Design Processes

In a design process it’s common to start out with a broad range of ideas. This usually evolves around brainstorming in your design team and coming up with many solutions to the design issue. Often though, when a plausible and seemingly good solution is found, you tend to stick to it. You nurture it and you’re all of a sudden less open to new ideas, even though they might be just as good. Sadly the design process can then degenerate into a case of personal pride where nobody wants to lose. Obviously this isn’t optimal when the goal is to reach the best design solution possible.

According to Lowgren & Stolterman you should instead move towards a so-called divergent approach. Here you’re able to transcend the feeling that you have rightful ownership of an idea and avoid getting trapped in defending it at all costs. These are some of the stances you should take that, according to the authors, help improve thoughtful design processes:

Think of the early stages of a design process as a forum for developing several ideas instead of focusing on just one. Expand your thinking to cover broader issues, find more alternatives, and explore more opportunities.
Think of ideas as existing in their own right and not related to one person. The idea isn’t “yours”, but one of many plausible. This way you will be more open to new ideas.
Even though you feel like you’ve found the best idea ever, keep brainstorming and keep an open mind. There are possibly better ideas waiting to be explored.

Following these stances will most likely lead to more rewarding brain storming sessions and in the end better results.