-My Definitions Round 1&2 (Picture 1-3).
What is design? The question had been asked since I started my design major. I have heard many ways to define design, and now is my turn to do it. Actually, before I wrote down the words, I have thought a lot. There are so many branches of design, and each branch has different characteristics. However, in my opinion, all the branches of design would have the same destination. Therefore, my first definition is: Design is to bring a better life to us and our offspring.
And the second definition is: Design is to solve the problem which has already existed or will be by combining the needs of human society company environment. Even though there are various kinds of design branches, the design activities start at some problems usually. After the strategic design thinking, the most impressive part for me is that design should be consider as a larger picture rather than a single isolated design activity. In design activity, the existed and potential problems should be considered to deal with, proactive is for the plan of design, and reactive is to dealing with the situation which out of the plan of design.
In the meantime, my classmates’ definitions of design are various, as well. Even through the descriptions are different, they are not contradictory. In my view, the definition of design just like a polyhedron, every definition focus on one aspect, but the core is same. For example, the aspects of design’ s process, aim or purpose.
-My drivers (Picture 4 )
This excise helps me realize a mistake I had made. When I was asked to do this excise on class, in at least 30 Seconds I feel my mind is blank. The problem might because after the projects I didn’t do a good job of summary rather than I didn’t do a good job of the project. Moreover, it remained me that even though some projects I did were not so satisfactory or even fail because of various reason, some ideas and methods are not bad. Re-organize and analyze the project afterword, could help us to draw on some previous experience and avoid making same mistakes. And put those ideas and methods into our “mind store” for our future use.
-My Strategy (Picture 5-6 )
Not only Known a larger picture of the whole process of design is important, but also the larger picture of myself. Built the relationship of the past & now & future. Furthermore, I had drawn a chart (Picture 6 ). The X Axis has the three aspects: Skills Strategy, Knowledge Strategy, Networking Strategy, and Y Axis is the timeline, from past, now to future. Three shapes have been drawn in the chart. The shapes mean the quantity of the strategy. The first shape looks like a vase which is upside down. From past to now I am a student, and I am learning many Skills, such as sketch skill software skill analysis skill, and in this period the amount is growing. However, in the future, I might find a job and it only need several specific skills from all the skills I learned from school, therefore the amount becomes into a same level. Maybe I would change my job or want to improve my position, and then more skills may need to be learned. And then it becomes same amount again. The same amount period and the small increasing amount period may just like a loop in the future. As for the rest of the Knowledge and Networking Strategy they would like a triangle and increase generally. My networking might become much more large and complicated with time goes on, but the previous networking would be contained in the new upload networking.
-My Flower (Picture 7 )
Two flowers had been drawn in the excise. Because I believe that my personal journey won’t be all the same in the future. From past to now, I am a sunflower, seek the knowledge and experience all the time. It is a stage to store knowledge. By contrast, in the future I would be a rose, a blooming rose. It would have many layers, each layers presents different knowledge. It is a stage of release the energy and knowledge.
-My process Round 1 & 2(Picture 8,9)
My design process is following a main line, and also some part would run like a circle, such as the period from research to analysis. Moreover the 3D model is much easier to be understood and containing more fun.
Summary
Other aspect I have learned from this project is that a new approach to think: using visualization to think (Roam, 2008). I have used visualization to make notes and present ideas. But after reading the book THE BACK OF THE NAPKIN, the new way of thinking has been offered. Using our eyes, mind’s eyes and hand, and then “LOOKING” the questions, drawn down the relative information, such as objects& subject, questions, methods. After that is the “SEEING” stage, re-organize the information, try to make sense of it and build the network or map to relate them, making all the data visible. And next through “imaging” find out the potential approaches to deal with problems. As far as this method concerned, it could help transform the invisible data into visible, much easier for us to build a bigger picture of our whole issue, and more clearly and comprehensively to understand the problem (Picture 10).
Today we had lecture with Prof Colin Burns
two method i feel really impressive...
-visual anthropology
-brain storm of "yogurt"
visual anthropology- we had been given a group pictures, through discussion, we gave the general ideas of the subject' s background information. Suprisingly for me, we were so close to the truth in such a short time. in the past time, i believed that through observation& note-taking would be encough for me. i didnot think it was necessary to take pictures. and now, i realise that, with the help of those photos, would be more efficient and easier to understand the subjuct of our research.
Brain Storm
it remained me a Chinese Proverb"人多力量大""the more people we have, the more powerful we are". I have done this many times before. But it used to take a long time for me- efficient problem. the summary of todaty's yogurt brain storm i believe is quite usful for me.
-one conversation
-writing down ideas rather than talking
-one person organize mainly
-encourage
i think the summary of it should be more...but i didnot write down ...if u know the rest of it, please tell me....Thax ...^_^
RIP+MIX
it is an interesting way to creat ideas. in a short time, you can creat many ideas. i have done this before in my undergraduate. but i think if we want qualitative ideas, maybe we need more time to adjust the ideas.
Belmont Center(not sure about the spelling
SOEC
-Enterprise learning
-Eco-literacy field studies
-Personal & Social development
They try to involve the young people to get into nature. through this experience may be change their lives.
As far as i concerned, it is pretty good for young people to get into nature. as we all known that the younth prefer staying at home communicate through internet rather than go to the real world. i don't think it is health for them from the aspects psychology and phsiology. i only worry about one thing. the safty of the young people when they join the actitive...
well...it is designer's job ... let's think about it....
It's friday...all day!
Finnally, today was the last day of design research module. Busy day, as well. We got together at 9, finished printing all the fiels, we rehearsed twice before the presentation. Indeed, I think all of us did our best. i am really glad that i have the chance could work with them. And not only I learned for the lecture, but also I learned much more from our teammates. "You have to trust in the process" From Lena. We followed the stage step by step, It took a lot of time and energy, but through the process, we got the outcome generally.
Another thing is that, more interview skills and observation skills i have learned. such as how to conduct the interview, let the interviewees feel more relax to talk about the true thoughts through natuaral conversation rather than ask them questions one by one; How to deal with the data, even though it was the hardest(I believe) stage of the research process, with the right method, we could get the useful outcome.
Anyway, it is friday...I do need so sleep... (T-T)|||
Good night to everyone.
Research methods:
Desk research (get information from paper, book, internet )
Interviews (get first hand information from them, I did three interviews. Aftab (BB), Ivy (Y), Yo (Y). Because two of them are young generation and one of them is baby boomer. I think after all my interviews I could have a compare between the two generations.)
World map(gave it to interviewees first, to make them feel more relax, they could took their time to draw their world trip )
Open sheet (gave it after the world map, let interviewees gave a general idea about those communication methods)
Research tools:
Notebook & pen
Computer
Mp3
Camera
Interview Summary：
The first interview I did on 6 OCT, after that interview I have one main problem was that I haven’t down sufficient prepare, and I make the interview atmosphere a little bit nervous, it was more liked I asked questions one by one, it was not natural. Because we finished the questionnaires at 6 P.M and I did my interview in 7 P.M. All in all, several problems I found in the first interview:
1) Not sufficient prepare. (some questions just changed I was not so familiar)
2) Read the question one by one to interviewee, it may lead to the interviewee a little bit nervous, may not comfortable enough to talk about the true feelings. (After finished the first interview I saw Cat’s suggestions)
3) The icon questionnaire should be down at first, I put it in the middle of the interview.
4) Some questions order jumped a little bit far.
And the next day I did my rest two interviews, and I tried to avoid the drawbacks I did last time, some answers from interviewees may be not all-around, and I tried to lead them using the following questions to add the answer.
Idea development.
Working as a team, we decided to choose the topic “something for everyone”. As we all known that, different generation have different background, they have different preference. And it might have gap between the different generations. Therefore we want through design we might bring all the generation together.
With the suggestions of Cat and Mike, we realized that the topic was two wide, because we only got two weeks to work on it. And then we narrowed our topic, started to think more specific generations, Baby Boomer Generation and Young Generation. And then the topic became how has communication changed in last 30 years (Y&BB)?
After interviews, we had analysis and synthesis. Used the cross to organize the key points. Right side was analog method(face to face, letter, ect ), left side was modern communication. Top side presented with a smile face(satisfied), bottom side was a say face(not satisfied)
It is interesting to notice that the communication method has changed a lot, however we also have been changed by the modern tech. our topic is “something for everyone”, maybe our design could base on the new tech and present in an analog way, it might meet the needs for both Baby Boomer and Young Generation.
And most important...I do want to say thanks to all my teammates...They are so nice and patient...I have learned a lot from them... Thank you guys (T-T)
Today I mainly worked on the icon for our presentation. Brain and Lena tended to focus on the literal presetation, Angela, Dan and I worked on the visualization of the presentation. For tomorrow's presentation, we have Brian and Lena as the main talker,the rest of us would take a part in different aspect of it. We still have A3 board to work on tomorrow. Sorry guys for today i leaved so early...
Interview! Interview!
Today, i finished the two of mine interviews. This time I tried to avoid the drawbacks I did last time. And indeed, I felt better this time. The interview went more naturally. And if some questions interviewees did not answer the information that we need, i tried to lead them to say more about the thoughts. Doing Hot-Report tonight.
It's Friday all day!
Today we had a 10 minutes presentation about Dragon’s Den . And we focus on the generation gap problem. because of the different education or life back ground diferent generation have different preference. We throught that maybe we can throught design bring the generation together to eliminite the gap. Angela did the introduction part. I and Dan did the question part. Brian claimed and develop our idea, finally Lena gave a summary of our whole through.
