what makes the designer all that better at what they can deliver.

There are five parts to design thinking; empathy, define, ideate, prototype, and test, but there is no linear way to approach design. It is a back and forth process and communication with feedback and design changes. As explained by knct lab, in the article “The Five Steps of Design Thinking”, Empathy involves “identifying the molecules that make up your target audience, getting under their skin and finding out what they value, what they want and how they look at the world”. Communication and knowing what the audience wants is the first, and probably most important step in order to create a successful outcome. Keeping in mind what is wanted gives the designer some parameters to work with, and help narrow down options, which could either be beneficial or a disadvantage. Having the constant feedback in my Imaging 1 course on my pictogram systems with my peers allowed me to see past ideas I had fallen in love with too early, and improve my work for the better of everyone else, while still satisfying my interests. Bringing up communication, and knocking down any walls I have up for an idea honestly brought ideas into my work I wouldn’t have thought of before.

A successful design means more success brought to the company, or yourself. Managing to convey the client’s message in a way that pleases the designer as well creates a positive outcome and leads to innovation. With more design thinking, a designer is allowed to create a flourishing service as every little component to the design is well thought out and taken with care. The design thinking process can be sketches, thumbnails, planning, lists, etc… Anything that can help make the design better and communicating a message well is encouraged. In “Design Thinking as a Strategy for Innovation” written by Linda Naiman, she explains that “while learning to be a good designer takes years, you can think like a designer and design the way you lead, manage, create and innovate. Design begins with setting a strategic intention. If you are mapping out a strategy, you are designing”. No matter the process or planning, you are design thinking and improving your final project.

Design thinking is an important process that helps build relationships with clients by taking in their considerations and implementing them into designs that convey the messages they want to convey. Having an open mind with that communication allows you to make changes to what you have, which builds more potential for the design to come out the best it can. All planning and refining, and the most one can do to improve their work is all considered design thinking. Following what is needed in a creative way with a process of working back and forth will lead to more of a successful design and end product, which will open doors for more opportunities to come along the designer’s way and have the chance to improve their work and build their skills.

Works Cited

Dam, Rikke, and Teo Siang. “What Is Design Thinking and Why Is It So Popular?” The Interaction Design Foundation, 2019, www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/what-is-design-thinking-and-why-is-it-so-popular.

Naiman, Linda. “Design Thinking as a Strategy for Innovation.” Creativity at Work, Creativity at Work, www.creativityatwork.com/design-thinking-strategy-for-innovation/.

“The 5 Steps of Design Thinking.” Digital Marketing Agency in Bangalore, Knct Lab, 2018, www.knctlab.com/blog/5-steps-design-thinking.

jaredbloom-blog

Somra,

I agree with your statement that the Design Thinking process can be a multitude of things. Even if we feel that our ideas are not up to par with what we envision our final result to be, it still helps to physically create any and all other ideas that come to our mind as well. These can be used later on in order to make improvements to our final product.

joeycortez18-blog

Design Thinking Blog Essay

Design thinking can mean multiple definitions to everyone. Mainly, design thinking is used to solve problems that designers run in to. It is used by them to make and also test their ideas. Design thinking is used in the process to help designers progress and improve their designs to a better finished piece. My point of view or definition is different from other designers, and reading about others point of view helps give more of an understand and visual of how design thinking can be thought of instead of just one way.

An article on a website called Medium was titled “Thoughts on Design Thinking From a Designer” was written by Hannah Kim. In the article, she had given her opinion on design thinking but she also listed what design thinking meant to others as well. “Design thinking is a human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer’s toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology, and the requirements for business success.” (Tim Brown) Tim brown is a CEO at IDEO, and defines design thinking in this particular way to represent that it is important requirements for having success in designing. Kim’s article also has design thinking in multiple different perspectives, one that really caught my attention was “Design thinking is not a sprint”. In that short section, the message provided “Design thinking is not a sprint, but more of a marathon.” (Hannah Kim) is really interesting because as designers it is important to have good time management while doing projects rather than rushing and turning in an unfinished project. Both of these quotes are important because both represent two different point of views/messages that help designers see design thinking from a different visual than the one they currently see.

An article in 2018 called “Why Designers are going to take over the world - Design Thinking explained” was written by Kene Ohiaeri. This is another article related to the previous article that discusses and lets designers see the word Design Thinking in other ways than the current way that is seen. The question is still “What is Design Thinking?”, if you ask multiple designers then you will receive multiple different answers. A message in the article says “Design Thinking revolves around a deep interest in developing and understanding the people for whom we’re designing the products or services.” (Interaction- Design Foundation) Their definition of design thinking is more of how we develop and generate ideas for the projects that we are doing for other businesses or companies. It’s interesting cause originally design thinking was seen more of solving problems, but this definition seems more of a step one process to design thinking. Kene in the article states “Design Thinking could be viewed as a mindset to solving problems and also could be seen as a good alternative to the widely unknown analytical thinking process” (Kene Ohiaeri) This point of view is very similar to the original design thinking meaning but also adds another message which is that there is many unknown processes that designers are to discover while design thinking. These quotes both impact my point of view because one represents more of a step one method to design thinking and the other represent the original message of design thinking but also another visual along the process of design thinking.

When I hear the word design thinking, originally I think of sketches or pre designs before actually getting started on the main project. After reading these articles, I know realize that design thinking isn’t only in the beginning of the project but it throughout the whole project design thinking occurs. Working on designs then notice something that could impact and make the project better is all part of solving problems that designers run into which represent the main message in my opinion of design thinking. Another article that helped me understand more of a point of view on design thinking was “Design Thinking as a Strategy for Innovation”. The article was written by Linda Naiman. In the article is another point of view of design thinking which states “Design Thinking is at the core of effective strategy development and organizational change.” (Linda Naiman) This helped me understand the overall point and meaning of design thinking because like I had said, it shows that design thinking can be used at any moment for designers. It can be used to help thinking of what’s next for the project or how to change the project to make it better than what it previously was.

Design Thinking has a five step process which is to Empathise, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. Design Thinking is an interesting topic because the topic can be discussed in multiple ways. Designers use it every project that they work on and now after discussing it, may have not even realize that they were using it until now. But the interesting part is that design thinking isn’t only used for designers, it is used around other jobs or work places. Design Thinking is a great thing because it helps people solve issues that could run in to and helps them think of way to improve for the current project and for future projects.

Works Cited

https://medium.com/@1826db/thoughts-on-design-thinking-from-a-designer-ff8e9d0c9941

https://uxdesign.cc/why-designers-are-going-to-take-over-the-world-design-thinking-explained-786eed5a725f

https://www.creativityatwork.com/design-thinking-strategy-for-innovation/

jaredbloom-blog

Joey,

Your essay hit every point perfectly. Though, I would like to add that Design Thinking is not just a process exclusive to Graphic Designers, but rather a general process that can be applied to nearly any profession. I would also like to say that i appreciate the quotations you provided, as i personally think it adds some much needed context to the otherwise unknown process.

Essay 1: Design Thinking

Simply put, Design Thinking is the mental process a person typically follows in order to generate a successful design. This process consists of 5 phases which allow the user to methodically organize their thoughts and ideas in such a way that make it easier to communicate its purpose. Alongside this, design thinking can be applied within any occupation, allowing it to make use of both “extremes in an optimum manner” [Tutorialspoint], meaning no matter the size of the job, Design Thinking is an excellent way to progress on any given task. Because of its wide application potential, this process offers the development of empathy between users, as well a lower risk for launching new ideas.

The process of Design Thinking has five steps in the order of Empathise, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. The first step promotes the user to empathise with their client to further understand their motivations, as well as form a relationship beyond that of business partners. The second step is to literally define the problem and attempt to understand every aspect of it. In the Ideate phase, the user is intended to consider possible solutions. One of many possible ways of listing ideas is through brainstorming. Following this is the prototype phase in which a single person or team produce several small-scale versions of the solution that has been reached. Finally, in the Test phase, the end result is compared to the reality in which it would exist, and from this point the task is either completed or re-worked. The most beneficial part of the Design Thinking method is that the user is not bound to the linear model. If they chose to do so, they may go from a final phase to one at the beginning of they feel it would improve the quality of their product [Dam, Siang].

Of the 5 steps however, Design Thinking encourages empathy more than anything else. In order to solve an issue, the user must consult whomever is dealing with said problem. Through discussion, the user has the potential to learn of personal / local struggles which may allow them become invested in the issue and become more dedicated to the task. In order to empathize, the user of the method might ask questions such as who, why, and/or how. Through these questions, it would be possible to “uncover needs that… they may or may not be aware of,” as well as determine the audience or consumers of the end result [Plattner, 4].

Alongside developing empathy towards the client, Design Thinking also reduces the risk of launching new ideas. The method allows for the creation and showcase of a tangible pace at which the end result is worked towards. In fact, as stated in an article by Randy Oest, “more than 80% of businesses reported their teams were more aligned and focused, and 37% cited higher employee productivity through Design Thinking” [Oest].

In conclusion, design thinking is a non-linear method of creation that provides users with a foundation to begin the creative process. Its non-linearity allows users to exploit the process’ roadmap in order to produce the best result that they can. Furthermore, the process allows for the creation of human connections and greater productivity.

Works Cited

Tutorialspoint - Tutorialspoint.com. “Design Thinking Applications.” Www.tutorialspoint.com, Tutorials Point, www.tutorialspoint.com/design_thinking/design_thinking_applications.htm.

Interaction Design - Dam, Rikke, and Teo Siang. “What Is Design Thinking and Why Is It So Popular?” The Interaction Design Foundation, www.interaction-design.org/literature/article/what-is-design-thinking-and-why-is-it-so-popular.

FourKitchens - “Design Thinking Benefits Your Bottom Line and Reduces Risk.” Four Kitchens, 14 June 2018, www.fourkitchens.com/blog/design-ux/design-thinking-benefits-bottom-line-reduces-risk/.

Project 2: Statement of Intent

The purpose of this project is to discover two type faces - one serif and the other san serif. With the serif font, I chose Baskerville, and using this font i will integrate a man made object into the shape of the letter J. For my san serif font, i chose Franklin Gothic and will use the letter B.

https://pin.it/zgykwmgacnls7f

My Process Deck for Project 1

These images are my thumbnail sketches for the Pictogram Animal Project. I have yet to choose the iteration that i will use to complete my final submission, however my personal favorite is system 2 iteration 3. I like this particular version because i feel like the design is simple enough, yet flexible enough for me to edit as needed.

Pictogram Systems: A Statement of Intent

The Pictogram System Project is intended to have designers create pictograms of four zoo animals with one or more commonalities. For my iteration of the project, I chose to portray a hermit crab, frog, barn owl, and tortoise due to their mass. While all four animals vary in size, they are all very spacious in their own right. Alongside their weight, they all also have an interesting pattern associated with them, be it on their shell, feathers, or skin. The following links lead to several Pinterest boards I have laid out that demonstrate their traits and unique shapes.

Frog: https://pin.it/m4l5aczwpizhqy

Hermit Crab: https://pin.it/ambvm5tqjtbn25

Barn Owl: https://pin.it/7mcobhv33sg5jm

Tortoise: https://pin.it/etmtednhlpgr4l