05 May 2009
Design by discovery
We all remember our first project brief as a rite of passage. As I think back to that first project, it seemed only natural to assume that project briefs were complete documents with no variable elements.
I assumed the functional requirements had been agreed upon by all stake holders and that the product form factor had been defined with sufficient space to house all of the required electronics.If this story sounds familiar then you probably already appreciate why innovation eludes so many designers and organizations. But it's not for the reasons that you would first think. The problem is not because the project brief is incomplete. The problem is because most organizations still adopt development processes that treat it as if it is complete. They move into an execution phase of development without spending adequate time in discovery. The rush to lock in design detail early has the side-effect of locking out innovation at a time when they know the least about the product.
So rather than trying to fix a broken product specification, designers who wish to become more innovative would do well to adopt a methodology that can adapt to a moving target and which offers greater innovation opportunities as the functional specifications evolve. Design by discovery is the process of immersing yourself holistically in the art and science of electronics design and using exploration and 'what if' scenarios to guide product development. At first, it may sound like a hippy love fest where designers all hold hands and wait to receive a revelation of enlightenment. But it doesn't have to be a complete free-for-all. When exercised with appropriate guidelines, design by discovery will yield faster and more innovative results than more stringent design methodologies.
There are two factors that are critical to making this approach work. Firstly, at the point of capturing the design intent, functionality is phrased in the context of 'what', not 'how'. Secondly, designers use rapid prototyping to immerse themselves early into the product and begin exploring multiple scenarios that help them evaluate the end user's experience. Engineers are intelligent people who are often deeply engaged and passionate about the technologies they work with. When kept suitably informed of a product's intent, they are well equipped to make decisions that will favour the final outcome. Incorporating discovery into the design process allows companies to harness the greater insights and capabilities of its designers and maximize their value. And as organizations embrace the concept that the design process is one of discovery, engineers and designers are empowered to add their own innovation and expertise in a way that builds upon the original design intent. In some cases this may lead to an incremental improvement over the existing design. But in other cases, it can just as easily give rise to a brand new product range and market. That is innovation at work. And the path to innovation involves a process of discovery as much as design.
Getting the most out of design by discovery will most likely require a re-evaluation of design tools. In order for designers to explore new ideas they will need agile development tools that lift the level of abstraction and can keep them free from getting bogged down in detail. They need holistic tools that allow them to freely traverse hardware, programmable hardware, and software without being constrained by old domain boundaries. And they need pragmatic tools that can drive their prototyping without running out of steam when it's time to move to production. The benefits of design by discovery are numerous. It's a powerful way to move through the real-world process of trial and error and incremental iterations to reveal the final solution. It lets designers zero in on the design intent quickly. It fosters greater collaboration, understanding and buy-in from stake holders. It gives developers greater confidence as the design moves to more detailed phases. And it lessens the likelihood that changes will be required late in the design process.
Design by discovery feels a little like being pragmatic about what really goes on during development. But its power is that it doesn't pretend to know all the answers. Instead, it fosters an environment of exploration and discovery that is far more conducive to innovation than processes that execute according to a predetermined outcome. And when supported through holistic design tools that allow designers to immerse themselves in the design experience, it is a breakthrough methodology for rapidly creating more innovative, next-generation products.
Author
Marty Hauff, Altium
Supporting Information
Websites
http://www.altium.com
Companies
Altium Ltd
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