Generating Design Concepts

Study Notes

Generating Ideas and Concepts

Defining the problem is the first step, followed by devising solutions and developing concepts in greater depth.
Communicating ideas to oneself, team members, clients, and potential end-users is crucial.
Initial ideas can come from sketches, phrases, or whiteboard notes, which can then be developed into concrete concepts.

Techniques for Generating Ideas

Casting a wide net around the problem can lead to dozens of concepts, from obvious to outlandish.
Designers throw open their minds to numerous possibilities before zeroing in on a few.
Tools explored include generating variations on a single concept, quickly exploring, explaining, and expanding on a single idea.

Brainstorming and Visual Brain Dumping

Traditional brainstorming is a verbal activity performed in groups.
Visual brain dumping involves applying action verbs to create fresh and surprising variations on an initial idea.
Techniques include:
- Start with a basic concept (e.g., using a target to represent "performance").
- Apply a series of actions to the core image or idea (e.g., melt, dissect, explode, shatter, squeeze).
- Step back, review, and refine the ideas.

Action Verbs and Creative Thinking

Applying action verbs to an idea or image can lead to creative solutions.
Examples of action verbs include magnify, rearrange, alter, adapt, modify, substitute, reverse, and combine.
Using action verbs can help rethinking and reimagining familiar concepts, such as reimagining a house or a product.

Case Studies and Examples

Designer Ryan Shelley created graphic icons combining recognizable brands with unpleasant forms, creating a commentary on capitalism.
Don Koberg and Jim Bagnall used action verbs to rethink the house in new ways, as seen in their book, The Universal Traveler.

Description

Learn about the process of devising solutions and developing concepts in design, including effective communication with team members, clients, and end-users. Explore how initial ideas can be transformed into concrete shapes and compelling narratives.