Class1 reading notes-Ting

• Design Thinking | Tim Brown | Harvard Business Review June 2008
  https://churchill.imgix.net/files/pdfs/IDEO_HBR_DT_08.pdf
  • key personality profile for design thinker: empath / integrative thinking / optimism / experimentalism / collaboration
  • design thinking as more strategic tool that span across the entirety of product development, especially as the definition of “product” gets broaden and more fluid.
  • the process consists of: 1) identify problems; 2) brainstorming and rapid prototyping; 3) feedback; 4)final implementation, which does look very similar to a typical workflow of a design studio project, but with a much stronger focus on a cross-disciplinary team and collaborative brainstorming
  • to an average designer, the “design thinking” process does feel like a marketing term wrapped around a typical corporate brainstorming to implementation workflow but with very rigid structure and guidelines for easy execution and a sense of accomplishment
  • there is a lot of important key words/buzzwords kept being mentioned here worth writing down: system view, human-centered approach, try early and often, etc. all represent the adaptation of age long academic spirit and also a influence of startup culture in the new age
  • one must also not forget the fact that the entire article is also a marketing document for IDEO and its services, and understand the arguments being laid out with that in mind

• Design Criticism and the Creative Process – A List Apart
  http://alistapart.com/article/design-criticism-creative-process/
  • The path of design is dangerous to travel along.
  • The role of critique, does it really help?
    • 1) should be used as collaborative tool, to offer an new perspective; 2) presenting a design can help clarify thought process for the designer; 3) ideas can develop in the process of arguing and negotiating with the critique; 4) it’s important to understand that the spirit of critique is collaborative and what kind of value it adds to a otherwise solidary undertaking;
  • How to use it
    • a critique should help rather than hinder the creative process
    • a critique is there to collaborate, should be conversational
    • it’s important to have good feedback
      • lack of clarity: ask good questions
      • personal: filter the meaningful feedback, acknowledge personal bias
      • design apahty: dig deeper
      • contradictions: get organized and structured to make sure everyone is on the same page
      • indecisiveness: chance to educate, and impress
      • resistance: try your best but don’t go over the line
      • too much negativity: know when to cut your losses and start over