This is the first semester in DT. After long time self exploring and tentative internships, I finally got a chance to gain professional knowledge of design and started real practice, which was the most exciting part. From bootcamp to Fall semester, I've got the chance to learn a lot of new tools and design methods. Overall, the past 5 months was an intensive but worthwhile experience.
New Tools
The experience of learning new tools here is totally different from what I've thought before. It is amazing to know that there are so many kinds of softwares and hardwares with which I can easily try out my initial concepts and make rapid prototypes. We learnt about Arduino, JavaScripts, Processing, p5.Js, Openframeworks and JQuery during this semester. I feel like it is exciting to introduce a design concept from various aspects using different platforms, which sometimes gives the audience a better understanding about the project. What's more, different platforms provide possibilities that audience or users could interact with the prototypes and give feedbacks from different angles.
However, using tools is just a process to implement the idea. I still believe that good design should be driven by concept, instead of technology. Especially when we are asked to finish some certain assignments with certain tools, it is crucial to avoid the impact brought by the tool itself. For instance, for an installation project made by Leapmotion, what we should focus on is the concept that we want to show through the experience, instead of what kind of concept is better to show using the kit.
Design Principles
In Major Studio1 and Designing for Usability, we learnt about some principles that we could follow during design process. Especially for User Experience Design process, it is necessary to understand all the possible methods and take advantage of them properly. Meanwhile, we should be careful not to rely on the rules too much. Similar as softwares, these principles and methods are just supplements to the project. The soul of design is still the initial idea behind it. It is how to reach the goal with certain methods that we should think about during the whole process. There is no doubt that different usage of principles should be taken according to different situations of each project.
From the project Ideas in Form, we are able to go through the whole process of constructing an idea. From brainstorm, narratives, concept & prototypes, to time-based prototype, it is super interesting to see how an initial idea reveals and iterats in each level. There might be many unexpected occasions occur during the iterations, so what's most importance is to keep the initial intention and try to reach the goal using different approaches. Besides, the process of building a concept is also a chance to reflect ourselves. We will surely benefit from this on-going iteration.
Inspirations & Concerns
Among all the classes, the most inspiring one is Design For This Century. Since I've never had such a chance to think so deeply and widely about the society, the world and human beings from so many different angles. As a designer, or even an ordinary person, thinking is absolutely the most powerful motivation for work and life. Read more books. Make observations of details. Ask questions. Find problems. And care for others. These activities will be the source of inexhaustible ideas.