How to identify REAL 'problems'? Revisit a classic post

Save you hours of confusion frustration and useless works.

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If you are short of time and didn't want to read a load of junk below simply click here: Two Common Blunders with regards to 'Identified Problems' to read this classic post.

Just as situations happen all the time and everywhere, and as long as there are more than one person in a space, there will always be conflicts or problems. This is human nature. We are probably the only intelligence on the planet that has caused most, if not all the problems we have in this world. Isn't it?

Most problems we encounter are self-created or self-imposed. There is a difference between lifestyle and basic needs deprivation. Many times we feel miserable or short-changed because we don't have this and that. My friend has a better phone. My colleague drives a nicer car. That family eats in a fancy restaurant. The cat has a better life than me. But we failed to recognise that we are all probably living in the most prosperous times in human history. A hundred years ago or more people probably have less than you have right now. No elevator, no escalator, no TV, no internet, no phones, no cars, and no fancy gadgets of all sorts. But were they any less happy or joyful? No. But you are miserable and sad because you did not have some of these things. Are you any less a human being than our ancestors? No. 

Unless you are really starving or live in a life threatening situations that is a different story. That requires compassion. Giving you a 100" TV with unlimited  5G internet data for all the movies in the world will not help.

So, some of the problems you may have identified from you little mindmap attempt, if you think hard enough and pay close enough attention to each one of them, they really aren't anything at all. Some passing whining about things that did not go your way or as you expected. Isn't it? Oh my desk is messy. I cannot find my pencil. The books are falling down. I cannot pick up tennis balls quickly. I need somewhere to hold my Gucci Bag. The dustbin is too far. Students are bored doing homework. I have nothing to do. The table is wet. The toys are all over the place.

All those problems listed above, yes to a certain extend brings us some inconveniences and some little irritations. But if you know how to handle yourself and your emotions, the solutions are just very simple and need no gadgets or new products. You can walk further and take that as an activity. You can stretch your arm. You can think of something else. You can take a slightly longer time. You can put things elsewhere. Buy less stuffs. Seriously what is the big deal here? Nothing. Maybe you don't have the right things for the right job. Maybe you are just lazy.

Think outward. Be more aware to being more inclusive to the people around you. What generally are people struggling with? Most people aren't even aware of problems around them and they go about doing the same thing again and again. What are those things you see are causing some of the problems you have observed? How can we make people's life better? What really are essential for a meaningful and joyful life? What aspect of our products can be made to enhance that and value-add? 

Pay attention to details. Ask 'why' to get to the root cause of any problems you initially find. You will be surprised you'll find something else that is bothering everybody.

Ok that being said, if that is too profound for you, you can really design and make just about anything. Just make sure that the situation and the problem you have identified is worth your 20 weeks of fun and toil. It must be a situation that is meaningful to you at least, and one that somehow most of your friends (and your teacher) agree that is something nice and neat to work on, and is something within your capacity and capability to transform it to reality.

Cheers. All the best.

Thoughts on the 2020 D&T Syllabus - Coursework

I sense the ground as some expressed uncertainty on what to do for the new Design & Technology Coursework 2020. Some worried that their current proficiency in gaming the coursework might not work anymore. 

I can quite safely say that what is expected in the past and what should be done in the light of the new syllabus - remains the same - provided the motivation had not been one to game the system for maximum score - but to provide a unique practical exposure to solving real-world ill-defined problems as well as to tease out the potential of design'ability in our students.

We need to move forward with the new syllabus with a pair of new lens. The non-essential information and 'paddings' that are used to make the journal look good need to be filtered and are the first to be out in the trash. Clean that rubbish out and we are left with what is good to go. 

"What must we do so that the students can score in their coursework?" 

Answer: That's not a right question to ask. Instead it should be "How should I facilitate my students' coursework so that time spent and work done is as meaningful and authentic as it can be that aims to solve a real-world ill-defined problem."

Everything else essential and necessary for the beginning and ending is still present in the entire coursework. 

The following needs some getting used to but not entirely mind-boggling - an updated emphasis on sketching to design and the down regulation of the need for perfect technical working drawings and glossy prototypes. Some re-allocation of marks for the various coursework components (e.g. GDI, P.Boards, etc) and the relocation e.g. working drawings from PB to journal. 

So really, nothing to worry if you had been doing things right. 

Reframe and relearn if necessary about what is not required anymore, e.g. the paddings and the decor - aka the non-essentials. Hit the nail on matters that are absolutely essential and necessary for moving forward. 

Research when necessary. Sketch when necessary. Annotate when necessary. Mock-up and test and evaluate when necessary. Prototype test, evaluate and improve when necessary. That's really it - the New 2020 D&T Syllabus to Coursework.

My mind is clearer now that I put into words what I had been thinking. Hope this helps you in some way too. Let me know if this had helped you. Let me know if you have new thoughts or have alternative / opposing views.

"Sorry Mr xxx, I have not completed xxx"

Recently I had been dealing with this particular question a lot:

"Sorry Mr Daniel, I have not completed xxx".

And so I go through the same old advises about how work is never finished. And if it's a matter of not purposefully finding time to complete the tasks at home, then "Start Today".


I recalled my responses and came to three main points which I'll share in the following:

(1) Habit of Iteration
You see, the (D&T) coursework, is a time-bound project with an on-going task which begins the moment you get your coursework 'Theme' or 'Design Brief' and ends by the deadline given to you. 

There is no limit imposed on the number of times you can 're-work' / evaluate and make improvements to any components in your journal. Technically that means, you can never 'finish' your work. But you can work on it again and again, till you get the results and quality you want.

So get into the Habit of Iteration.

(2) "T&M" of S.M.A.R.T. Goal
That being said. You cannot be iterating or re-working your work forever. There got to be a time set where you tell yourself 'It is enough. I've done enough iterations within the time I've set aside, for the best quality work I can produce."

When you set side 'Time', say 30 mins or 1 hour or 2 hours, to complete your D&T tasks, then use that time diligently. Set for yourself 'Measurable' goal(s) so you can 'check' for yourself if you have arrived at your objectives. 

What happens if you 'finish' your set / planned task before the time is up? 
Answer: Go back to point (1).

(3) Deliberately and Purposefully finding Time
"I have no time". "I don't have enough time". "I have tuition". "I need to complete subject (s) xxx". The last point is probably the most frustrating reason a student can give - that a teacher can get.  

You chose the subject 'D&T' not to make it a 'back seat' subject. Find time if you do not have. Create time if you do not have. Deliberately make time - refer to point (2) about setting aside time.

Make every subject of equal importance to do well. Some may require more (or less) time than the other. Learn how to apportion time for different subject within the 'free time' after school. 

Conclusion:
You will never finish / complete your D&T coursework. You will finish / complete your coursework only when you have officially submitted your work. 

Practice the following two points:

• Always find time. 
• Always iterate, evaluate and improve on your work 
• Always be diligent and focus within the time you have set.

mrdanielsos

Tissue Dispenser Standard Project (Part 1): 'LID' Design Exercise - Tasks 1 to 3

Tissue Packet Dispenser 'Lid' Design Tasks

The Tasks (Explained)

The secondary 3 express class will be doing two standard projects this second semester. The first one is a Acrylic Tissue Packet Dispenser (See below for the Working Drawing). The second one (if time permits) shall be a cool 'Scotch-Tape' Dispenser (not shown in this post).

(Partial) Working Drawing for the Tissue Packet Dispenser Project

Completing the whole project without modification can be quite dry. So I had my students learn the beginning processes of marking out, shaping the acrylic, and finish the main body of the Tissue Dispenser minus the 'Lid'.

In today's lesson, I had my students to work in 3 groups to design (modify) and propose an alternative 'lid' design using the original one as a starter.

Students make use of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R. technique to come out with various possibilities (See Task 1).

Then time is given for each group to select the best idea and work on some development before selecting an 'ultimate' one for presentation (See Task 2). So each group presented their idea. Group 1 happened to have three very promising idea so we ended up with 5 ideas presentations.

In the final 5 minutes, potential ideas were pinned up on the board and students started to vote. And the winner goes to Eileen Lim's lid design combined with a tray storage for holding wallets (See Task 3). The rationale is simple: The wallet is placed right on top of the dispenser. When you take your wallet, the user will be reminded about taking a tissue packet along. So the user will minimize situations where he/she goes out for a meal and do not have tissue paper with him/her.

The Most Popular by VOTE

Conclusion

A good design is simple, practical and useful. Of course aesthetics play a very big role too in a product. Eileen's idea was a simple extension to the original design with value-added features to help users be reminded to bring both the wallet and a packet of tissue along out.

What's Next?

In the next lesson, students will work on some minor developemt to the 'chosen' concept and proceed with generating working drawings on their own (See Task 4). That should take about an hour or so. Finally, what is a project without realizing it? Students will proceed to finish their project complete with the new (modified) lid for submission (See Task 5).

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Food for Thoughts

Why Standard Project? Shouldn't we be Focusing on Design Journaling instead?

There had always been debates on whether students should or should not be making standard projects since we have already evolved into the 'Design Journaling' era...

In my opinion, this is a viscious cycle type of problem.

If a student is not trained in making. How would he/she appreciate the process of design? How would the student take into consideration material usage and types, difficulty and time for shaping, jointing or making if he/she had such poor experiences of them? This also applies to 'drawing' (doodling and technical drawings included) skills. 

On the other hand, too much emphasis on months of design journaling (with a gross lack of experience in the practical aspect of materials characteristics understanding and making) often resulted in weak ideas and superficial developments. That is because the students do not know what to expect nor could he/she predict the diffculties, complexities, the time required and the outcomes of those decisions! 

So now what? Do or not to do? and Do what? The solution is a simple one. At least to me.

As long as balance is kept in check. Students who had the opportunities to learn the processes of making will definately be able to appreciate the design process better as they are being guided by their teachers. No doubt about that. The design process is part of our daily routine and such a lively process is already part of everyone's experience since birth! Unfortunately not many people recognised this routined daily choice and decision making process IS the 'Design Process' in action.

So we teach it and bring the awareness to the general public - like HERE. And to teach people other skills which they can use to enhance their ability to generate ideas, make choices and decisions better.

How we make better choices and decisions each day depends on what we actually do and learn from others and from mistakes. Our experiences from what we thought and did and learned in the past had everything to contribute to refining our future thoughts and actions. And therefore modifies our decision (process) thereafter.

Coming back to the chicken and egg debate on whether we should encourage students to make standard projects or not, or focus on design journal, etc... I will tend to be more inclined to the following:

Firstly, learn the various skills and processes. Learn to modify and change along the way. Design elements from needs to development can be brought in as and when relevant for discussion and learning. To understand and appreciate how the standard projects are being conceived: designed, developed and finally fit for making.

Secondly, students can design at the same time: students will be able to recall the experiences of making to make better choices and decisions earlier, more accurately and more confident (for sure).

Design Journaling: How does it Work in our Class?

My students work on their individual coursework with a theme just like any graduating students do. The difference is they attempt thier indivudual coursework offline rather than during the official class time. Class time is used for practical practice, mini-topical design workshops and discussions.

Consultations in groups of two to three students onces every fortnightly after school ensures more focused discussions and individual attention.

The students work on their individual coursework in the background and sub-consciously applying what they learned in the workshop. And if time permits, the students will be given time to complete their coursework together with the realized solution. If not, at least the students would have gone through a full cycle of the design process + lots of fun and experiences in the making process.