A Review on Human Centered Design
post by J.R. Miller
Innovate or Die – Publish or Perish; is Design the answer? There has been a great deal of discussion about the role of design in business. Has it moved from the art room to the factory floor; or more importantly into management and operations? The simple answer is yes. Like Quality, Design should be pervasive.
Quality has been around in some form since the first clay pot was inspected for cracks and hidden wax fillers. But the last 60 years have seen the application of TQM, ISO 9001, Six Sigma and Lean. All brilliant tools that return real dollars when properly applied and utilized. Design is undergoing the same growth spurt; with all its funny bumps and side effects. And like ISO 9001 & Lean Six Sigma, management must be directly involved.
IDEO’s Human Centered Design and its associated Tool Kit & Guides have been adopted by major corporations and recognized as key in tackling some of the challenges the world faces. “The kit offers new tools and techniques to ensure that farmer’s needs are at the heart of design.” – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Stanford’s Design School, a proponent of Human Centered Design, has released D.School Bootcamp Bootleg “. . . a loose collection of the methods, modes and mindsets that Bootcamp students found most useful”.
Following is a brief recap of the 5 Modes. But before we look at them here is an observation on Design Thinking by Roger Martin from his book, The Design of Business (see the full article Design Thinking 101 and others at the end).
The first tool of the design thinker is observation. What people say is important and this is why so many companies depend on focus groups and surveys. However, the design thinker knows that what people say isn’t as important as what they do:
“An ethnographer attempting to understand how youngsters in China think about their handheld phones would watch them use their phones before even asking a single question. And when appropriate to ask, the question would likely be of the form: ‘I saw you punch one button repeatedly; you looked frustrated. Then you flipped the phone closed and opened it again. Why were you doing that? What were you thinking? How did it make you feel?’ That’s a very different approach from asking, ‘What are the top five things that matter to you about your handheld phone?’”
That question—Martin argues—is for the design thinker.
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg – 5 Modes:
1. Empathize is the beginning of the design process.
To empathize, we:
- Observe. View users and their behavior in the context of their entire lives.
- Engage. Interact with and interview users through both scheduled and short ‘intercept’ encounters.
2. The goal of the Define mode is to come up with an actionable problem statement.
It is a mode of “focus” rather than “flaring.” This should be a guiding statement that focuses on insights and needs of a particular user that you uncovered during the empathize mode.
3. Ideate is the point in the design process at which we focus on idea generation.
Mentally it represents a process of “going wide” in terms of concepts and outcomes – it is a mode of “flaring” rather than “focus.” Ideation provides both the fuel and also the source material for building prototypes and getting innovative solutions into the hands of your users.
4. The Prototype mode is the iterative generation of low-resolution artifacts that will later be tested by users. A prototype can be anything that a user can interact with – be it a wall of post-it notes, a role-playing activity, or even a storyboard.
Why Do We Prototype?
To learn. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a prototype is worth a thousand pictures.
To solve disagreements. Prototyping is a powerful tool that can eliminate ambiguity, assist in ideation, and reduce miscommunication.
To start a conversation. Our interactions with users should revolve around a conversation piece, not words. A prototype is an opportunity to have another, directed conversation with a user.
To test possibilities. Staying low-res allows you to pursue many different ideas generated in Ideate mode without committing to a direction too early on.
To fail quickly and cheaply. Committing as few resources as possible to each idea means less time and money invested up front.
To manage the solution-building process. Identifying a variable also encourages you to break a large problem down into smaller, testable chunks.
5. The Test mode is another iterative mode in which we place our low-resolution artifacts in the appropriate context of the user’s life. In regards to a team’s solution, we should always prototype as if we know we’re right, but test as if we know we’re wrong
— testing is the chance to refine our solutions and make them better.
To refine our prototypes and solutions. Testing informs the next iterations of prototypes. Sometimes this means going back to the drawing board.
To learn more about our user. Testing is another opportunity to build empathy through observation and engagement—it often yields unexpected insights.
To refine our POV. Sometimes testing reveals that not only did we not get the solution right, but also that we have failed to frame the problem correctly.
Institute of Design at Stanford
http://www.stanford.edu/group/dschool/
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg
http://dschool.typepad.com/news/boot-camp/
PDF Download:
http://dschool.typepad.com/files/bootcampbootleg2009.pdf
Design Management Institute (DMI)
http://www.dmi.org/dmi/html/index.htm
IDEO | Global Design and Innovation Consulting Firm
http://www.ideo.com/
Musings on design matters, technology and culture: Design Thinking 101
http://danielmckenzie.com/blog/2009/12/design-thinking-101/
Technology Vs. Design–What is the Source of Innovation?
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2009/12/technology_vs_c.htmlpost by J.R. Miller
Innovate or Die – Publish or Perish; is Design the answer? There has been a great deal of discussion about the role of design in business. Has it moved from the art room to the factory floor; or more importantly into management and operations? The simple answer is yes. Like Quality, Design should be pervasive.
Quality has been around in some form since the first clay pot was inspected for cracks and hidden wax fillers. But the last 60 years have seen the application of TQM, ISO 9001, Six Sigma and Lean. All brilliant tools that return real dollars when properly applied and utilized. Design is undergoing the same growth spurt; with all its funny bumps and side effects. And like ISO 9001 & Lean Six Sigma, management must be directly involved.
IDEO’s Human Centered Design and its associated Tool Kit & Guides have been adopted by major corporations and recognized as key in tackling some of the challenges the world faces. “The kit offers new tools and techniques to ensure that farmer’s needs are at the heart of design.” – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Stanford’s Design School, a proponent of Human Centered Design, has released D.School Bootcamp Bootleg “. . . a loose collection of the methods, modes and mindsets that Bootcamp students found most useful”.
Following is a brief recap of the 5 Modes. But before we look at them here is an observation on Design Thinking by Roger Martin from his book, The Design of Business (see the full article Design Thinking 101 and others at the end).
The first tool of the design thinker is observation. What people say is important and this is why so many companies depend on focus groups and surveys. However, the design thinker knows that what people say isn’t as important as what they do:
“An ethnographer attempting to understand how youngsters in China think about their handheld phones would watch them use their phones before even asking a single question. And when appropriate to ask, the question would likely be of the form: ‘I saw you punch one button repeatedly; you looked frustrated. Then you flipped the phone closed and opened it again. Why were you doing that? What were you thinking? How did it make you feel?’ That’s a very different approach from asking, ‘What are the top five things that matter to you about your handheld phone?’”
That question—Martin argues—is for the design thinker.
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg – 5 Modes:
1. Empathize is the beginning of the design process.
To empathize, we:
- Observe. View users and their behavior in the context of their entire lives.
- Engage. Interact with and interview users through both scheduled and short ‘intercept’ encounters.
2. The goal of the Define mode is to come up with an actionable problem statement.
It is a mode of “focus” rather than “flaring.” This should be a guiding statement that focuses on insights and needs of a particular user that you uncovered during the empathize mode.
3. Ideate is the point in the design process at which we focus on idea generation.
Mentally it represents a process of “going wide” in terms of concepts and outcomes – it is a mode of “flaring” rather than “focus.” Ideation provides both the fuel and also the source material for building prototypes and getting innovative solutions into the hands of your users.
4. The Prototype mode is the iterative generation of low-resolution artifacts that will later be tested by users. A prototype can be anything that a user can interact with – be it a wall of post-it notes, a role-playing activity, or even a storyboard.
Why Do We Prototype?
To learn. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a prototype is worth a thousand pictures.
To solve disagreements. Prototyping is a powerful tool that can eliminate ambiguity, assist in ideation, and reduce miscommunication.
To start a conversation. Our interactions with users should revolve around a conversation piece, not words. A prototype is an opportunity to have another, directed conversation with a user.
To test possibilities. Staying low-res allows you to pursue many different ideas generated in Ideate mode without committing to a direction too early on.
To fail quickly and cheaply. Committing as few resources as possible to each idea means less time and money invested up front.
To manage the solution-building process. Identifying a variable also encourages you to break a large problem down into smaller, testable chunks.
5. The Test mode is another iterative mode in which we place our low-resolution artifacts in the appropriate context of the user’s life. In regards to a team’s solution, we should always prototype as if we know we’re right, but test as if we know we’re wrong
— testing is the chance to refine our solutions and make them better.
To refine our prototypes and solutions. Testing informs the next iterations of prototypes. Sometimes this means going back to the drawing board.
To learn more about our user. Testing is another opportunity to build empathy through observation and engagement—it often yields unexpected insights.
To refine our POV. Sometimes testing reveals that not only did we not get the solution right, but also that we have failed to frame the problem correctly.
Institute of Design at Stanford
http://www.stanford.edu/group/dschool/
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg
http://dschool.typepad.com/news/boot-camp/
PDF Download:
http://dschool.typepad.com/files/bootcampbootleg2009.pdf
Design Management Institute (DMI)
http://www.dmi.org/dmi/html/index.htm
IDEO | Global Design and Innovation Consulting Firm
http://www.ideo.com/
Musings on design matters, technology and culture: Design Thinking 101
http://danielmckenzie.com/blog/2009/12/design-thinking-101/
Technology Vs. Design–What is the Source of Innovation?
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2009/12/technology_vs_c.htmlpost by J.R. Miller
Innovate or Die – Publish or Perish; is Design the answer? There has been a great deal of discussion about the role of design in business. Has it moved from the art room to the factory floor; or more importantly into management and operations? The simple answer is yes. Like Quality, Design should be pervasive.
Quality has been around in some form since the first clay pot was inspected for cracks and hidden wax fillers. But the last 60 years have seen the application of TQM, ISO 9001, Six Sigma and Lean. All brilliant tools that return real dollars when properly applied and utilized. Design is undergoing the same growth spurt; with all its funny bumps and side effects. And like ISO 9001 & Lean Six Sigma, management must be directly involved.
IDEO’s Human Centered Design and its associated Tool Kit & Guides have been adopted by major corporations and recognized as key in tackling some of the challenges the world faces. “The kit offers new tools and techniques to ensure that farmer’s needs are at the heart of design.” – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Stanford’s Design School, a proponent of Human Centered Design, has released D.School Bootcamp Bootleg “. . . a loose collection of the methods, modes and mindsets that Bootcamp students found most useful”.
Following is a brief recap of the 5 Modes. But before we look at them here is an observation on Design Thinking by Roger Martin from his book, The Design of Business (see the full article Design Thinking 101 and others at the end).
The first tool of the design thinker is observation. What people say is important and this is why so many companies depend on focus groups and surveys. However, the design thinker knows that what people say isn’t as important as what they do:
“An ethnographer attempting to understand how youngsters in China think about their handheld phones would watch them use their phones before even asking a single question. And when appropriate to ask, the question would likely be of the form: ‘I saw you punch one button repeatedly; you looked frustrated. Then you flipped the phone closed and opened it again. Why were you doing that? What were you thinking? How did it make you feel?’ That’s a very different approach from asking, ‘What are the top five things that matter to you about your handheld phone?’”
That question—Martin argues—is for the design thinker.
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg – 5 Modes:
1. Empathize is the beginning of the design process.
To empathize, we:
- Observe. View users and their behavior in the context of their entire lives.
- Engage. Interact with and interview users through both scheduled and short ‘intercept’ encounters.
2. The goal of the Define mode is to come up with an actionable problem statement.
It is a mode of “focus” rather than “flaring.” This should be a guiding statement that focuses on insights and needs of a particular user that you uncovered during the empathize mode.
3. Ideate is the point in the design process at which we focus on idea generation.
Mentally it represents a process of “going wide” in terms of concepts and outcomes – it is a mode of “flaring” rather than “focus.” Ideation provides both the fuel and also the source material for building prototypes and getting innovative solutions into the hands of your users.
4. The Prototype mode is the iterative generation of low-resolution artifacts that will later be tested by users. A prototype can be anything that a user can interact with – be it a wall of post-it notes, a role-playing activity, or even a storyboard.
Why Do We Prototype?
To learn. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a prototype is worth a thousand pictures.
To solve disagreements. Prototyping is a powerful tool that can eliminate ambiguity, assist in ideation, and reduce miscommunication.
To start a conversation. Our interactions with users should revolve around a conversation piece, not words. A prototype is an opportunity to have another, directed conversation with a user.
To test possibilities. Staying low-res allows you to pursue many different ideas generated in Ideate mode without committing to a direction too early on.
To fail quickly and cheaply. Committing as few resources as possible to each idea means less time and money invested up front.
To manage the solution-building process. Identifying a variable also encourages you to break a large problem down into smaller, testable chunks.
5. The Test mode is another iterative mode in which we place our low-resolution artifacts in the appropriate context of the user’s life. In regards to a team’s solution, we should always prototype as if we know we’re right, but test as if we know we’re wrong
— testing is the chance to refine our solutions and make them better.
To refine our prototypes and solutions. Testing informs the next iterations of prototypes. Sometimes this means going back to the drawing board.
To learn more about our user. Testing is another opportunity to build empathy through observation and engagement—it often yields unexpected insights.
To refine our POV. Sometimes testing reveals that not only did we not get the solution right, but also that we have failed to frame the problem correctly.
Institute of Design at Stanford
http://www.stanford.edu/group/dschool/
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg
http://dschool.typepad.com/news/boot-camp/
PDF Download:
http://dschool.typepad.com/files/bootcampbootleg2009.pdf
Design Management Institute (DMI)
http://www.dmi.org/dmi/html/index.htm
IDEO | Global Design and Innovation Consulting Firm
http://www.ideo.com/
Musings on design matters, technology and culture: Design Thinking 101
http://danielmckenzie.com/blog/2009/12/design-thinking-101/
Technology Vs. Design–What is the Source of Innovation?
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2009/12/technology_vs_c.htmlpost by J.R. Miller
Innovate or Die – Publish or Perish; is Design the answer? There has been a great deal of discussion about the role of design in business. Has it moved from the art room to the factory floor; or more importantly into management and operations? The simple answer is yes. Like Quality, Design should be pervasive.
Quality has been around in some form since the first clay pot was inspected for cracks and hidden wax fillers. But the last 60 years have seen the application of TQM, ISO 9001, Six Sigma and Lean. All brilliant tools that return real dollars when properly applied and utilized. Design is undergoing the same growth spurt; with all its funny bumps and side effects. And like ISO 9001 & Lean Six Sigma, management must be directly involved.
IDEO’s Human Centered Design and its associated Tool Kit & Guides have been adopted by major corporations and recognized as key in tackling some of the challenges the world faces. “The kit offers new tools and techniques to ensure that farmer’s needs are at the heart of design.” – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Stanford’s Design School, a proponent of Human Centered Design, has released D.School Bootcamp Bootleg “. . . a loose collection of the methods, modes and mindsets that Bootcamp students found most useful”.
Following is a brief recap of the 5 Modes. But before we look at them here is an observation on Design Thinking by Roger Martin from his book, The Design of Business (see the full article Design Thinking 101 and others at the end).
The first tool of the design thinker is observation. What people say is important and this is why so many companies depend on focus groups and surveys. However, the design thinker knows that what people say isn’t as important as what they do:
“An ethnographer attempting to understand how youngsters in China think about their handheld phones would watch them use their phones before even asking a single question. And when appropriate to ask, the question would likely be of the form: ‘I saw you punch one button repeatedly; you looked frustrated. Then you flipped the phone closed and opened it again. Why were you doing that? What were you thinking? How did it make you feel?’ That’s a very different approach from asking, ‘What are the top five things that matter to you about your handheld phone?’”
That question—Martin argues—is for the design thinker.
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg – 5 Modes:
1. Empathize is the beginning of the design process.
To empathize, we:
- Observe. View users and their behavior in the context of their entire lives.
- Engage. Interact with and interview users through both scheduled and short ‘intercept’ encounters.
2. The goal of the Define mode is to come up with an actionable problem statement.
It is a mode of “focus” rather than “flaring.” This should be a guiding statement that focuses on insights and needs of a particular user that you uncovered during the empathize mode.
3. Ideate is the point in the design process at which we focus on idea generation.
Mentally it represents a process of “going wide” in terms of concepts and outcomes – it is a mode of “flaring” rather than “focus.” Ideation provides both the fuel and also the source material for building prototypes and getting innovative solutions into the hands of your users.
4. The Prototype mode is the iterative generation of low-resolution artifacts that will later be tested by users. A prototype can be anything that a user can interact with – be it a wall of post-it notes, a role-playing activity, or even a storyboard.
Why Do We Prototype?
To learn. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a prototype is worth a thousand pictures.
To solve disagreements. Prototyping is a powerful tool that can eliminate ambiguity, assist in ideation, and reduce miscommunication.
To start a conversation. Our interactions with users should revolve around a conversation piece, not words. A prototype is an opportunity to have another, directed conversation with a user.
To test possibilities. Staying low-res allows you to pursue many different ideas generated in Ideate mode without committing to a direction too early on.
To fail quickly and cheaply. Committing as few resources as possible to each idea means less time and money invested up front.
To manage the solution-building process. Identifying a variable also encourages you to break a large problem down into smaller, testable chunks.
5. The Test mode is another iterative mode in which we place our low-resolution artifacts in the appropriate context of the user’s life. In regards to a team’s solution, we should always prototype as if we know we’re right, but test as if we know we’re wrong
— testing is the chance to refine our solutions and make them better.
To refine our prototypes and solutions. Testing informs the next iterations of prototypes. Sometimes this means going back to the drawing board.
To learn more about our user. Testing is another opportunity to build empathy through observation and engagement—it often yields unexpected insights.
To refine our POV. Sometimes testing reveals that not only did we not get the solution right, but also that we have failed to frame the problem correctly.
Institute of Design at Stanford
http://www.stanford.edu/group/dschool/
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg
http://dschool.typepad.com/news/boot-camp/
PDF Download:
http://dschool.typepad.com/files/bootcampbootleg2009.pdf
Design Management Institute (DMI)
http://www.dmi.org/dmi/html/index.htm
IDEO | Global Design and Innovation Consulting Firm
http://www.ideo.com/
Musings on design matters, technology and culture: Design Thinking 101
http://danielmckenzie.com/blog/2009/12/design-thinking-101/
Technology Vs. Design–What is the Source of Innovation?
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2009/12/technology_vs_c.htmlpost by J.R. Miller
Innovate or Die – Publish or Perish; is Design the answer? There has been a great deal of discussion about the role of design in business. Has it moved from the art room to the factory floor; or more importantly into management and operations? The simple answer is yes. Like Quality, Design should be pervasive.
Quality has been around in some form since the first clay pot was inspected for cracks and hidden wax fillers. But the last 60 years have seen the application of TQM, ISO 9001, Six Sigma and Lean. All brilliant tools that return real dollars when properly applied and utilized. Design is undergoing the same growth spurt; with all its funny bumps and side effects. And like ISO 9001 & Lean Six Sigma, management must be directly involved.
IDEO’s Human Centered Design and its associated Tool Kit & Guides have been adopted by major corporations and recognized as key in tackling some of the challenges the world faces. “The kit offers new tools and techniques to ensure that farmer’s needs are at the heart of design.” – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Stanford’s Design School, a proponent of Human Centered Design, has released D.School Bootcamp Bootleg “. . . a loose collection of the methods, modes and mindsets that Bootcamp students found most useful”.
Following is a brief recap of the 5 Modes. But before we look at them here is an observation on Design Thinking by Roger Martin from his book, The Design of Business (see the full article Design Thinking 101 and others at the end).
The first tool of the design thinker is observation. What people say is important and this is why so many companies depend on focus groups and surveys. However, the design thinker knows that what people say isn’t as important as what they do:
“An ethnographer attempting to understand how youngsters in China think about their handheld phones would watch them use their phones before even asking a single question. And when appropriate to ask, the question would likely be of the form: ‘I saw you punch one button repeatedly; you looked frustrated. Then you flipped the phone closed and opened it again. Why were you doing that? What were you thinking? How did it make you feel?’ That’s a very different approach from asking, ‘What are the top five things that matter to you about your handheld phone?’”
That question—Martin argues—is for the design thinker.
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg – 5 Modes:
1. Empathize is the beginning of the design process.
To empathize, we:
- Observe. View users and their behavior in the context of their entire lives.
- Engage. Interact with and interview users through both scheduled and short ‘intercept’ encounters.
2. The goal of the Define mode is to come up with an actionable problem statement.
It is a mode of “focus” rather than “flaring.” This should be a guiding statement that focuses on insights and needs of a particular user that you uncovered during the empathize mode.
3. Ideate is the point in the design process at which we focus on idea generation.
Mentally it represents a process of “going wide” in terms of concepts and outcomes – it is a mode of “flaring” rather than “focus.” Ideation provides both the fuel and also the source material for building prototypes and getting innovative solutions into the hands of your users.
4. The Prototype mode is the iterative generation of low-resolution artifacts that will later be tested by users. A prototype can be anything that a user can interact with – be it a wall of post-it notes, a role-playing activity, or even a storyboard.
Why Do We Prototype?
To learn. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a prototype is worth a thousand pictures.
To solve disagreements. Prototyping is a powerful tool that can eliminate ambiguity, assist in ideation, and reduce miscommunication.
To start a conversation. Our interactions with users should revolve around a conversation piece, not words. A prototype is an opportunity to have another, directed conversation with a user.
To test possibilities. Staying low-res allows you to pursue many different ideas generated in Ideate mode without committing to a direction too early on.
To fail quickly and cheaply. Committing as few resources as possible to each idea means less time and money invested up front.
To manage the solution-building process. Identifying a variable also encourages you to break a large problem down into smaller, testable chunks.
5. The Test mode is another iterative mode in which we place our low-resolution artifacts in the appropriate context of the user’s life. In regards to a team’s solution, we should always prototype as if we know we’re right, but test as if we know we’re wrong
— testing is the chance to refine our solutions and make them better.
To refine our prototypes and solutions. Testing informs the next iterations of prototypes. Sometimes this means going back to the drawing board.
To learn more about our user. Testing is another opportunity to build empathy through observation and engagement—it often yields unexpected insights.
To refine our POV. Sometimes testing reveals that not only did we not get the solution right, but also that we have failed to frame the problem correctly.
Institute of Design at Stanford
http://www.stanford.edu/group/dschool/
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg
http://dschool.typepad.com/news/boot-camp/
PDF Download:
http://dschool.typepad.com/files/bootcampbootleg2009.pdf
Design Management Institute (DMI)
http://www.dmi.org/dmi/html/index.htm
IDEO | Global Design and Innovation Consulting Firm
http://www.ideo.com/
Musings on design matters, technology and culture: Design Thinking 101
http://danielmckenzie.com/blog/2009/12/design-thinking-101/
Technology Vs. Design–What is the Source of Innovation?
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2009/12/technology_vs_c.post by J.R. Miller
Innovate or Die – Publish or Perish; is Design the answer? There has been a great deal of discussion about the role of design in business. Has it moved from the art room to the factory floor; or more importantly into management and operations? The simple answer is yes. Like Quality, Design should be pervasive.
Quality has been around in some form since the first clay pot was inspected for cracks and hidden wax fillers. But the last 60 years have seen the application of TQM, ISO 9001, Six Sigma and Lean. All brilliant tools that return real dollars when properly applied and utilized. Design is undergoing the same growth spurt; with all its funny bumps and side effects. And like ISO 9001 & Lean Six Sigma, management must be directly involved.
IDEO’s Human Centered Design and its associated Tool Kit & Guides have been adopted by major corporations and recognized as key in tackling some of the challenges the world faces. “The kit offers new tools and techniques to ensure that farmer’s needs are at the heart of design.” – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Stanford’s Design School, a proponent of Human Centered Design, has released D.School Bootcamp Bootleg “. . . a loose collection of the methods, modes and mindsets that Bootcamp students found most useful”.
Following is a brief recap of the 5 Modes. But before we look at them here is an observation on Design Thinking by Roger Martin from his book, The Design of Business (see the full article Design Thinking 101 and others at the end).
The first tool of the design thinker is observation. What people say is important and this is why so many companies depend on focus groups and surveys. However, the design thinker knows that what people say isn’t as important as what they do:
“An ethnographer attempting to understand how youngsters in China think about their handheld phones would watch them use their phones before even asking a single question. And when appropriate to ask, the question would likely be of the form: ‘I saw you punch one button repeatedly; you looked frustrated. Then you flipped the phone closed and opened it again. Why were you doing that? What were you thinking? How did it make you feel?’ That’s a very different approach from asking, ‘What are the top five things that matter to you about your handheld phone?’”
That question—Martin argues—is for the design thinker.
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg – 5 Modes:
1. Empathize is the beginning of the design process.
To empathize, we:
- Observe. View users and their behavior in the context of their entire lives.
- Engage. Interact with and interview users through both scheduled and short ‘intercept’ encounters.
2. The goal of the Define mode is to come up with an actionable problem statement.
It is a mode of “focus” rather than “flaring.” This should be a guiding statement that focuses on insights and needs of a particular user that you uncovered during the empathize mode.
3. Ideate is the point in the design process at which we focus on idea generation.
Mentally it represents a process of “going wide” in terms of concepts and outcomes – it is a mode of “flaring” rather than “focus.” Ideation provides both the fuel and also the source material for building prototypes and getting innovative solutions into the hands of your users.
4. The Prototype mode is the iterative generation of low-resolution artifacts that will later be tested by users. A prototype can be anything that a user can interact with – be it a wall of post-it notes, a role-playing activity, or even a storyboard.
Why Do We Prototype?
To learn. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a prototype is worth a thousand pictures.
To solve disagreements. Prototyping is a powerful tool that can eliminate ambiguity, assist in ideation, and reduce miscommunication.
To start a conversation. Our interactions with users should revolve around a conversation piece, not words. A prototype is an opportunity to have another, directed conversation with a user.
To test possibilities. Staying low-res allows you to pursue many different ideas generated in Ideate mode without committing to a direction too early on.
To fail quickly and cheaply. Committing as few resources as possible to each idea means less time and money invested up front.
To manage the solution-building process. Identifying a variable also encourages you to break a large problem down into smaller, testable chunks.
5. The Test mode is another iterative mode in which we place our low-resolution artifacts in the appropriate context of the user’s life. In regards to a team’s solution, we should always prototype as if we know we’re right, but test as if we know we’re wrong
— testing is the chance to refine our solutions and make them better.
To refine our prototypes and solutions. Testing informs the next iterations of prototypes. Sometimes this means going back to the drawing board.
To learn more about our user. Testing is another opportunity to build empathy through observation and engagement—it often yields unexpected insights.
To refine our POV. Sometimes testing reveals that not only did we not get the solution right, but also that we have failed to frame the problem correctly.
Institute of Design at Stanford
http://www.stanford.edu/group/dschool/
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg
http://dschool.typepad.com/news/boot-camp/
PDF Download:
http://dschool.typepad.com/files/bootcampbootleg2009.pdf
Design Management Institute (DMI)
http://www.dmi.org/dmi/html/index.htm
IDEO | Global Design and Innovation Consulting Firm
http://www.ideo.com/
Musings on design matters, technology and culture: Design Thinking 101
http://danielmckenzie.com/blog/2009/12/design-thinking-101/
Technology Vs. Design–What is the Source of Innovation?
post by J.R. Miller
Innovate or Die – Publish or Perish; is Design the answer? There has been a great deal of discussion about the role of design in business. Has it moved from the art room to the factory floor; or more importantly into management and operations? The simple answer is yes. Like Quality, Design should be pervasive.
Quality has been around in some form since the first clay pot was inspected for cracks and hidden wax fillers. But the last 60 years have seen the application of TQM, ISO 9001, Six Sigma and Lean. All brilliant tools that return real dollars when properly applied and utilized. Design is undergoing the same growth spurt; with all its funny bumps and side effects. And like ISO 9001 & Lean Six Sigma, management must be directly involved.
IDEO’s Human Centered Design and its associated Tool Kit & Guides have been adopted by major corporations and recognized as key in tackling some of the challenges the world faces. “The kit offers new tools and techniques to ensure that farmer’s needs are at the heart of design.” – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Stanford’s Design School, a proponent of Human Centered Design, has released D.School Bootcamp Bootleg “. . . a loose collection of the methods, modes and mindsets that Bootcamp students found most useful”.
Following is a brief recap of the 5 Modes. But before we look at them here is an observation on Design Thinking by Roger Martin from his book, The Design of Business (see the full article Design Thinking 101 and others at the end).
The first tool of the design thinker is observation. What people say is important and this is why so many companies depend on focus groups and surveys. However, the design thinker knows that what people say isn’t as important as what they do:
“An ethnographer attempting to understand how youngsters in China think about their handheld phones would watch them use their phones before even asking a single question. And when appropriate to ask, the question would likely be of the form: ‘I saw you punch one button repeatedly; you looked frustrated. Then you flipped the phone closed and opened it again. Why were you doing that? What were you thinking? How did it make you feel?’ That’s a very different approach from asking, ‘What are the top five things that matter to you about your handheld phone?’”
That question—Martin argues—is for the design thinker.
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg – 5 Modes:
1. Empathize is the beginning of the design process.
To empathize, we:
- Observe. View users and their behavior in the context of their entire lives.
- Engage. Interact with and interview users through both scheduled and short ‘intercept’ encounters.
2. The goal of the Define mode is to come up with an actionable problem statement.
It is a mode of “focus” rather than “flaring.” This should be a guiding statement that focuses on insights and needs of a particular user that you uncovered during the empathize mode.
3. Ideate is the point in the design process at which we focus on idea generation.
Mentally it represents a process of “going wide” in terms of concepts and outcomes – it is a mode of “flaring” rather than “focus.” Ideation provides both the fuel and also the source material for building prototypes and getting innovative solutions into the hands of your users.
4. The Prototype mode is the iterative generation of low-resolution artifacts that will later be tested by users. A prototype can be anything that a user can interact with – be it a wall of post-it notes, a role-playing activity, or even a storyboard.
Why Do We Prototype?
To learn. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a prototype is worth a thousand pictures.
To solve disagreements. Prototyping is a powerful tool that can eliminate ambiguity, assist in ideation, and reduce miscommunication.
To start a conversation. Our interactions with users should revolve around a conversation piece, not words. A prototype is an opportunity to have another, directed conversation with a user.
To test possibilities. Staying low-res allows you to pursue many different ideas generated in Ideate mode without committing to a direction too early on.
To fail quickly and cheaply. Committing as few resources as possible to each idea means less time and money invested up front.
To manage the solution-building process. Identifying a variable also encourages you to break a large problem down into smaller, testable chunks.
5. The Test mode is another iterative mode in which we place our low-resolution artifacts in the appropriate context of the user’s life. In regards to a team’s solution, we should always prototype as if we know we’re right, but test as if we know we’re wrong
— testing is the chance to refine our solutions and make them better.
To refine our prototypes and solutions. Testing informs the next iterations of prototypes. Sometimes this means going back to the drawing board.
To learn more about our user. Testing is another opportunity to build empathy through observation and engagement—it often yields unexpected insights.
To refine our POV. Sometimes testing reveals that not only did we not get the solution right, but also that we have failed to frame the problem correctly.
Institute of Design at Stanford
http://www.stanford.edu/group/dschool/
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg
http://dschool.typepad.com/news/boot-camp/
PDF Download:
http://dschool.typepad.com/files/bootcampbootleg2009.pdf
Design Management Institute (DMI)
http://www.dmi.org/dmi/html/index.htm
IDEO | Global Design and Innovation Consulting Firm
http://www.ideo.com/
Musings on design matters, technology and culture: Design Thinking 101
http://danielmckenzie.com/blog/2009/12/design-thinking-101/
Technology Vs. Design–What is the Source of Innovation?
http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2009/12/technology_vs_c.htmlhttp://www.businessweek.com/innovate/NussbaumOnDesign/archives/2009/12/technology_vs_c.html
Innovate or Die – Publish or Perish; is Design the answer? There has been a great deal of discussion about the role of design in business. Has it moved from the art room to the factory floor; or more importantly into management and operations? The simple answer is yes. Like Quality, Design should be pervasive.
Quality has been around in some form since the first clay pot was inspected for cracks and hidden wax fillers. But the last 60 years have seen the application of TQM, ISO 9001, Six Sigma and Lean. All brilliant tools that return real dollars when properly applied and utilized. Design is undergoing the same growth spurt; with all its funny bumps and side effects. And like ISO 9001 & Lean Six Sigma, management must be directly involved.
IDEO’s Human Centered Design and its associated Tool Kit & Guides have been adopted by major corporations and recognized as key in tackling some of the challenges the world faces. “The kit offers new tools and techniques to ensure that farmer’s needs are at the heart of design.” – The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Stanford’s Design School, a proponent of Human Centered Design, has released D.School Bootcamp Bootleg “. . . a loose collection of the methods, modes and mindsets that Bootcamp students found most useful”.
Following is a brief recap of the 5 Modes. But before we look at them here is an observation on Design Thinking by Roger Martin from his book, The Design of Business (see the full article Design Thinking 101 and others at the end).
The first tool of the design thinker is observation. What people say is important and this is why so many companies depend on focus groups and surveys. However, the design thinker knows that what people say isn’t as important as what they do:
“An ethnographer attempting to understand how youngsters in China think about their handheld phones would watch them use their phones before even asking a single question. And when appropriate to ask, the question would likely be of the form: ‘I saw you punch one button repeatedly; you looked frustrated. Then you flipped the phone closed and opened it again. Why were you doing that? What were you thinking? How did it make you feel?’ That’s a very different approach from asking, ‘What are the top five things that matter to you about your handheld phone?’”
That question—Martin argues—is for the design thinker.
D.School Bootcamp Bootleg – 5 Modes:
1. Empathize is the beginning of the design process.
To empathize, we:
- Observe. View users and their behavior in the context of their entire lives.
- Engage. Interact with and interview users through both scheduled and short ‘intercept’ encounters.
2. The goal of the Define mode is to come up with an actionable problem statement.
It is a mode of “focus” rather than “flaring.” This should be a guiding statement that focuses on insights and needs of a particular user that you uncovered during the empathize mode.
3. Ideate is the point in the design process at which we focus on idea generation.
Mentally it represents a process of “going wide” in terms of concepts and outcomes – it is a mode of “flaring” rather than “focus.” Ideation provides both the fuel and also the source material for building prototypes and getting innovative solutions into the hands of your users.
4. The Prototype mode is the iterative generation of low-resolution artifacts that will later be tested by users. A prototype can be anything that a user can interact with – be it a wall of post-it notes, a role-playing activity, or even a storyboard.
Why Do We Prototype?
To learn. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a prototype is worth a thousand pictures.
To solve disagreements. Prototyping is a powerful tool that can eliminate ambiguity, assist in ideation, and reduce miscommunication.
To start a conversation. Our interactions with users should revolve around a conversation piece, not words. A prototype is an opportunity to have another, directed conversation with a user.
To test possibilities. Staying low-res allows you to pursue many different ideas generated in Ideate mode without committing to a direction too early on.
To fail quickly and cheaply. Committing as few resources as possible to each idea means less time and money invested up front.
To manage the solution-building process. Identifying a variable also encourages you to break a large problem down into smaller, testable chunks.
5. The Test mode is another iterative mode in which we place our low-resolution artifacts in the appropriate context of the user’s life. In regards to a team’s solution, we should always prototype as if we know we’re right, but test as if we know we’re wrong
— testing is the chance to refine our solutions and make them better.
To refine our prototypes and solutions. Testing informs the next iterations of prototypes. Sometimes this means going back to the drawing board.
To learn more about our user. Testing is another opportunity to build empathy through observation and engagement—it often yields unexpected insights.
To refine our POV. Sometimes testing reveals that not only did we not get the solution right, but also that we have failed to frame the problem correctly.
Further Resources:
Institute of Design at Stanford
Design Management Institute (DMI)
IDEO | Global Design and Innovation Consulting Firm
Musings on design matters, technology and culture: Design Thinking 101
Technology Vs. Design–What is the Source of Innovation?
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