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ReseArch, Sketching, Mapping, Prototyping Process Documentation Dominic Prestifilippo http://discoverylog.tumblr.com/ Fall 2011 The University of the Arts
Copyright © 2010 by Dominic Prestifilippo Illustrations copyright © 2010 by Dominic Prestifilippo Photography credits: Pages 23, 25, © 2011 Jeremy Beaudry; All Others © 2010 Dominic Prestifilippo; All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced– mechanically, electronically, or by any other means, including photocopying–without written permission of the publisher. Cover design by Dominic Prestifilippo Book design by Dominic Prestifilippo The University of the Arts 212 South Broad Street, 5th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19102 First printing December 2011
TAble of ContEnts Homework Assignments 4 6 8 10 12 14 18 20
Image Obsession Thoughtless Acts Lost & Found Dept. Creative Input Maps Curious Actions Creative Autobiography Midterm Self-Assessment Sketchbook Pages
In-Class Assignments 22 24 26 28 30 32 34
Becoming a Better Designer Brainstorm 100 Bucket Uses Brainstorm System Maps Ideal Future Storyboard Team Types Frustration Storyboard Strategic Questioning
Supplementary Project 36
Designing a Design Tool
Image Obsession The Assignment You will make an extensive visual research on a particular subject, compiling 100 images about the subject.
The Subject The Idea of “Nature”
The Process Using myself as an example I explored what the modern, tech-savvy urbanite might consider “Nature.” I use photos to tell the story of an individual intrigued by and in pursuit of “Nature.” They begin their journey by chance, coming across photos in magazines and on their computer. Their curiousity leads them outside and around the city. Outside is a bit overwhelming and they 6
look for “Nature” in everything, only to eventually end pu at a park nested within the towering buildings of the cityscape. It is here that their quest ends, though still unsatisfied. They are left still wondering whether “Nature” is in the city and they haven’t found it, or if it is even possible that “Nature” could exist in the city.
THoUGHTLESS ACTS The Assignment Go outside and look for examples of objects being used for purposes other than what they are intended for. Photograph 20 different examples of such objects. No more than 5 of the examples should be within your own living space; the rest should be discovered through exploring your environment.
The Process I carried my camera with me and kept an eye out for anything that looked out of place. Ultimately I ended up cruising alleys, because people were more likely to just leave stuff lying around, and people were less likely to clean up stuff left behind. Of course I did come across photos from other spaces too, the alleys just seemed like the places that were most ripe for finding these types of situations. 8
Lost & Found DEpt. The Assignment Find 4-5 simple objects that are readily available to you. Place them in new contexts, combine them, play with them, misuse them what new ideas are suggested?
The Process
The Ideas
I chose a knife, floss, usb light recharger, & a slap bracelet. I sat in the Annex of my studio and slowly messed with each item individually to understand it’s capabilities. Then I began to have them interact and documented the ideas that this process help create.
1. Floss Handcuffs 2. Dual Flash Drive Holder 3. Reflective Safety Knife 4. Spring Rope Holder 5. Spring Loaded Floss Guillotine 6. Combo Knife/Flash Drive 7. Knife Plumb-bob 8. Wrap-around Knife Packaging 9. Plastic Knife Sleeve 10. Slap Bracelet Ruler
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CreAtive Input Map The Assignment Create a map of all the various inputs in your life that consciously and unconsciously influence your creative work (ie. this is the total range of what comes into you from outside your own imagination). Create the map using a vectorbased digital tool (eg. Illustrator).
The Process I considered what engage with daily and what types of projects I work on. I then started thinking about what connects these pieces and came up with a highleve map of about my creative inputs.
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ExpEriEncEs Digital
Blogs
Real Life
Other
Bikes
Conversations Design
Business
Videos Portfolio Sites
Ads
News
Colleagues
Remnants
Observations
Interactions
Curious Actions The Assignment Observe the mannerisms of individuals as they walk towards an entrance to a building. There is often a “preparation zone� prior to entering a building where people start to physically and mentally prepare themselves for a transition. ... Observe an entrance for at least 1 hour. Record your observations and write a narrative explaining what you saw. What did you observe? What patterns? What were the outliers? What inferences can you make?
The Process I chose the apple store. I posted up across the street, leaning against a bike rack outside of a sports store. I wrote down any actions that seemed caused by the expectation of entering the building. Some though, I guessed, happened earlier than I was able to notice when looking at so many people. 14
CreAtive AutoBiogrAphy The Assignment Please answer the following questions. This is for you own benefit and the objective is for you to more fully understand your creative life, so be as specific as possible.
What is the first creative moment you remember?
From The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp
Was anyone there to witness or appreciate it?
Decorating a plate for mothers day in 4th grade.
My class What is the best idea you've ever had?
The Process
A dynamic doorway
The questions were provided in a word-processor format. I went through and answered them relatively quickly. They weren’t necessarily the first answers that came to mind, but rather the one that I felt answered the question the best.
What made it great in your mind? It’s cleanliness, simplicity, and adaptiability What is the dumbest idea? A morning alarm that used an electrical shock to wake people up What made it stupid?
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The idea of using electricity to wake people up.
Can you connect the dots that led you to this idea?
What are the vital steps to achieving this ambition?
That I wanted a more personal, quiet and adaptable alarm clock, thus it can be localized and powered appropriately to only wake a certain individual.
Working for an international design consultancy
What is your creative ambition?
Laying awake strategizing
To change the world for the better. To be able to affect cultures for the better by employing design tools to develop solutions to huge multi-variate issues. Or atleast take stabs at them such that my work can be used as a building block for follow up work, or that it is inspiring enough to show that these issues not only need to be addressed, but actually can be.
What are your habits? What patterns do you repeat?
What are the obstacles to this ambition?
Drawing a picture on a plastic plate to give my mom for mothers day.
Experience and expertise.
How do you begin your day?
Laying awake, brush my teeth, shower, use the toilet, eat breakfast, ride to and from school, sit in the same position, check my email/social network before beginning work. Describe your first successful creative act.
CreAtive AutoBiogrAphy (Cont.) Describe your second successful creative act.
What do you and your role models have in common?
Choosing and making a costume for halloween
Perceptiveness, resistance to path commonly traveled, international travel, willingness to try new things.
Compare them. They both involve making a decision, of which only I had an part of. They involved the selection of appropriate visual aesthetic. What are your attitudes toward: money, power, praise, rivals, work, play? Money: enough is fine, power: who cares, praise: it’s quite nice, rivals: trite, work: do it, play: do it more
Does anyone in your life regularly inspire you? Everyone Who is your muse? Everyone Define muse. Someone that inspires you
Which artists do you admire most?
When confronted with superior intelligence or talent, how do you respond?
banksy
Obsequiously seeking approval
What are your role models? Two friends & my girlfriend 18
When faced with stupidity, hostility, intransigence, laziness, or indifference in others, how do you respond?
What is your greatest fear?
Remove myself from the situation
What is the likelihood of either of the answers to the previous two questions happening?
When faced with impending success or the threat of failure, how do you respond? Push through it. When you work, do you love the process or the result?
Disappointment
Strong Which of your answers would you most like to change? Ideal creative activity
Both
What is your idea of mastery?
At what moments do you feel your reach exceeds your grasp?
Having complete knowledge
During the process, when I have taken too many projects on my plate.
To be a legend.
What is your ideal creative activity? Creating logos
What is your greatest dream?
Mid-TErm Self AssessmEnt The Assignment
The Result
Write a 500-word narrative reflecting on your performance and progress in the class to date.
Overall I am happy with my performance in the class. The fact is, though, that I’m exceptionally tired at 8:30am and this usually keeps me from participating as much as I normally might. While I feel I do still contribute to the class, it takes me a while to get warmed up. An obvious remedy would be to get more sleep or at least go to bed earlier on Sunday, but I just haven’t been able to make that happen yet.
The Process I considered how I experience this class. How to I deal with the homework assignments? How do I handle myself during class? How do I prepare for class? Do I ask questions? etc. I then wrote and re-wrote. I didn’t have a good idea of what 500 words was and found that once I had a good narrative that I felt good about I had to double its length. This was difficult because I felt the shorter one conveyed the important information. Thus the longer one just gets a little more detailed in certain areas.
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I will though, because I appreciate learning about the structure in employing the process activities to create new ideas and connections. Things like the use of the timer, or pre-formatted drawing sheets seem to make a significant difference in the end result and the time it takes to get there. Using these is not something I currently do but it is something I would like to start. I think this is the way to make the design process more structured, transparent, and billable. All things I need to be able to do.
These structured activities are probably the most interesting part of the class for me, because they always produce new things. Whether it is a drawing, a product, or a concept, it’s exciting because with new ideas comes new potential, such as the potential for me to make new connections between disparate concepts or the potential for new novel technologies that could be immediately actionable or even the potential show me a new means of seeing an old concept. Another great thing these exercises have shown me is the value in play. Playing with concepts or ideas and trying to put them together in a visual way makes them tangible and makes one really consider how the ideas could work together. While I have learned that play is an important part of the design process, I never knew where it really fit in. Now I do.
I also enjoy exercises like these because they are so directly applicable to the work I do in all of my other classes. I am working on a multitude of projects simultaneously, including a studio project with Penn Medicine, a thesis project on cycling, a website usability analysis for a non-profit, and the development of a group dedicated to a mutual respect among designers and business people, and I often feel as though I’m just making it up as I go. These exercises provide me some semblance of confidence about what I’m doing and help me move in the best possible direction.
SketcHbook PAgEs The Assignment Acquire some kind of bound notebook or sketchbook to collect ideas, questions, loves, hates, inspiration, drawings, photos, visual and textual scraps, ephemera, fragments, imprints, rubbings, stains, odds and ends‌
The Process I always carried this notebook with me in my left-back pocket. I wrote down anything that was on my mind, whether it was a to-do list, a budget, a project idea, a comment about society or just something funny.
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BEcoming A BettEr DesignEr The Assignment Brainstorm traits that are important to being a good designer and artists
The Process We spent eight minutes on our own writing down our ideas, one per post-it note. We then came together, forming two groups, and put them all on the whiteboards and spent another eight minutes clustering the similar ideas. Then as a group we spent five minutes developing names for these clusters.
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100 Bucket Uses The Assignment Brainstorm and visualize new ways that a bucket could be used.
The Process
Topic
Form two groups and spend 13 minutes per team coming up with 100 ideas for ways in which a bucket could be used other than originally intended. Then each team would swap lists and each individual choose three random pairs of ideas from the list of 100. Then each individual will choose the most exciting pair and visualize it.
My pairs were:
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• Gift Box / Stool • Lantern / Inefficient Drill • Barrier / Blow Dart Pipe I chose Gift Box / Stool to work on.
System MAps The Assignment Make a visualization for a complex system.
The Process
Topic
Spend five minutes, individually, coming up with complex systems. Then as a class determine the similar ones and assign who will do what system.
I worked on a visualization for satelites.
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IdeAl Future StoryBoArd The Assignment Visualize the process it would take to get us to an ideal public education system.
The Process
The Result
In groups of 3 or 4 spend some time considering what an ideal public educaiton system would be. Then draw out a storyboard to illustrate the process it would take for us to reach that point if we were to start today.
We saw an ideal future for public education being one where the students are free to decide what they want to focus in. One where class sizes are small and teachers are compensated fairly for the work they do. To get there though, the teachers would have to take a stand and get policy to change because the increasing class-sizes and school closures aren’t making the situation any better.
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TeAm Types The Assignment To determine your proclivity for acting and reacting within a group setting.
The Process Consider the meaning of the cardinal directions, select where you think you fall and draw an arrow towards the direction you are going towards. North – Assertive, active, decisive South – Supportive, feeling-based East – Very idea-oriented West – Introspective, self-analytical
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FrustrAtion StoryboArd The Assignment Think of something that has frustrated you recently. Spend 10 minutes developing a 20 slide storyboard illustrating the scenario. Then walk your neighbor through it.
The Process I thought about past frustrations. I had difficulty coming up with one that wasn’t high level because I let a lot of little things roll off my back, so to speak. I finally chose the problem I often have in the morning of trying to find a parking spot for my bike. It is quite frustrating and happens too often. I began this excersize thinking about what images should be in the sequence and then I began drawing but it then saw I was spending too much time drawing and started to move quicker. 34
STrAtEgic Questioning The Assignment Consider the set of questions that you would need to ask to get a School Board Member to realize a problem and begin to develop actions to take against that problem.
The Process Working with a partner we referenced Fran Peavy’s Strategic Questioning article, and began to lay out a set of questions that would need to be asked to walk people through the process of problem recognition and solution generation. Our plan was to get them to give a lay of the land and then start to envision means of overcoming the issues they’ve seen by also addressing the problems they foresee encountering in the process. 36
1. What about the school system concerns you? 2. What has your experience been with these issues? 3. How has this personally affected you? 4. What changes do you think would improve the situations? 5. Do you think other people share your concerns? 6. What obstacles are keeping these changes from taking place? 7. What are the possible ways you could accomplish these changes? 8. What other factors do you think affect this issue? 9. In light of these other factors does your previous solution still seem accomplishable? if yes continue, if not go back to 7. 10. What is your first step in achieving your goals?
FinAl ProjEct The Assignment To devel a new tool for designers
The Process I began by questioning what a design tool is and what it could be. I looked for prior knowledge about what they are and could be. With that in hand, I continued my research interviewing designers, faculty and colleagues to find out what their perspectives are on design tools and where they saw a need for a new one. I then synthesized this information, determining that a tool to facilitate the initial interaction between potential client and designer would be most valuable. The tool, I determined, should essentially allow the designer to guide the conversation, demonstrating the value of their capabilities and the relevance to the client.
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With this in mind, I began to outline what the initial conversations would be like and developed artifacts that would help the designer guide the conversation to keep it on track. I then hope to introduce it to designers to get their feedback and begin the process of iteration.
FinAl ProjEct – Process Prior Knowledge As I considered the problem I was to address I realized that my understanding of what a design tool is is not necessarily corrent. Therefore I considered what I used often that could be considered a tool. I also began to look at all the design resources I could get a hold of to look at what else might be consdiered a design tool. At this point, these resources considered mostly of books a websites and some decks of cards. Once I had a relatively exhaustive list, I began to look for similarities or patterns and re-grouped them so that I could more easily see the similar on contrast to the unique.
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Sample Research
Software Adobe Creative Suite Microsoft Office Google Documents Facebook Twitter Google+ Blogs ...and more
Stakeholder Map Service Safaris Shadowing Customer Journey Maps Contextual Interviews Five Whys Cultural Probes Mobile Ethnography A Day In The Life... Expectation Maps Personas Idea Generation What If... Design Scenarios Storyboards Desktop Walkthrough Service Prototype Service Staging Agile Development Co-Creation Storytelling Service Blueprint Service Roleplay Business Model Canvas
exposing the magic of design
Voice Recorder Camera Notebook Pen[cil] Post-It Notes速 Whiteboards Foam-core Glue Bulletin Boards Wood ...and more
this is service design thinking
Physical Tools Techniques Six Thinking Hats Affinity Mapping Flow Diagramming Concept Mapping Forced Semantic Zoom Forced Temporal Zoom Reframing Insight Combination Shifting Placements Abductive Logic Visualizing ...and more
Culture Define Constraints Be Playful Forgive Of Mistakes Support Ethnography Advocate For Flow Visualize
Interviews Once I had a good ground level understanding of what a design tool could be I began to engage designers in discussion about it. I spoke with colleagues in my graduate design program. I spoke with academics in the Industrial Design and Multi-Media department. I spoke with designers in the field. The resounding point I heard was that a design tool is a physical artifact. Often the interviewee’s brought up IDEO’s methods cards or showed something that they used in their practice. The other theme I picked up as I continued my research, interviewing, reading, and developing my own design projects was that there is definite interest by businesses in utilizing the design process but that it is difficult to convey the value it can bring. This could be attributed to language or any number of things.
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Sample Interviewees
Other Research UArts MiD Project
Cornell University ILR School
Work Statement
DigitalCommons@ILR Articles & Chapters
ILR Collection
1-1-2011 DESIGN PROCESS
This process is organic. The outline provided above is our take on how this process generally plays out, though we often visit and revisit the different facets of the process as needed. Standardized processes often produce predictable results and leave little room for experimentation. However the organic process we use allows for creativity to be leveraged to produce un-predictable results. The design process utilizes this organic process to develop a broad set of opportunities to build on, while cross-referencing these opportunities against research for a true understanding of relevance and effectiveness.
The Bias Against Creativity: Why People Desire But Reject Creative Ideas Jennifer S. Mueller
University of Pennsylvania
Shimul Melwani
How
Why
Contextual Interviews with individuals in their own space, will provide us with rich information about how knowledge and ideas are currently transferred. We will leave behind tools that will help us understand personal experiences.
To ensure both the new LMS and The Square are implemented and engaged as seamlessly as possible. Through understanding the context of current learning we will be able to understand how the purposed tools would be integrated.
How
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Jack A. Goncalo
Cornell University, jag97@cornell.edu
Why
Revisiting previously synthesized information and considering feedback to develop and refine new prototype versions. Considering new research regarding discoveries.
Synthesis is important because it allows us to make informed decisions on how to move forward with the development of prototypes that are relevant and engaging. It also shows us interesting connections that will help us position these new tools in a way that makes them relatable.
How
Why
Employing all subsequent information we will quickly develop and test small scale concepts that directly address the content, access and delivery in the LMS and create value in the Square.
Prototypes validate or challenge new directions. Prototypes also give form to our insights, which enables conversations to continue with depth and clarity regarding the development of these tools.
How
Why
Revisiting previously synthesized information and considering feedback to develop and refine new prototype versions. Considering new research regarding discoveries.
To create a method of agile development and allow continuous improvement so that as our economy, health care policy, and culture change, Penn can continue to offer a better, more engaging method of innovation and knowledge exchange.
Mueller, Jennifer S.; Melwani, Shimul; and Goncalo, Jack A., "The Bias Against Creativity: Why People Desire But Reject Creative Ideas" (2011). Articles & Chapters. Paper 450. http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/articles/450
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the ILR Collection at DigitalCommons@ILR. It has been accepted for inclusion in Articles & Chapters by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@ILR. For more information, please contact jdd10@cornell.edu.
Uniting Information In considering my experience, research, interview responses, and continuing trends I determined that what is needed is a design tool to help mitigate the anxiety resulting, often, from nondesigners engaging with the seeming ambiguity of the creative process.
Progress Presentation After presenting my process and progress thus far to the class I received feedback indicating: • I should consider a tool which enables the client to be able to continue to explain the design process. • Consider when the interaction where anxiety happens and focus the tool around that. • Reach out to more design firms to see how they deal with this. • The physicality of it is a good idea. 44
Example of Creative Process Visualization
Source: http://meliketurgut.com/
Continued Development After a number of failed attempts reaching out to design firms, local and international, I was able to have some discussion with members of The Action Mill about the tools they use. Comparing their tools with the progress of my project it seemed clear that I should develop an object or set of objects that would help designers guide initial client/designer conversation around how the design process can benefit their business. Ideally this should allow the potential client to begin to engage and understand the process. This would reduce the ambiguity and anxiety that normally comes with people unfamiliar with creative processes beginning to engage with them.
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Examples of Tools used to Engage Clients
NExt Steps After looking at conversational structures and outlining potential arguments for the value of design, I asked myself “Why not apply the design process to the conversation?” I felt that this could be an easier way to frame the conversation and maintain the keys points of the interaction, such as keeping it relevant to the potential client, making it engaging and demonstrating the process not just talking about it. The initial prototype I’ve developed takes this concept of applying the design process quite literally. It asks the potential client to engage in the process and see, first hand, how it works, potentially ending with prototype addressing a real issue. Since decisions aren’t often made on the spot having a take away that they can refer to and share to discuss, that they understand because they participated in is invaluable.
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Front of Prototype
RESEARCH
Why Design? Lets work out an answer together What is the business? What is your role? How are decisions currently made? How invested are you? What issues do you encounter daily? What are the obstacles to addressing these issues?
ITERATE
PROTOTYPE
SYNTHESIS
Revisit Research notes, clustering similar points and looking for trends. Try a mind-map.
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Create a storyboard, illustrating how a change could happen
Consider potential shortfalls of the prototype? Where could further research be found? What other experiences might this affect?
Design produces real results because it focuses on research, understanding and action and letting those happen as needed to achieve these real results.
For Results Contact: Dominic Prestifilippo design@dominicp.com
Back of Prototype
ITERATE
PROTOTYPE
SYNTHESIS
RESEARCH
Why Design? Because it produces real results. Research is necessary to understand what the real problems are. Designers often searches to address the problem behind the problem. We talk with people because though it may seem we bring the answers, they are really derived from information gathered during this phase. Research Tools Include: Shadowing, Direct Observation, Interviews Cultural Probes, Direct Participation and more. Synthesis is often the most ambiguous step. It is the step where the qualitative information gathered during the research phase is broken down to its most granular level to then be reconfigured in new ways to elevate trends and new connections. Synthesis Tools Include: Mind Mapping, Affinity Mapping, Process Diagrams, Reframing, Forced Semantic Zoom and more. Prototyping is possibly the most important step in the process. Without action, the information alone is relatively useless. It is paramount to be able to produce something that others can engage with so that everyone is on the same page when discussing how progress can be made. Prototyping Tools Include: Storyboarding, Physical Objects, Role Playing, Flow Charts, Paper Prototyping and more. Iteration is the step that keeps the prototypes relevant. Times change, people change, problems change, and without Iteration, a posed solution will become obsolete quick. Iteration isn’t just about doing it over, but about analyzing the responses to the prototype, good and bad and adapting to accomodate those next time. Prototyping Tools Include: Documentation, Questionnaires, Expectation Maps, Heuristic Evaluations and more.
Design is about sharing, so please take this back and discuss your experiences with your colleagues and consider how this process could be used to address current issues within your business
ThAnks DominicP.com
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ReSeArcH SketcHinG MAppinG Prototyp ProceSS DocuMEnt