Based on the UK Design Council’s design process model: Discover, Define, Develop and Deliver, the design process we will follow in this class embraces creative “free play” and experimentation, collaboration, research, multiple iterations and revisions, effective technical execution, on-going critical reflection and feedback, and professional delivery through verbal, written, and visual presentation.
Discover
The Discover stage helps to generate creative ideas and process the initial inspiration or topic. It allows designers to identify the problem, opportunity or need and provides a free, unrestricted frame-work to play, explore and experiment with a multitude of design solutions. Designers ask questions, analyze data, trends, research, form teams and other information sources, keeping their perspectives wide to allow for a broad range of ideas and influences. Methods: creative “free play” and experimentation, high-impact collaboration
Define
The Define stage is where findings from the Discover stage are analyzed, defined and refined as problems, and ideas for solutions are referenced and prototyped. Multiple channels and mediums are explored. The Define stage ends with a clear definition and presentation of the problem(s) and a plan for how to proceed. Methods: multiple iterations and revisions, intensive research and exploration, on-going critical reflection and feedback
Develop
During the Develop stage the design team refine one or more concepts that will address the problems or issues identified during the Discover and Define stages. At the end of the Develop stage, the design process will have brought the project to a stage where the product or service has been extensively critiqued and tested and is ready for delivery. Methods: multiple iterations and revisions, effective technical execution, on-going critical reflection and feedback
Deliver
The Deliver stage of the design process is where the final concept is taken through final testing, signed-off, and launched. It will result in a product or service that will, hopefully, successfully address the problem identified during the Discover and Define stage. It will also include processes for feeding back lessons from the full design process to inform future projects, including methods, ways of working and relevant information. Methods: professional delivery through verbal, written, and visual presentation, critical reflection and feedback
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* Source(s): “Eleven lessons: managing design in eleven global brands – A study of the design process,” Design Council, www.designcouncil.org.uk
