This mini-lesson covers design methods and processes — the iterative design cycle, briefs and specifications, primary vs secondary research, user-centred design, systems thinking and avoiding design fixation.
Work through each screen, answer the questions as you go and collect ⭐ stars. Press Start when you’re ready.
Overview
From need to product
Designing is a structured process that turns a need into a working product. Modern practice is iterative — designers loop repeatedly through exploring, creating and evaluating rather than working in one straight line.
Iterative
The iterative design cycle
An iterative process repeats a cycle of explore → create → evaluate, refining the design each time based on feedback and testing.
Identify the problem & user need → research → brief & specification.
Generate ideas → develop → model/prototype → test with users.
Evaluate against the specification → refine → repeat → manufacture.
Quick check
What does iterative mean?
?Why is a modern design process described as iterative rather than linear?
Brief & spec
Design brief and specification
The design brief is a short statement of the problem and what is required. The design specification turns it into a list of measurable, testable criteria. A common checklist is ACCESS FM:
?Which specification point is most useful because it can be objectively tested?
Research
Primary and secondary research
Primary research — new, first-hand data you gather yourself: surveys, interviews, observation, product analysis (disassembly).
Secondary research — existing data from others: books, websites, reports, census/statistics.
Calculate
Your turn — survey data
∑A survey of 200 potential users finds that 30% prefer design option A. How many people is that?
people
Hint: 200 × 0.30.
Match it
Match the design strategy
Tap a design strategy, then tap its description.
Term
Match
User-centred
User-centred design
User-centred design (UCD) puts the needs, abilities and context of real users at the heart of every decision, involving them through research and testing. It links closely to ergonomics and inclusive/accessible design.
Quick check
User-centred design
?Which activity is most characteristic of user-centred design?
Systems & fixation
Systems thinking & avoiding fixation
Systems approach — model a product as input → process → output using block diagrams (useful for electronics and mechatronics).
Design fixation — becoming stuck on one early idea. Avoid it with brainstorming, morphological analysis, SCAMPER and collaboration to keep exploring alternatives.
Sort it
Primary or secondary research?
Tap a research method, then tap whether it is primary or secondary.
🔎 Primary
📚 Secondary
Collaboration
Collaboration & concurrent working
Designers rarely work alone. Collaboration with engineers, marketers and users brings varied expertise, while concurrent (simultaneous) engineering runs design and manufacturing planning in parallel to cut development time.
Recap
The big ideas to know
Iterative: loop explore → create → evaluate; refine each cycle.