As I may have mentioned over the course of the semester, my design process has changed and continues to change in reaction to new ideas and concepts that i’m discovering. The exploration that this course has allowed me, has really opened up my thinking and allowed me to see things in a different way.

My typical design process, was until recently, more mechanical. Hunker down, focus and the ideas will flow. However, I’ve learned that while this is an acceptable method of designing, it’s lately not been the best method for me. Having said that, I’ve been bringing in a more organic and playful approach to my designs.  I’ve learned to allow for “incubation” of ideas, as mentioned by Graham Walls in his writing about design.  It’s an idea that I’ve heard a lot of designers mention lately. The idea of not jumping right in to a project and hunkering down, but allowing the ideas to flow and ebb, bounce around and let them “stew”. I’m finding that, time permitting, that this allows for the best ideas to come, like a muse guiding me through my designs.

I’ve taken this idea further, allowing a constant back and forth between hand and digital. Printing out design, sketching drawing all over them and in essence…making a huge mess! While to someone looking in from the outside, it does look like something exploded, but there’s a method to the madness, there’s a goal and the outcome is unexpected.

I’ve begun to embrace the idea of collaboration and connecting with fellow designers to ensure that I’m on the right track, but more importantly to push my thinking and creativity in new and different ways. I’ve started to learn that design can’t truly happen and exist in a vacuum. If i see my process as being organic, then I need to begin to view the artifact as something organic and alive as well.

Have I come up with a definitive process that allows me to design effectively? No. But I am on the road to constant self reflection and innovation to constantly be an even better designer than I already am.