Hey, what's the big idea?
All products start with an idea. But it's rare that
a finished product turns out the same as the initial idea. In fact, designs typically
develop over time.
By Mike Hudspeth
A good way to
do this is through what's known as
ideation.
Similar to brainstorming, ideation begins with getting a general idea of the design problem and developing different ways to tackle it. This can be one of the
most fun and productive stages in the development
process. For one thing, it's a gas to go through numerous "what-if" scenarios without making concrete decisions. Here, you can freely express your "pie-in-the-sky"
ideas. Jot down any idea that pops into your brain
without worrying about practicality. The goal is to get
creative juices flowing.
In addition to being fun, this stage boosts productivity because when designers don't classify ideas as
good, better, and best, they can come up with piles of
approaches. That's good! Remember, every idea has a
potential application. Don't refine ideas. This stage is
all about quantity, not quality. I can practically see the
hackles going up at this statement, but bear with me.
Once you have acquired several different ways to do
the job, then go back and whittle down. It's simple. Just
go through the different options and find the ones that
are feasible. By all means, use a line-item-veto method.
When an idea isn't quite working but there are elements
worth considering, extract the elements for inclusion
in the next go-around. Pick, choose, and recombine.
Look for what works for you. Michelangelo summed the
method neatly: It's easy to chip a masterpiece out of a
slab of rock. Just remove what doesn't belong.
As mentioned, the first round is for collecting ideas
and the second whittles the pile down. The third stage
is all about refinement. At this point, designers should
have a fairly good idea of where their designs are
headed. Now is the time to place limits. List three,
and only three, concepts. Start adding the elements
you definitely want in the finished product. This stage
is a little harder than those previous. But at the end,
you'll have three clear and complete concepts ready
for presentation to a customer or
management.
Mike Hudspeth, ISDA, is an industrial designer with more than two decades
of experience. Got a question about industrial design? You can reach Mike at
words4all@yahoo.com