Completing Your D&T Design Journal for Submission - Design Features and Modeling

By now, many students might be busy patching up work in the design journals or rushing to complete their prototypes. 

However, if you've been consistent with your work, this last week or two before the coursework submission should be much more relaxed. 

Ideally, this time would be spent confidently and casually checking what else might be good to include in the design sheets to help the assessor understand the work and intention of the design process better. 

Below are two main areas I focused on today with my students to help them complete their work effectively:

1. Elaborating on Design Features

This targets the ideation and sketching component, which is crucial for students who are still lacking in these areas. Here's a step-by-step approach:

• Review Design Sheets: Start by thoroughly reviewing both the design sheets and any models or mock-ups you have created. Identify any gaps in your ideation process.
• Recreate Missing Options: Draw detailed sketches of each part, exploring different ways to make the parts and joints. Show various shapes and forms to demonstrate exploration.
• Annotate Your Work: Finish by adding annotations that note your decisions and conclusions. This helps to clarify your thought process and design intentions for the assessor.

2. Improving Models and Mockups

Some students might show a lack in this component by not providing sufficient evidence of how a model or mock-up was used for ideation and development. Follow this generic process to ensure your documentation is complete:

• Study Your Model: Carefully examine your model. Have you tested it? If so, ensure there are photo evidences of the tests.
• Annotate Findings: Note what aspects are not working and what needs improvement. For example, if something is too big, clearly state this in your annotations.
• Sketch Improvements: Draw the necessary improvements on your design sheets. For instance, if a part was too big, show a revised version that is smaller.
• Update the Model: Either update the existing model or create a new one to reflect the improvements. Repeat this process until your model evolves into a working mock-up that resembles the final prototype.

By following these strategies, you can ensure that your ideation & development, and modeling phases are comprehensive and well-documented. 

Consistency is key to avoiding last-minute rushes and ensuring a smooth submission process. 

Good luck!

How to Sketch Faster: Boost Your Ideation Process with These Techniques

Sketching is a fundamental part of the creative process, particularly in the field of design. However, it can often be time-consuming, especially when you need to generate multiple sketches quickly. In this article, we'll explore a simple yet effective technique that can help you sketch up to five times faster, enhancing your ideation process and overall efficiency.

1) Utilize Legends for Recurring Objects

During the sketching process, you might find yourself drawing the same objects over and over again. To save time, consider creating a legend for these objects. A legend is a basic drawing of the object accompanied by a label or name. Instead of redrawing the object each time, you can simply refer to the legend. This method will significantly speed up your work process.

2) Sketch the Object First to Determine Its Proportions

Before diving into the final sketch, make a rough sketch of the object to determine its proportions. This step will help you avoid having to erase and redraw your work, saving you valuable time. For example, a simple bear sketch might take you around 25 seconds, but with this technique, you can reduce that time.

3) Create a Boundary Box to Form a 'Legend'

For your object, create a boundary box to form a legend. You can add some text or alphabets inside the box to indicate what the object is. This process takes only about 5 seconds, and it will help you identify the object quickly when you need it again.

4) Use Symbols Instead of Sketching the Actual Object

Once you have created your legend, use a symbol instead of sketching the actual object when exploring different ideas. By using symbols, you can quickly generate ideas without having to redraw the same object repeatedly.

5) Use Saved Time to Generate More Ideas

The time you save by not having to redraw the same object repeatedly can be used to generate more ideas. This is particularly useful when you're working under a tight deadline and need to produce a lot of sketches in a short amount of time.

In conclusion, sketching is a vital part of the creative process. By using the techniques mentioned above, you can sketch faster without compromising the quality of your work. Remember to create legends for repeated objects, sketch the object first to determine its proportions, draw a boundary box to make a legend, use symbols instead of sketching the actual object, and use the saved time for more ideas. By implementing these techniques, you'll become more productive and efficient in your work.

Let us know in the comments what other topics you'd like to learn about. Don't forget to [follow and like us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/designjournalsos) for updates on new posts. If you find our content beneficial and would like to support us, consider [buying us a coffee](https://www.buymeacoffee.com/mrdanielsos).

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3) [Sketching & Drawing Tips & Guides](https://designjournalsos.blogspot.com/search/label/Sketching%20%26%20Drawing%20Tips%20%26%20Guides)

Drawing & Sketching Practice - “Warm Ups”: Lines, Circles, Ovals and Curves, and more…

In this video I bring you through the steps of warm ups for sketching. 

As usual I drop some nuggets of tips and tricks to help you make better progresses. You will learn about warm ups with lines, circles, ovals and curves. And how you can create intermediate variations along the way and on your own. For example varying spaces and line weights, and sizes, etc. 

Feel free to pause after each warm up section so you can continue with more practices on your own, or simply just taking a break to digest the contents. Or if you are quick enough, follow me through the entire video without stopping.

At the end of the warm up practices, I’ll attempt to identify a meaningful profile from the ‘mess’ and turn it into something comprehensible and familiar. If you are adventurous enough, follow me through to creating a 3D form out of that.

Watch and learn with me about sketching “Warm Ups”

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MODeling for Design Situation & Ideation

MODeling = MODEL + model. How to pose? How do you get the best and most effective photo of your model for coursework? Who should be the photographer (aka the DIRECTOR) and who should be the model(s)?

While it may seem like common sense that the person taking the photographs should be the director and owner of the project. The opposite is actually true. All the time. It is not rare to see students playing the role of the MODEL, modeling their own solution, while their friends take the photographs for them.

More often than not you get very lousy quality photos that does not show well the intention of the activity. The person taking the photo (if not the creator of the solution) will not know the best angle or perspective the photo should be. And will not be able to advice the ‘MODEL’ as so. And will never be able to.

In the video I’ll explain who the MODEL(S) should be and why it should not be the owner of the solution / model. And will attempt to explain to you the best possible types of scenario you should strive for. One that best describes the intention of the action of the model, by the user, in the right context.

Hope you liked the video and learned a thing or two.

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Have ideas but cannot sketch fast enough? This video is for you.

It can be very exciting in a design process when ideas keep pouring in. But it can be frustrating if you cannot keep up with sketching those ideas on paper. 

Just because you might not have acquired the competencies, confidences and the speed yet, what can you do to make sure you do not forget or miss out on those ideas, when it is time to sketch them on paper?

If you can identify with the above, this video is for you. In the video I described two ways you can manage this problem,

1) Jotting ideas on paper before drawing them.

2) Using references when you draw.

Watch the video on how the above points are elaborated with examples.

If you like this video and the contents I shared, LIKE, SHARE and SUBSCRIBE. And do let me know what else you like to watch and learn. And I’ll make them for you.

Let me know in the comments what else you like to learn and watch.

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Four Steps to Elaborate an Idea | Two Questions | One List | New Improved Idea(s)

The Ideas Generation phase is probably one of the most challenging phase in the design process. 

Just like if you get the initial design need wrong,  the whole project is practically rubbish. How you start your ideation will determine the quality of the end of Ideation.

A common problem a student have when at the Ideation phase is not knowing what to do next after they draw an idea. Especially when a great deal of effort had been spent thinking, critic, refine (ALL IN THE AIR) and then finally at the end of the dream, a highly detailed drawing becomes the first idea. In that piece of A3 paper; ONE idea is all you got. 

How can you elaborate on an idea once you have drawn the first one? 

Four Steps to Elaborate an Idea using a Note Holder Example

In this video I show you FOUR simple steps you can elaborate an idea beginning with two prompting questions. Use this strategy and never get stuck ever again. You might end up not being able to stop. Because before you were blank, now triggers appear from everywhere for new (improved) versions of the previous one(s).

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Idea Generation: How to begin? Shape Borrow? Inspiration? Research? SCAMPER? What Questions?

Practical tips and insights on how to Generate Ideas starting with Shape Borrowing - Just the way how Mr Daniel would do it.

This example is a student’s work and he was clearly stuck. I took his paper and did a photocopy and attempted a re-work. To show you how mrdanielsos would have done it differently. And effectively.

How go go from ‘STUCK’        to              ‘FREE FLOW’

Student wants to design and make something that can wipe a table dry instantly. I did not know why he chose a snail toy for a start. Obviously because of this choice, he did not know what to do next. 

I can fully understand because the paper seemed blank. Lacking in clarity. etc. In this video, I will show you from start to finish how I would get out of this predicament of getting stuck with this seemingly impossible starter with a snail toy for a product to dry a table. 

What you’ll see and learn from this video is done LIVE on the spot without pre-preparation or plans. I am approaching this as if I am actually trying to ideate on the spot.

In this video you will learn how to set your ideation page clearly. What you need to state in advance. What you need to know. How to make use of your Design Specifications and Product Research to your advantage. The SCAMPER technique will also be explained and I’ve used ‘Combine’ and ‘Eliminate’ in this video. I also spoke briefly about ergonomics and anthropometric and how they will include the size and form of the design. You will also learn what you can do after you have drawn a solution (or an idea). What to do next? What questions to ask? How to ask questions? etc.

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