David Kelly (the "IDEO guy") on Human Centered Design

This is ten years old so I'm not sure how good it is... what do you think?

The "Architecture Project" - Human Centered Design in Action!

Goals:
Develop a design that meets the following Criteria and Constraints...

Criteria:
-Develop an architectural solution that solves a specific problem for a client. Your end result will be an architectural model of your design.
-Create 3 sketches to support your brainstorming effort.
-Create 2 digital prototypes of your design.
-Physically construct a prototype (model).
-Collect feedback from the client at each stage of your effort.

Constraints:
-Utilize a design process to solve this challenge:
----Define the Problem
----Brainstorm Solutions
----Digital Prototypes
----Physical Prototype
----Portfolio Report/Summary of experience
-All students on a team must meet with the client... this is "human centered" design after all!
-Clearly identify the design need being met.
-Use our "four quadrant feedback" technique with your client between each stage of the design process (Define the Problem, between Brainstorming and Digital Prototyping, between Digital Prototyping and Physical Prototyping, After completing your Physical Prototype). Your meetings can be breif, but please solicit feedback and incorporate it into your efforts. Record and list feedback at each stage and list any changes made based off of it.
-Label at least 3 key features on any sketches you produce.
-Use Inventor (CAD) on at least one of your digital prototypes. You may use Minecraft to quickly simulate the second digitial prototype.


Consider the following as you make progress on your effort:
-Can you utilize any of the "Design Modes" from the Stanford Design School's "Design Thinking" process? Read our post on the "Bootcamp Bootleg" for more info.
-Can you incorporate any of the architectural concepts that were highlighted by our "Top Ten Architects" lesson?


The following process may help you achieve compliance with the above design criteria/constraints...

Process:
Identify a client
Discover a design need (interview the client)
Brainstorm solutions
-Create 3 sketches of solutions.
-Call out 3 key features on each sketch.
Prototype 2 solutions with CAD software
-Consider 'A/B testing' a key design feature.
Recieve feedback from your client
-generate "+", "change", "ideas" and "questions" from both your client and your team.
Rework/Iterate on your design
-incorporate feedback into your design.
-call out features you changed based on specific feedback.
Build an architectural model that incorporates feedback
Present model for review
-generate another round of feedback.
Write up experience on your online portfolio
-Share client feedback at each stage of the effort. Communicate how feedback shaped your next effort in the design process.

D.Think

Here's a link to the Stanford Design School ("D.School") "Bootcamp Bootleg". We'll use this document to better understand "Design Thinking": Stanford Design School's "Bootcamp Bootleg"

Influential Architects

In anticipation of our forthcoming "Architecture Project", please take a look at these breif videos:

Influential Architects

Play all:
Click here to watch all the videos in sequence!

Machine Control: Capstone Project 2012!

Welcome to our Principles of Engineering Machine Control (Robotics!) Capstone Project for the 2011-2012 school year. This is an exciting opportunity to work with your partners to develop a unique solution to an open-ended problem.

You will earn "Achievements" based on both the process you apply and the product you build. The team that earns the most "Achievements" wins!

This project is worth 7 points per week we spend on it and is capped at a maximum of 25 points. The top team will earn 100%. The second place team will earn a 92%. The third place team will earn an 89% and the fourth team will earn 85%.


Process Achievements:

Organize it!: Title your post and organize it by section in a logical manner.

Brainstorm!: Provide at least four of your team’s brainstorming ideas for the design solution. This should include brainstorming sketches. Each sketch should include labels and descriptions for communication.

CAD!:
Use our Inventor CAD software to model a prototype or your final design. Post screenshots of your model.

Enter the Matrix: Evaluate your solution ideas (4 minimum) using a decision matrix. Determine the best solution to the problem. Explain your rating system and share insight on why you rated your solutions as you did.

Design Solution: Create a detailed pictorial sketch or use 3D modeling software to document the best solution, based upon your team’s decision matrix. Your sketch or 3D model should include a rationale for the design selected as the final design solution. Each sketch should include labels and descriptions for communication.

"I've Made a Few Special Modifications...": Document modifications made to your design during implementation. Explain the reason for the modifications and describe how the new design solution will solve the problem. "Story" is the split between expectation and outcome. Tell us a story regarding what your plan was and how it actually came out! Use photos and sketches to call out three changes. (Nerd points if you know where the quote for this Achievement title comes from)

Final Implementation: This section will showcase your final hardware and software solution. Include photos of your hardware and program. Call out atleast three key features of your design that were significant to its performance. Report how your solution performed in the challenge.

Final Implementation - Video!: Embed a video that showcases your solution in action!

Reflection: Adress the four feedback types that we use in our courses (+, -, ?, !). Solicit feedback from someone outside of your team as well.
Some questions to consider in this section: How well did you accomplish your objectives? What would your team do differently with your design solution and why? Do the results fulfill the problem statement? Provide a brief explanation of what you learned, the challenges of working in a design team, and the purpose of the design problem.

Reference: Post a hotlink to material you referenced on the internet. Explain why this information is significant to your project.


Product Achievements:

Marble Sorting (some achievments scored multiple times):
Sort one marble (x1)
Sort two marbles (x1)
Sort three marbles (x1)
Sort four marbles (x1)
Sort four marbles (x2)
Sort five marbles (x1)
Sort five marbles (x2)
Sort five marbles (x3)


Sorting Speed (15 marbels total: 3ea of 5 types):
Process 15 marbles in less than 2:00 minutes.
Process 15 marbles in less than 1:45 minutes.
Process 15 marbles in less than 1:30 minutes.
Process 15 marbles in less than 1:15 minutes.
Process 15 marbles in less than 1:00 minute.
Process 15 marbles in less than 45 seconds.
Process 15 marbles in less than 30 seconds.


Marble Delivery (may use non-fischertechnik materials to create a "hopper" to drop marbles into for "Drop" achievements):
Drop marbles from 6" above machine
Drop marbles from 1' above machine
Drop marbles from 2' above machine
Drop marbles from 6' above machine



Systems (not including motor or piston used to charge your pressure vessel):
Use one piston
Use two pistons
Use pneumatics but less than three pistons
Use at least one motor

Game Changer

"Changing the game" is tough. Some of you will have the chance to attempt the equivalent at some point in your careers. Simulating this type of experience via Billy Beane's story is a chance to reflect on the blend of "art" and "science" required to solve the intractable challenge's you may come up against.


Use internet research and class discussion to answer the following questions.


1) What was the “Moneyball”approach that Billy Beane and Peter Brandt applied to the Oakland Athletics 2002 season? Was it an “art” or a “science”? What single statistic did they boil their value consideration down to? (In class research/discussion)


2) What is the equation used to calculate OBP? (In class research/discussion)

3) What is design? (In class research/discussion)

4) Describe 3 situations where movie characters (intentionally or not) applied a step from the PLTW 12 Step Design Process. Explain both the (a) situation as well as (b) how the step is relevant:
1 -

2 -

3 -


5) What is “Leadership”? List the three aspects of leadership that we come up with in class. (In class research/discussion)

1 -
2 -
3 -


6) Describe 3 circumstances from the story where a character exercised effective leadership:
1 -

2 -

3 -



7) According to the movie, what was the A’s record at the start of their winning streak? ___ : ___

8) What does this ratio simplify to (roughly)? ___ : 1

9) How long was the A’s record setting winning streak? ___ games won.

10) Given the A’s win/loss ratio at the start of the streak (listed two questions above), what are the odds of winning 20 games in a row? Run the numbers. (In class research/discussion)


11) Based on your calculation, do you think the A’s got lucky or was there something to the Moneyball approach?


12) Did Billy Beane strictly apply the “science” of Moneyball to his management approach? Was there an “art” to his efforts as well? Describe a circumstance where he broke from the Moneyball approach to make a positive change for the team.






Bonus Question (look into this if you’ve finished ahead of the class):
Money Ball was originally a book. What author wrote the book? What other books has this author written? Is there a theme to his writing?


It's "Oscar Season", will Moneyball win the Oscar for any of the categories it's up for?

Wild Wings

One of the challenges for our Model Aircraft fabrication project is to come up with the neatest decorations in your class.

Here are a few designs under way in 5th and 6th period:

Aircraft in Progress

Isreal and Chase papering the wing of their model airplane:

Game On!

The FIRST Robotics competative season is underway. CHS has the strongest team yet with a core of seasoned veterans as well as a selection of sharp newcomers.

The team has their own workspace so I enjoyed their suprise visit for a meeting after class on Tuesday.

This year's challenge involves scoring points by putting foam basketballs through baskets. It looks like the team is starting to refine their vision for the project!:

D.Mindsets

Skateboards?

I'm trying to guage the level of interest there would be in doing a project that was making/shaping a skateboard deck out of a glued up 7-ply skateboard blank with concave already pressed into it (similar to the picture above).

Materials would be in the $20 pricerange.

Please leave a comment on this post if this is something you'd be excited to work on!

***Update - Please comment if you would be interested regardless of cost***

Less is More

A great article on elegant design that Mr. Vollstedt pointed out to me.

If "Elegance" in design is doing more with less, how will the New Balance 890 accomplish this?

Which steps of the PLTW 12 step design process did the New Balance Designers use?

Be specific with your answers.

Gamification

I'd like to make this an "Opt In" assignment (fitting since it's about Game Design and the gamification of everything around us!) but don't have any questions for it yet.

So if you choose to pursue this one for an Opt In assignment, watch the video and create three questions and answers you think best capture the spirit of the video!