Design Journal & Prototype | Complete Set of Post links for Design Journaling

To all 'N' and 'O' Level D&T Students, 

If you do find my blog and reading this now, you could be wondering how you should begin. I know this because I have already received a few emails from students asking from what do to with the 'N' and 'O' Level theme, what project they should do related to the theme, how to start, etc. 

If you are reading this now and have the same questions just mentioned, may I suggest you scroll further down this post and click on point #2  Theme: Definition + Exploration & Study. This will give you an idea how to begin your project with the theme that you have received before you email me for help.

It is important to tackle coursework in a consistent manner with a deliberate conviction to do quality work. 

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A) Being consistent means to keep up to the planned schedule. 

B) And quality? We have quality when we repeat the evaluation and improvement process, with or without help, until we believe that further attempts at improvement are not worth the effort. At this time, we believe we have done what deserves to be called quality.

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Know the design process inside out. Have the conviction to identify and solve real problems. Good problems need not be complicated. Good solution need not be difficult or complex to realise. Begin with a good and realistic Project Schedule and stick to it. Get your teacher's help, consider their suggestions for you.

This year I've decided to layout all previous links to complete your Design Journal, rather than updating them along the way like in 2014. This post you are looking at now is an updated version that was last posted on 3rd October 2014. 

Without further ado, the following are links extracted from within this blog that might be helpful for starting and ending your project:

Project Starters and Essentials

1)   PROJECT SCHEDULE and Design Activities, and 

2)   Theme: Definition + Exploration & Study

Design Need and Opportunity

3) Understanding Design Needs (Cheat Sheet HERE).

4) Understanding Design Outcomes

5) Understanding Design Needs & Opportunities and How to Write Them

6) Research Outlining and Research Techniques

7) Design Brief

8) Design Considerations and Constraints (or Limitations)

9) Design Specifications

Idea Generation and Development

10) Idea generation and Idea Generation Techniques

11) Concept Development (or Refinement) and General Making Processes

Presentation Boards and (Towards) Realisation

12) Working Drawings

13) Production Schedule

14) Presentation Drawings and Presentation Boards

15) Realisation and General Making Processes

Note that some of the links may take you to a lower secondary write-up on the same topic. However the ideas within are not far from the techniques you need to be competent in when you do a graduating class coursework. For other helps, visit the labels on the right hand side. Or simply type in the 'search' bar. You'll find it on the top right. If all else fails, email me.

All the best.

mrdanielsos.

Drafting a 'Design & Make' Lesson for Lower Secondary D&T

A glimps of my work-in-progress and the way I think and plan my work.

(Draft) and designing a 10 week Design & Technology lesson for a brand new class for a brand new semester. 

Tasked to teach a class of Secondary Two Normal (Academic) - 14 year old kids for the coming semester. 

Students will be attempting to design and make a Smart Phone Holder in the context of a suitable souvenir for the Singapore Zoological Gardens. 

The basic structure for the holder will be similar for all students but one can expect lots of animal shaped inspired designs. It will be a very tight 10 session or less.  Hope it will turn out ok. 

Since this is posted, feel free to try it out or use it for yourself if you wish but don't forget to drop me a courtesy note if you do.

To Make Progress you Need a Focused Mind to Look Out

Keep your eyes open and your mind focused on looking out for things and issues related to your theme and you'll automatically find. It's the same with the subsequence progress of your coursework. If you keep your mind focus and thinks about it often, you will get somewhere naturally. 

Anyways this voucher from Manhattan Fish Market above was found in my mailbox today. I browsed through the pages and liked the 1-for-1 deals. However it's the inner first page that caught my attention more than the rest. 

It's about observation and identifying a critical issue of how many family (or friends) behave in meal outings whose hands could not stay away from their phones. 

What's a gathering for if everyone is so glued to their smartphones. It's a nice piece of solution they have there. A fun way to encourage  family interaction rather than each staring into their smartphones. An entertaining way to keep hands off the devices and start having real family time. To top it off, the value-adding catch comes with an incentive to be rewarded with a SG$5 return dining voucher. But with one simple condition.  The box must remained untouched where all the phones will be kept in throughout the meal. Though it's a strategy to bring customers back again, it has nevertheless tackled an important issue about what family time should have been.

Idea Generation, Refinement and Development

"How to do Idea Generation? How to do Design Development?" These are some of the most commonly asked questions other than the general 'What to do?'.

It is simple actually. For the both of them, focus on getting the functionalities right first. i.e. get your product to work first. By generating and introducing lots of interesting concepts for it to work. Refine and evolve them until you get the best solution. You get instructions for Idea Generation and Development from your list of Design Specification that speaks about the requirements for the project. Build models if you need to test assumptions on how certain features should work. For each of your proposals, take time to evaluate them in terms of practicality and usability w.r.t. the target user you have in mind.  Practicality can be in terms of whether it could be feasilbly made in the school workshop or if you have the skills to make it. More importantly if the target user or if you yourself will use it (in public). Will it be awkward to use? WIll it be complicated to operate? etc. If so think about how it can be simplified in the next few sketches.

Once that is done, you can further simplify your concept - work on simplifying jointing methods. If a change of material can fasten the making process and still function just as good, change it. Work on shapes and forms for enhanced aesthetics and appeal factor.  Decide on the number of parts and dimension them. Don't forget ergonomics and safety. Development for easy maintenance and durability can take the form of material choices and jointing methods.

Always make sure the functions can work first at the idea generation stage. And work on the details in the development stage. Solving every problem you can anticipate. Then develop on everything else in any order. And you'll still end up a decent project.

It will be a big mistake if you work your sequence backwards then work out how to make it work with materials and tools already in your hands in the workshop. This is the consequence of not sufficiently developing the idea and start making for who knows why. And then realised there are lots of mistakes and/or end up solving problems along the way.

Last tip - Work on your idea/concept one feature at a time. One joint at the time. You can only do one thing at a time. And soon you will be ready to combine all these individual decision along the way into one. And there you end up a complete product. Knowing exactly how you will make it.

Once you reach this state, go ahead to plan your Production Schedule. Get your working drawings up. And your Presentation Drawing to have a feel of how your project might be like in the real context. Next, go peacefully and make your product come to life.

P.S. Do not take my sharing as a definite prescription on how you should complete Idea Generation and Development. Take it as a reference and a guide. Think through and be convinced about the steps and sequence I mention. Make your own plan. And then ... DO.

Cheers. 

Mr Daniel Lim

Knowing that you have arrived at Design Development

When you start to look at the individual parts and connections, on details and confirming best choice materials and jointing methods, on optimum sizes and drawing out dimensions accurately, at the same time refining ergonomics, shapes, forms and colors to achieve maximum beauty and usability, you know, that you have arrived at the design refinement and development stage.

Students' Reflection on Design & Technology - Secondary TWO Express (2013)

Students' Reflection on Design & Technology - Secondary TWO Express (2013)

It had been a tiring 2013 with two graduating O Level classes under my charge on top of a couple of lower secondary classes. I had to give consultation priority for graduating students in most of all my afternoons after 430pm because all classes had extra lessons everyday from 230pm till 430pm. D&T had extra lessons too but once every two weeks for an hour or less is too little.

My Secondary Two and Three classes did not have the luxury to see me for consultations as often as they wished after school hours.  In most of their reflections, quite a number talk about 'little communication', or commented that 'time is too short' and 'wishing to have more time with the teacher'. A few holidays and school programs that fall on official class times added on to the lack of time. My two weeks In-Camp-Training in July added more misery.  However, I was blessed to have eager Secondary Two students who even though did not get to see me as often as they could, most of them managed their work well. They could rely on the posts and tips I uploaded in Facebook or in this blog to complete their work to a good standard.

My Secondary 3 cohort were weaker academically compared to their peers but they picked up real fast - especially in terms of attitude towards quality work. Though they too did not get to see me often after school, they have improved a lot in terms of self-discipline, self-motivation and taking ownership on being responsible for their successes.

The designjournalsos blog becomes a necessity where students can refer to and hopefully gain some momentum on their own whenever I cannot be reached. This will also help keep their coursework up to date and with good standard.

Making process of the Lady Bug Tea Light Holder - Shaping to Dry Assembly.

This publication shows the making process of the Lady Bug Tea Light Holder - from Shaping to Dry Assembly. This includes tools involved. It is assumed that marking out and general shaping is completed. 'Finishing' is not included.

Dining Accessories Project 2013 by my 2E3 and 2E4 students (Semester 1)

 2E3

2E4

My students of 2E3 and 2E4 have been with me for the past 14 weeks or so working on their individual Dining Accessories Project and this is the result of their time with me. All of them are designed and made by the students under my guidance and facilitation. Great students this year with lots of interesting solutions. We have a range of toothpick to napkin holders, chopsticks to cutlery holders, feedback forms and menu holders and from customer tips to tea light holders. The theme given to the students is 'Innovative Premium Dining Storages' for high class restaurants.

I hope they had a great time with me as I do have a wonderful time with them. Next semester I will see the next half of the class. Let's see what they could come out with.

Fish Note Holder - Design Refinement and Development Demonstrations

The two links are demonstrations on a 'Fish Note Holder' featuring the following topics: 

• Design Refinements and Developments 
• Working Drawing (based on ratios rather than on dimensions) 
• (Simple) Presentation Drawing 
• A Pictorial Presentation of the Making Process. 

Design Refinement and Development + Working Drawing + Presentation Drawing

Making Process (Realization)

Quote

"The inherent messiness of the creative process means that at any time, they can, do, and probably should overlap. Such is the modus operandus of the creative mind: discrete categories often give way to creative continuums." From 'Idea Stormers', Bryan W. Mattimore

Product Research & Product Analysis

Product Research. Product Analysis. 

Are they the same?

What is Product Research? 

When do we do Product Research? 

Why do Product Research? 

The same questions for Product Analysis.

All these questions will be answered in a little while.

Introduction

Very often I see students propose 'Design Opportunities' where product solutions for them are either not a practical necessity in reality or are already in existence.

Another common problem students have with their identified 'problems' is the ignorance that the 'problem' belongs to an isolated case. That means, no one else really have the problem! If a 'product' is created, that product benefits practically no one else. Therefore you must make sure your identified 'problem' does affect a wider group of audience. And this wider audience must recognise and admit to it. You can find that out through a survey or very careful and focused observations. You want to find a problem that is common but unsolved (yet).

The next observation is an extension of the problems highlighted above. They are 'problems' identified from 'worst-case-senerios'. In addition to the failure to study the 'problem' to cover a wider audience, the identified 'problems' came from situations where you only find them in the worst services, the worst hotel, the worst restaurant, the worst food court, the worst toilet, the worst home - where businesses or people are ignorant or did not care about using good existing solutions. 

If you picked 'problems' from cases like the above, frankly speaking, what can you expect on the quality of the service they provide or the suitability of the products they use?

So as a golden rule, identify problems from preferably the best case scenarios. You have a higher chance of hitting a real problem is needs to be solved.

There are many problems from 'worst-case-senerios'. For example, 'the waiter is using a tray that is too small', 'the chair in the hotel room does not match the decoration of the room', 'the toilet is not clean in this hotel', 'the food served does not look appealing', 'the table in the hotel lobby is empty', 'the queue  is too long', 'the flower vase has no flowers', etc. - But remember, we are not in the business of 'rescuing' a failing business, or a failing food store or a failing hotel just because there was a lack in training or business knowledge or even common sense. For all those 'problems' above, the solution is simple. Get some professional help. Get some training. Start using existing solutions. 

In a mini conclusion, an identified 'problem' that the 'carpets are dirty or the decorations of the hotel room is ugly' does not mean that all other established hotels are also the same. An identified 'problem' that 'there is a long queue and customers are getting frustrated' does not mean that all other established services are like that too. Those belong to isolated sad cases of companies or individuals that require basic trainings.

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PART A: Product Research

(Existing) Product research is important right after you think you have identified a design opportunity and before you happily start idea generating. Failure to do so may result in your final product solution being nominal at best.

The objective of (Existing) Product Research is to be aware of all other possible solutions whether they are directly or indirectly solving the problem you have identified. Conduct a thorough search off-the-shelves and online to find out for yourself what could already be out there. 

The good places to look for off-the-shelves product solutions are the specialized shops and city malls where the latest and the most innovative are likely to be found. For internet research, I recommend scouring through the design related websites I have collated. You can find a long list of them on the right hand side of the blog titled 'Design References'. For internet research, the more effective you are with keywords, the more successful you will be to find what you want to find.

Steps:

·         Find existing product solutions through the Internet and from shops (if any).

·         Take note of more ‘web-links’ within the web page that may give clues to the original website of the product or ‘web-links’ that may provide more information about the product.

·         Note that there may be more than one possible existing solution to a single problem.

·         Print the product solution images and paste them in your journal.

·         From the Internet read and study how the problems are presented and how the solution is being described.

·         Save all the web page URLs and information for later use and retrieval.

·         A HANDY TIP: You can use the information to modify and adapt to your own Design Needs & Opportunity write-up later.

NOTE:

1. If you do find existing products, your design challenge will be to bring the existing innovates further and better. 
2. If you do not find any existing products, you might be on your way to inventing a great product solution!

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PART B: Product Analysis

Product Analysis follows Product Research. In Product Analysis, you would have with you at least one existing product to study in detail.

• Study their functionalities and their innovations beyond those beautiful forms. 
• Study the product background. 
• Find out who designed them. 
• Find out why they are designed the way it is. 
• Find out what problems they solve. 
• Note what is good and why. 
• Note what is not so good and why. 
• Note what are the limitations on the existing products.
• Note what could have been done (in your opinion) but not present and why. 
• Find out what else could be practically proposed to make the product work even better.

For product solutions that has more than one solution

• Find out what other products are similar. 
• Find out their similarities and differences between the various similar solutions. 
• Find out what else could be practically proposed to make the product work even better.

At this stage you may also find yourself consolidating good features and functionalities. Save all these ideas for the idea generation stage.

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PART C: Identifying Possible Areas for Improvements

Study the products carefully again and identify possible improvement areas by asking the following questions:

·         What it cannot do yet, but would be nice if it can do?

·         What it cannot do yet, but would be beneficial to the Elderly using it if it can do?

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Final Words

Product Research and Product Analysis should not be done only at the beginning stage of the design process. Throughout the stages of Idea Generation and Development, in addition to your creativity in innovating new functionalities, continue to consult existing solutions and be inspired by them for your next design.

In whatever you do in your design journal, never forget to include images and meaningful annotations.