Design isn't just about creating pretty pictures. It's about meeting basic human needs. In design, we identify problems by finding specific users with specific needs. Then we solve problems by prototyping and testing solutions with the user in their environment.
6. 6
the perfect gaming chair
Hassel free way to keep the
room temperature perfect
Learn a language in
easy steps
A device to browse the
web on the go
Processes that Increase
organ donation
Deliver $10/month to poorest
women in PakistanClean the house easier
Design is also…
Design is about meeting basic needs.
13. General Vs. Specific Goals
Goal 1:
“Clean the house.”
Goal 2:
“Fold that basket of laundry.”
General goals sound appealing,
but specific goals are actionable.
25. General needs are actually Domains
Domain:
“Clean the house”
Specific goal:
“Fold that basket of laundry.”
26. What’s the risk with a specific goal?
“Fold that basket of laundry.”
Specific goals might be too trivial.
27. Specific goals can be trivial
But, if you start specific,
you can usually generalize
28. Specific Need
Uncommon books
Harvard students
looking up major,
dorm, relationship
status
Web-based
No page reload
Never Delete
Generalized to
Clothes,
Food,
Amazon Fresh
Other sellers
Ivy League
US Colleges
Everybody
Chat
GDrive
29. If you start general, you may never start.
If you start specific, you can usually generalize later.
30. 30
How do I select a problem?
Identify a specific person with a specific need
Nadia, age 11 Ace this fractions test
39. The Waterfall Model: What’s good about it?
Product
Requirements
Design
Implement
Fix bugs
Ship it
• One button
• Touch screen
• Soft keyboard
Idea
39
It’s simple, linear, and the
steps are certain
40. The Waterfall Model: What could go wrong?
Product
Requirements
Design
Implement
Fix bugs
Ship it
• One button
• Touch screen
• Soft keyboard
Idea
40
What if a touch
screen can’t be
implemented?
What if this
device is so
slow it’s
unusable?
How can we keep
up with the
competition?
What if the
hardware
weighs 30 lbs?
When there are many unknowns,
Design is always iterative –
so you might as well plan for it.
42. Iterative Design origins:
Spiral Model of software engineering (Barry Boehm, 1988)
Every iteration should experiment with
the next biggest risk.
How to achieve the
perfect gradient on
app icons?
Does touch work?
All new concepts are risks.
They must all be prototyped.
42
55. Design is a skill, not knowledge.
We learn it through practice and feedback
55
Sports Languages
Cooking
Playing an instrument
Painting
Acting
56. Learn Design by Doing it
56
Lydia Chilton,
CS
Brian Smith,
CS
Steve Feiner,
CS
Gita Johar,
Business
Elizabeth Hillman,
Biomedical Eng
Harry West
MechE / IEOR
Adam Royalty
Design Center
Paul Blaer,
CS
Mark Hansen,
Journalism
Laura Kurgan,
Architecture
Chris Wiggins,
Applied Math
Katie Reuther
Biomedical Eng
60. Design is
Creating a product or service that
Meets a specific need of a specific person
By prototyping and testing
to adapt it to the people’s abilities and environment.
60
61. 61
How do I select a problem?
Identify a specific person with a specific need
Nadia, age 11 Ace this fractions test
62. Specific Need
Uncommon books
Harvard students
looking up major,
dorm, relationship
status
Web-based
No page reload
Never Delete
Generalized to
Clothes,
Food,
Amazon Fresh
Other sellers
Ivy League
US Colleges
Everybody
Chat
GDrive
If you start specific, you can usually generalize.
63. How do I solve problems?
63
C
By learning from prototyping and testing
on users in the environment
66. Product
Requirements
Design
Implement
Fix bugs
Ship it
• One button
• Touch screen
• Soft keyboard
Idea
66
What if a touch
screen can’t be
implemented?
What if this
device is so
slow it’s
unusable?
How can we keep
up with the
competition?
What if the
hardware
weighs 30 lbs?
The Waterfall Model is simple and linear,
but it breaks when there are risks.
68. 68
Idea Product
Touch screen Soft keyboard One button
Iterative Design mitigates risk by iteratively
prototyping and testing risking features
69. Sometimes you find “showstopping” problems.
It sucks, but at least you can fail fast and move on.
DRIFT
69
70. Learn Design by Practice and Feedback
70
Lydia Chilton,
CS
Brian Smith,
CS
Steve Feiner,
CS
Gita Johar,
Business
Elizabeth Hillman,
Biomedical Eng
Harry West
MechE / IEOR
Adam Royalty
Design Center
Paul Blaer,
CS
Chris Wiggins,
Applied Math
Mark Hansen,
Journalism
Laura Kurgan,
Architecture
Katie Reuther
Biomedical Eng
Editor's Notes
World Peace
Lower Taxes
Education
Health
Environment
Why do they say these things?
They sound good.
Get people excited.
Why do they say these things?
They sound good.
Get people excited.
Too abstract.
The first thing you have to do is decide what to do.
Which of these is general and which of these is specific?
Why?
Clean (verb) the house (noun). HOW?
Fold (verb) that basket (noun).
You have everything you need.
Watch out for “goals” like this. In the words, of Admiral Ackbar, general goals are a trap.
General goals sound appealing, but only specific goals are actionable.
Who (what person) is going to take what action on what object?
Too abstract.
The first thing you have to do is decide what to do.
Who (what person) is going to take what action on what object?
What’s appealing about general goals?
They sound big
That it’s too trivial.
High certainty.
Makes sense.
Everybody knows their part.
When you’ve basically done it before, it kinda works.
What do you do in your life that’s waterfall style?
When I do a design, I sit down and think about the novel concepts, and treat every one as a risk.
-Get a drone to fly
-Project and interface
-Select on an interface
-Follow someone
Let me give you a hint.
And another
And another
And another
Drift.
“How do you think they said when they saw that?”
“Oh fuck.”
Let me give you a hint.
And another
And another
And another
Drift.
“How do you think they said when they saw that?”
“Oh fuck.”
