Introduction to writing a simple design statement for a problem or project; design thinking; interior design; organizational design

1. Lesson Activity:
Writing Design Statements
for Problems & Projects
R. Plybon-Beach - Applied Design Program
School of Human Services
Pierpont Community & Technical College
Spring 2016 Fairmont, West Virginia
www.pierpont.edu

2. Creating
Your
Design
Statement
(Creative Brief)
● Intro
● The Design
● Location, History of Project
● Likes & Dislikes of client
● Occupants, Users and Visitors
● Needs and/or Goals
● Budget
● Timeline

3. Objective
Designing is a cultural way of acting on a need to create. At the beginning we think
about the situation and begin to mentally see a systemic network developing of the
components necessary to achieve what we desire.
The following are steps to take in identifying the components in an orderly manner
to continue our active design thinking in anticipation of meeting the goal.
The design may be a project (visible and applicable for a user) or an act of
coordination such as developing an organization for a group. (Subjective or Objective)
There is a Design Way of Thinking with a foundational platform and fundamentals in
addition to the practice of applying the Design Process. In the process we begin
with a statement or a creative brief. This statement is a tool for everyone involved
in the project. It is used as a way of knowing the design problem and goals. The
Statement sometimes includes the design solutions also known as the concept.

4. INTRO ● Who you are
● What type of design
● Who is the client
● How did they choose you
The Design Tradition
Design Service
Human Rule
Ambiguity Rule

5. What and Who are in the “Introduction”

6. My company
Who are you?
My Client
Who are they?
What type
of Design
I provide this Design
Service
How
How the client choose
you for the solution
Proceed to next part of the
statement (brief or concept)

7. The Design ● The Client’s Situation
● The Problem
● What is particular (unique)
The Problem
The Particular

8. What is the problem?

9. The Problem
(Wicked or Tame)
A designer is needed
to resolve this situation
Parts of the
problem
What are the
particulars of the
problem
The Ultimate
Particular
The dominant part in
this design
Design
Need
The main goal of the
design
Proceed to next part of the
statement (brief)

10. Example
IMAGE CREDIT: HuffDesign Blogger http://bhuff12.blogspot.com/2013_10_01_archive.html

11. The Location
History of the Project
● The geographical information
● The short story of the project
● Leading to the current problem
The Systemics
The Whole

12. Where is this project? What is the story?

13. The
Location
Where is this project?
The History
What is the
background on this
project
The
Relationship
The pertinent historical
facts on the project
and how it relates
Design
Need
The main goal of the
design
Proceed to next part of the
statement (brief)

14. The Likes and
The Dislikes
● What are your clients tastes
● The positive
● The negative
The Relationships
The Whole

15. What are the likes and dislikes of the
client(s)?

16. The Likes
What do the client(s)
like or tastes?
The Dislikes
What the client(s) do
not like.
The Overall
What the project
relates to in the
answers of the likes
and dislikes
Design
Need
The main goal of the
design
Proceed to next part of the
statement (brief)

17. The Occupants
The Needs & Goals
● The project effects who?
● The needs ONLY
● The ultimate GOAL(s)
The Design Problem
Defined

18. Who does this project affect in the end?
What are the defined needs and goals?

19. The Who
Who will be affected
with the final outcome
of the project
The NEEDS
Only the needs
The Goal(s)
The goal(s) for the
project
Design
Need
The main goal of the
design
Proceed to next part of the
statement (brief)

20. The Budget
The Timeline
● The investment for the project
● The contingency
● The timeline
The Particulars

21. What can you afford or invest?
What is the timeline?

22. The Cost
What kind of
investment do you
plan on committing
The Options
Are there alternatives
to consider
The Timeline
When do you need the
finished project?
Begin &
End
The main goal of the
design
THIS FINAL SENTENCE LEADS
YOU TO WANTING TO KNOW
THE SOLUTIONS TO CONSIDER