The Design Process

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The Design Process

• Steps in the Design Process

• The following slides outline stages and
  associated activities of the design
• process.

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The Design Process

• 1. IDENTIFYING AND DEFINING THE PROBLEM

• The problem must be clearly identified. A
  statement of the problem should be short and
  complete. It must give all the information
  available about the problem.

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The Design Process

• 2. ANALYSING INFORMATION

• This involves listing questions regarding the
  project. Questions will vary from project to
  project. Questions need to be documented in
  relation to such issues as
• TIME
• COST
• SAFETY
• MATERIALS
• PROCESSES
• FUNCTION
• APPEARANCE
• ERGONOMICS

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The Design Process

• 3. SYNTHESIS

• Synthesis follows the Analysis and provides
  answers to the questions. Usually it is
  impossible to answer all the questions until the
  project is virtually completed. Some questions
  can only be answered when the research section
  has been completed. For example, questions on the
  choice of materials, or the way ergonomics is
  applied, must be answered after research is
  undertaken in such areas.

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The Design Process

• 4. RESEARCH

• Research must be relevant to the project.
• Research needs to be undertaken in relation to
  such maters as
• Suitable materials
• Ergonomic factors
• Related safety factors
• Existing products
• Research may be undertaken by using
• the library
• the Internet / CD-ROMs/DVDs
• interviews with people with the aim of helping to
  solve the design problem

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The Design Process

• 5. EVALUATING AND SELECTING APPROPRIATE SOLUTIONS

• The evaluation of an appropriate solution draws
  on the information collected
• and presented during research. Documenting the
  appropriate solution
• includes the development of detailed graphical
  information that will allow the
• construction or manufacture of the project .
• Often working drawings of the project with a
  parts list are developed as
• apart of the documentation however other forms of
  documentation may be
• developed depending on the nature of the intended
  project.

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The Design Process

• 6. IMPLEMENTING CHOICES

• Construction of the final product from the
  detailed documentation is
• undertaken.
• During the construction of the project issues
  such as time, safety, materials
• and processes also need to be simultaneously
  considered.

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The Design Process

• 7. EVALUATION

• What are the criteria for a successful project?
• Has the completed project solved the identified
  problem?
• Social issues, health and safety, ethical and
  environmental issues should be
• considered in relation to the final project.

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The Design Process

• References

• http//www.technologystudent.com/designpro/despro1
  .htm