The Design Process + Human Centred Design !

 

My Go-To Guide for the Design Process 
(and How You Can Totally Nail It) 🛠 

If you’ve ever had a great idea in your head but weren’t sure how to bring it to life, welcome to the club. That’s exactly where the design process comes in.

Think of it like a roadmap for turning your ideas into something real — whether you’re building a storage solution for your art room, designing a phone stand, or creating an epic textile project like the patchwork project! I first learned about this in high school, just like you, but trust me, you can use it for almost anything.

Remember: The design process isn’t always a straight line — it’s iterative. That means you might need to revisit and repeat certain steps when you hit challenges or spot ways to make your design better. This back-and-forth approach builds problem-solving skills and pushes you to think more critically about your ideas.

Step 1: Identify the Problem 🕵️‍♀️

This is where it all starts — figuring out exactly what needs solving.
I always ask myself: What’s the issue? Who’s it affecting?
For example, one time I realised my office desk was a complete disaster. I had no idea where anything was and it led to things getting lost and absolute… chaos. That became my “problem to solve.”

💡 Pro tip: For your patchwork with purpose project, your design problem is already outlined and constraints are given to you! 

"Design and create a textile-based item that draws on cultural inspiration from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island, Asian or Pacific Islander textile traditions. You must express your creativity and celebrate storytelling through patchwork techniques."

Step 2: Research the Problem 📚

Before you start building something amazing, you’ve got to understand the problem inside out. I like to check what’s already out there, take photos of similar things, or even watch videos from other people to gain inspiration. 

💡 Pro tip: For your project you must research different cultural textile techniques (e.g. Aboriginal dot painting, dreamtime motifs, Japanese sashiko, PNG barkcloth)

For this project, you must also show research towards sustainability options such as up-cycled fabrics, natural dyes and waste reduction!

Step 3: Brainstorm Solutions 💭

Now comes the fun part — idea overload. I don’t judge my ideas at this stage; I just throw them all down on paper. They can be ridiculous, or as realistic as you want. The wildest ideas can sometimes lead to the best ones - that’s the point.

💡 Pro tip: this is where you will sketch and annotate your proposed patchwork pieces (15cm x 15cm) to plan layouts, colours, techniques and cultural influences 

Step 4: Design a Prototype ✏️

This is where your best idea starts taking shape. A prototype doesn’t have to be fancy — it could be a final annotated sketch, a cardboard model, or a simple design. 

This just adds to step 3 where you finalise your chosen design to create!

Step 5: Create, Test and Refine 🔍

Here’s where you find out if your idea actually works. Does it solve the problem? Is it easy to use? Does it meet the needs you identified in Step 1?

For this project, as it an open-ended artwork, you just need to be make sure it meets the design criteria and constraints! (e.g 2x Patchwork pieces (15cm x 15cm) that show 5 different textile techniques!)

Once your patches are finished, a quick evaluation of your piece is needed!

• What worked well or what didn't?
• What techniques did you use?
• Did your design change from the proposed sketches?
• Did you run into any problems?
• How does it show cultural creativity?
• How does it show sustainability? 

Step 6: Communicate the Solution 🎤

Once you’ve nailed your design, it’s time to share it with the world (or at least your class). This could be a presentation, a display board, or a demo of your prototype in action.

For our class project, you will show me your design process by completing an individual portfolio either digitally or on A3 paper. 

Why I Love the Design Process ❤️

The best part? It’s not just for school projects. You can use it for problem-solving in everyday life — from reorganising your bedroom to planning an event. And because it’s iterative (meaning you can loop back and tweak things), there’s no pressure to get it perfect the first time.

✨ Your Turn:

• Understand your design brief and its criteria & constraints

• Work through these steps (extra videos down below if you still don't quite understand the design process)

• Create your patchwork pieces and present your individual portfolio! 

Video of the design process for visual learners!

Human Centred Design

If you've got the hang of the design process and want to learn more about human centred design, have a look at my simple prezi that explains the aspect of human centred design!

💥💥💥💥💥Click me!! 💥💥💥💥💥