STUDENT NAME: Kyle Judy

Reading: Chapters 1, 3, 7 from course textbook

Assignment: Complete the flowchart below for the Design Process described in Chapter 7 (written or typed)

1. In your own words: write one complete sentence for each step that you would use to explain the step to someone else.
2. Tools used: write at least three tools or strategies that are used for each step.
3. Example: write a complete sentence describing what was done for this step in the Cup Heater example from Ch. 3.

For step 3 I'm also going to include something I brainstormed after the Cup Heater explanation.

• Step 1: Recognize the Need
  • "Find the issue"
  • Tools used:
    • Communication
    • Intuition
    • Notebook
  • Example:
    • Boss hands down the task: Design a better cup heater to heat 250ml of tap water to boiling in 2 minutes.
    • Keyboards are uncomfortable to type on.
• Step 2: Define the Problem
  • "Flesh out the issue, put it in more accessible terms for someone unfamiliar with the concept you intend to iterate upon."
  • Tools used:
    • Critical Thinking
    • Communication
    • Notebook
  • Example:
    • "There are no guidelines for the size or type of heater, except that it must fit inside a cup." Boss says the heater should perform beter than a microwave oven and plug into an electric wall socket. One week to final draft. (Crap!) Final design constraints: Fits in a cup, plugs into a wall socket, outperforms a microwave oven. (What oven? Are we on 120V or 240V?)
    • The traditional staggerd layout for keyboards is not ergonomic.
• Step 3: Plan and Manage Project
  • "Take in the design and time constraints, prepare a plan with reasonable goals and reportable goalposts"
  • Tools used:
    • Planning
    • Notebook
    • People Skills
    • Leadership
  • Example:
    • "One week!" Your team quickly realizes that the preliminary design must be completed today, and refined tomorrow.
    • 2-3 weeks for design and research, 1 week to identify good manufacturing design decisions, 1 week for marketing, Go-Live.
• Step 4: Gather Information
  • "Research, to put it bluntly."
  • Tools used:
    • Wikipedia
    • Previous Knowledge
    • Interviews
  • Example:
    • Resistive heat? Maybe induction?
    • Gather information from the internet about viable products in this space.
• Step 5: Generating Alternative Design Concepts
  • "Brainstorm solutions to the problem, not just the obvious one."
  • Tools used:
    • Spatial Thinking
    • Out-of-the Box Ideas
    • Design Journal
  • Example:
    • More resistive heat? Abusing coal-based pocket heaters? Now we're forced to use resistive heat from the Boss.
    • Ideas:
      • Court recorder keyboard?
      • Ball oriented keys?
      • Ortholinear?
      • Split keyboard?
• Step 6: Evaluate the Alternatives
  • "Review the designs."
  • Tools used:
    • Enumerate Pros/Cons
    • Interview Users
    • Speak with collegues not associated with the project
  • Example:
    • Draw some ideas for resistive heat.
    • Ideas:
      • Court recorder keyboard would be too much of a change for people to get used to.
      • Ball oriented keys would be difficult to manufacture.
      • An ortholinear split keyboard would probably be the best for a balance of ease of manufacturing and ergonomics.
• Step 7: Select the Best Alternative
  • "Select the best one."
  • Tools used:
    • Same as last step.
  • Example:
    • Obviously you should shield the wire. Let's go with that one.
    • Ortholinear Split keyboard is the one to go for.
• Step 8: Communicate the Design
  • "Give other people an idea of what yo're trying to accomplish with this project."
  • Tools used:
    • Powerpoint (other presentation software is available)
    • Word (other word processing software is available)
    • other drafting utilities
  • Example:
    • The whole team was a part of this process, so doesn't need to be communicated to them. Perhaps manufacturing would like to take a look at our ideas?
    • This layout change wil necessitate some relearning both on the designer's side and the customer's side. Speak with colleagues on viability of this product and introduce to alternative keyboard layouts.
• Step 9: Implement the Design
  • "Build prototype, iterate, start looking at manufacturing"
  • Tools used:
    • Anything that'll be used to construct this device. Ex:
      • Power tools
      • Injection molding
      • CNC machining
      • Woodworking
      • etc.
  • Example:
    • Construct prototype, fail, iterate, improve.
    • Prototype, speak with manufacturing about design considerations.

Below, answer the following in complete sentences: What do you like about this Design Process? What do you dislike?

I do like how there's a laid-out plan that can be stuck to. However, this rigidity is often not what happens in the real world. Projects can run into complications that drastically affect the time-to-live that it'll take to get them into production. In addition, the team aspect of product design (regrettable as it is that it must happen) is not taken into account early enough. Team aspects should really be considered all the way back in step 3, as a product goes through several hands on it's way to production. Other than those two, it's pretty decent.