How do you like to PLAY
by Shaun Lee
I think the design process has to be about PLAY. Do you play by yourself or do you let your market/client play with you?
Both in my job and my side projects I believe it is important to design your process. Because the process affects the outcome, for example, ask yourself:
- How much time should I commit?
- Who should I work with?
- What research could I do?
There are lots of ways to design your approach but I am finding it useful to identify two extremes:
1. The Extraverted approach (like Google)
- Iterative
- Tested
- Crowd sourcing
- Feature rich
- Short design cycles
- Mutate – Evolve
2. The Introverted approach (like Apple)
- Designer centric
- Less features
- Strong vision
- More differentiation
- Longer design time
- Faith
Why the extroverted approach is lousy: In two words “focus groups” I know you all hate them. I think the only thing we should ever ask the market is “would you buy this?”.
Why the introverted approach is lousy: It often results in the designer doing something self indulgent that no one understands or wants.
I am interested in your thoughts because there is a strong trend towards the extroverted approach. We are being more open and iterative with some of our clients but not with others. When we do not test our designs I am being very careful to really question and push myself. Here are some of the questions I regularly ask myself in order to push the quality of my work:
- What will this look like five years from now?
- What would a competitor do?
- What would (inset design hero here) do?
- What am I really trying to do here?
What works for you? Do you think about the process in your non client work?
Cheers, Shaun Lee
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Sep 29th
2010
July 15th, 2009 at 8:20 am
P.S. Image above is from some code I wrote that generated random compositions. I spent about 8hrs on the project in 2008… still unfinished.
July 16th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
I think about my process in respect to work I do for clients but not as much as I should do in my personal work – you bring up a good point, because surely if I used my ‘process’ in my personal work I would get better and more developed results? Otherwise I think personal work can fall prey to the introverted approach that you describe.
The process I use with client work is fairly methodical and I try to stick to it, when I find I don’t, the results are not usually as developed or ‘good’ in the end. I would say I follow a mix of the introverted and extroverted approach. Working with the client to establish the brief, working in isolation to research, brainstorm, come up with initial concepts and then back to collaborating with the client to develop the chosen direction, then back to isolation, applying my ‘knowledge’ to craft the results. I find it important to collaborate with my clients and engage them in the middle part of my design process, I try to acknowledge and appreciate their knowledge of the product or service they work with/for and their gut feelings about the people they are wanting to communicate with.
I’ll definitely be thinking about applying my process to my next personal project! Thanks for the post!
July 17th, 2009 at 8:50 am
When starting a project, whether it personal/commercial. I’m definitely one that initially leans towards the extroverted approach; immersing yourself with all that inspires you and then when you’re a dripping sponge that just can’t absorb anymore… displace yourself.
Almost displace yourself from all of that, move yourself into a introvert-like environment to consciously/subconsciously mull over it a bit and add something true of yourself into the mix.
I agree with Louise, I’ll definitely be asking myself some of those questions in amidst my next design process.
Thanks for sharing Shaun!
July 17th, 2009 at 9:01 am
Oh that’s interesting. In personality frameworks like Myers Briggs (I am a big fan) they put you in the extrovert or introvert camp based on “where you get energy” rather than your behavior. I wonder how much of our process fits our personality preferences. I am very introverted but find what comes out of my most insular projects rewarding – but not really useful.
August 13th, 2009 at 11:58 am
“Write for the wastebasket” :)
Play is certainly an incredibly important part of an enjoyable, fulfilling, and ultimately productive design process. Paula Scher talks about play in her work here:
http://www.ted.com/talks/paula_scher_gets_serious.html
Awesome free chapter from Jess Schells new book “The Art of Game Design”:
http://artofgamedesign.com/book/AGD%20-%20Chapter%2006.pdf
Great insights on the creative process.