What is basecamp

basecamp site
- tour
- sign up / pricing


Some screenshots:



Basecamp is a web-based project-management tool developed by 37signals. The Ruby on Rails framework was extracted from the Basecamp project

Features

Basecamp offers to-do lists, wiki-style web-based text documents, milestone management, file sharing, time tracking, and a messaging system. It also offers integration with its own Campfire product.

Basecamp API

A Basecamp API, created by 37signals, allows developers to integrate Basecamp into their applications. It allows applications to access and modify Basecamp data, and is implemented as Vanilla XML over HTTP. It also accepts requests in the YAML format but responses are given in XML.

Praise and criticism

Since Basecamp was created according to 37signals' Getting Real philosophy, it has been criticized for being too simple. 37signals' CEO, Jason Fried, has also been criticized by some for keeping the product simple and refusing to immediately implement all requests.^{[citation needed]}

Basecamp attracted an attack site, www.whybasecampsux.org, written by a frustrated user and mounted July 16, 2006^[2] out of Bellevue, Washington.^[3] The attack site criticizes Jason Fried for continually refusing feature requests. It criticizes the Basecamp development team for a number of reasons including not working to add visual representations of chartable information, not incorporating project roadmaps and not lifting the 10MB file attachment limit for uploaded files hosted on an external FTP server, an option that Basecamp no longer offers for new accounts.

Basecamp has also claimed much praise, including positive reviews in the New York Times.

What is Gantt chart

link to download Gantt Project

Gantt chart site - old version
examples of gantt charts (www.ganttchart.com)

From other sites:




from wikipedia

A Gantt chart is a popular type of bar chart that illustrates a project schedule. Gantt charts illustrate the start and finish dates of the terminal elements and summary elements of a project. Terminal elements and summary elements comprise the work breakdown structure of the project. Some Gantt charts also show the dependency (i.e., precedence network) relationships between activities. Gantt charts can be used to show current schedule status using percent-complete shadings and a vertical "TODAY" line as shown here.

Advantages and limitations

Gantt charts have become a common technique for representing the phases and activities of a project work breakdown structure (WBS), so they can be understood by a wide audience.

A common error made by those who equate Gantt chart design with project design is that they attempt to define the project work breakdown structure at the same time that they define schedule activities. This practice makes it very difficult to follow the 100% Rule. Instead the WBS should be fully defined to follow the 100% Rule, then the project schedule can be designed.

Although a Gantt chart is easily comprehended for small projects that fit on a single sheet or screen, they can become quite unwieldy for projects with more than about 30 activities. Larger Gantt charts may not be suitable for most computer displays. A related criticism is that Gantt charts communicate relatively little information per unit area of display. That is, projects are often considerably more complex than can be communicated effectively with a Gantt chart.

Gantt charts only represent part of the triple constraints of projects, because they focus primarily on schedule management. Moreover, Gantt charts do not represent the size of a project or the relative size of work elements, therefore the magnitude of a behind-schedule condition is easily miscommunicated. If two projects are the same number of days behind schedule, the larger project has a larger impact on resource utilization, yet the Gantt does not represent this difference.

Although project management software can show schedule dependencies as lines between activities, displaying a large number of dependencies may result in a cluttered or unreadable chart.

Because the horizontal bars of a Gantt chart have a fixed height, they can misrepresent the time-phased workload (resource requirements) of a project. In the example shown in this article, Activities E and G appear to be the same size, but in reality they may be orders of magnitude different. A related criticism is that all activities of a Gantt chart show planned workload as constant. In practice, many activities (especially summary elements) have front-loaded or back-loaded work plans, so a Gantt chart with percent-complete shading may actually miscommunicate the true schedule performance status.

webcam

this is the cheapest unibrain webcam I found to buy in UK:

http://store.apple.com/uk/product/TL353ZM/A?mco=NzA4MDMy
it's for £89.95

• Bright (F 2.0), glass elements, 4.3 mm focal length, lens
  
• Sony Wfine 1/4" CCD
  
• Two 400 Mbps FireWire ports
  
• 640x480 video resolution
  
• 30 frames per second
• Mac OS 10.2.5 or higher
  
• Any Mac with 1GHz or faster PowerPC G4, G5 or Intel processor

_____________________________________________

This one would be perfect:
Axis 216MFD-V 0279-003 Indoor Network Camera
the problem: £625.56
otherwise:

Video compression

• Motion JPEG
• MPEG-4 Part 2 (ISO/IEC 14496-2) with motion estimation,
• Profiles: Advanced Simple Profile level 0-5 and Simple
• Profile level 0-3

Resolutions

• 24 resolutions from 1280x1024 to 160x90 via API
• 22 selections via configuration web page

Frame rate

• Motion JPEG: Up to 12 fps at 1280x1024
• 20 fps at 1024x768 (partial scan)
• 30 fps at 800x600 (partial scan)
• MPEG-4: Up to 8 fps at 1280x1024
• 13 fps at 1024x768 (partial scan)
• 20 fps at 800x600 (partial scan)
• Partial scan takes the data from the center region of the sensor and scales it down to present an image at optimal frame rate.

Video streaming

• Simultaneous Motion JPEG and MPEG-4
• Controllable frame rate and bandwidth
• Constant and variable bit rate (MPEG-4)

______________________________________

Logitech QuickCam pro 9000 webcam
review: http://www.photographypress.co.uk/reviews/review.phtml/2172/3196/logitech-quickcam-pro-9000-webcam.phtml
From review:
The only catch however is that while the webcam will work with a Mac, none of the software is Mac compatible.
QuickCam software isn't optimized for Macs, so you're left without the audio and video optimization technology and, less importantly, the goofy video effects and filters.
To buy: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000T5GMJE?ie=UTF8&tag=wwwpockelintc-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=6738&creativeASIN=B000T5GMJE
£44.78
wide angle

Interface Type: USB 2.0; USB cable 6 feet (1,8m)
Carl Zeiss® lens
Autofocus system
Ultra-high resolution 2-megapixel sensor with RightLight™2 Technology
Color depth: 24-bit true color
Video capture: Up to 1600 x 1200 pixels (HD quality) (HD Video 960 x 720 pixels)
Frame rate: Up to 30 frames per second
Still image capture: 8 million pixels (with software enhancement)
Built-in microphone with RightSound™ Technology

C1. The Project Management process

How to translate design strategies and process into a finished result.
This entails planning and coordinating the people, stakeholders and resources necessary to get the project build, on time and within a budget.

Maintaining a good client relationship throughout this process relies on:

• clear, effective and frequent communication
• good design brief
• agreement of defined roles and responsibilities

There are number of questions that must be addressed:

• what is the scope of the project?
• what activities, tasks and resources are needed?
• how much time should be allocated to each step?
• what will the cost be?
• etc.

The ultimate goal is:

• to achieve the best end result possible
• within the timeframe and budget available
• maintain a possitive working relationship throughout

Cost, time and performance
schedule, making sure that project stays on track
needed:

• strong leadership
• good judgement
• ability to make informed decisions

Measures of quality, time and cost:
Quality:

• performance
• features
• reliability
• conformance
• durability
• serviceability
• aesthetics
• perceived quality/reputation
• value for money

Time:

• manufacturing lead time
• due date
• rate of product information
• delivery lead time
• frequency of delivery

Cost:

• manufacturing coost
• value-added
• selling price
• running cost
• service cost
• profit

Project planning
in consultation with the design team and the client contact design manager:

• estimates the amount of work involved on a project
• defines the terms of the contract
• roles and responsibilities will be formally assigned
• both within the client organisation and the design team

Five key areas of activity:
1. design manager ensures:

• the client and design team agree and understand the project brief
• the client and design team agree and understand what will actually be delivered

this is achieved by breaking down the design or project brief into manageable project stages.
manager must make sure:

• the design methodology, process, development and implementation stages are mapped out in the sequence in which they must occur

2. manager should:

• breakdown what needs to be done into smaller tasks
  
• estimate the time needed to complete each one
• identify relationships between tasks
• determine what activities need to occur before another can begin
• the interdependences should be monitored as delays can have serious knock-on effect to later project stages

3. need to be identified:

• project roles
• responsibilities
• lines of communication
• team-management procedures

Also:

• project team should be set up
• design manager need to make sure all parties are aware of their responsibilities
• ensure the time estimated for each stage, and the duration allowed for each task, is realistic
  

4. design manager should identify:

• any additional resources or stakeholder involvement needed
• key milestones such as deadlines, reviews, presentations (useful points to evaluate actual project progression, against the project plan)
  

project review meetings:

• to monitor progress
• internally with the design team
• externally with the client
• combined team meetings

5. design manager should set up:

• a project file
  
• ensure the team understands the system for information flow, documentation, record keeping and administration

manager is responsible for:

• making sure the information flows between the design and client teams
• mediating decisions
• providing leadership and direction
  
• making informed decisions at key stages

Good communication characteristics:

1. ensuring that all sides understand the problem and are fully briefed
2. ensuring that all sides understand each other and are talking the same language
3. ensuring that all sides are always fully informed, sharing problems and solutions
4. encouraging all sides to share experiences and knowledge, especially on details, procedures and knowledge

Project planning tools
software like:

• microsoft project
• basecamp
• filemaker
• design industry standard: gantt chart

This form of bar graph chart is a working document that lists each of the project stages and the tasks to be completed, in order they must be completed.
Also highlights dependences between different activities and stages.

Information highlighted in gantt chart includes:

• a prioritisation list of activities
• the likely duration of tasks from start to finish
• the duration of intervals between tasks
• links and interdependences in relationships between tasks
• critical and non-critical tasks
• key project milestones

A gantt chart is a plan for how a project should run in an ideal world, does not necessarily reflects how the project will run in real life.

gantt charts provide a focus for:

• nonitoring progress
• anticipating how resources are managed
• minimising the chance of pitfalls and delays

Project management benefits
Good project planning and management can make a big difference to whether projects run smoothly and on time and budget, or fall into fire-fighting mode and other difficulties.

also:

• operational benefits
• cricial competitive advantage

_______________________________________

For Major project

what is the scope of the project?
interactive digital wall for tube platform. The final product is an prototype of the wall exhibited at graduate show at uni.

what activities, tasks and resources are needed?
project management, usability testing, game design, iteraction design, concept development, research, coding, technology research, accessability, information architecture, animation, presentation...

how much time should be allocated to each step?
see google calendar and bellow gantt chart. also specified previously per week - the time is set up (deadline) and how we use it is flexible.

what will the cost be?
we are not specifying the cost for this project.

1. manageable project stages
- per week + usability testing dates

2. smaller tasks, the time needed to complete each one, relationships between tasks
- main one selected on the begining, the rest as needed on the go.

3. project roles, responsibilities
- selected on the begining of the project in learning contract.

4. additional resources, key milestones such as deadlines, reviews, presentations
- contacting stakeholders to invite them to the show, material for presentation (show)
- deadline fixed, reviews on the go and during the meetings.

5. project file, documentation, record keeping and administration
- this blog for archiving the progress, this will be also copied into uni wiki, testing gantt chart and basecamp files will be created.

Software
testing basecamp and gantt chart

B11. Visual Communication

The ability to represent ideas visually is key to the design team's ability to communicate with clients, and the siccess of a project.

Some of the forms of visual presentation:

• thumbnails and rough sketches of initial ideas
• finished representational drawings
• computer-generated renderings of a product or concept

Anyone bedding to communicate abstractly would do well to gain confidence in visualising, sketching and paper prototyping.

The ability to draw is critical to designers as it allows them to:

• capture and communicate their ideas in the process of designing
• create final presentation drawings that visualise their end-result
• to communicate within a team conversation or client meeting

Mind mapping
To generate ideas quickly.
They are non-linear representations of abstract words, colours and images, which allow the free flow of ideas by organisation and association.
They are excellent means for generating a wealth of possibilities that, through brainstorming and review, can illustrate and suggest unanticipated relationshiops and potential opportunities.

Whole brain thinking
The right side is holistic, left side analytical.
Managers are frquently stereotyped as being right brain, designers as left brain.
Successful design managers have the ability to see things from both the design and the management perspectives.

Excercise brain thinking:

1. mirror writing
2. double doodle
3. figure of eight

Drawing

• for representing an idea or a series of ideas
• form of visual thinking
• a way to make decisions in the process of creation
  

The best way is to draw quickly, to get an idea down on paper and record it while it is still fresh in the head.

Excercise ways of seeing:

1. core shapes
2. upside-down drawing
3. opposite-hand drawing

Collage
Is a technique of visualising an idea using given or found images.
A useful client excercise:

• put stack of magazines on a table
• ask them to cut pictures and form image boards that represent their perception of situation or customer need
• the visuals then act as a prop around which insight and understanding can be gained

Can reveal latent (skryty) needs that are not explicitly in an initial brief.

Presentations

1. identify your audience: what they are expecting from the presentation, think from their point of view, be empathetic about their expectations, think, what they need to know
2. assemble a presentation material: talk and present with visuals, it makes easier to plan and stage the presentation and describe or explain the thinking behind each step; using prompt cards is better than reading off a page
3. if presenting in a group: outline what the team is going to talk about, introduce each member by name, briefly say what each person will talk about
4. be systematic about the order in which you present your work
5. sum up at the end of the presentation

Articulating the nature of design work
Client presentations are a good opportunity to provide insight not only into a proposed design solution, but also into the nature of the design process itself.
The project presentation should have a ratinale, which explains:

• the design team's approach to the brief
• the nature of the process followed
• how the solution was arrived at

Client presentation:

1. review the brief to ensure that its requirements have actually been addressed
2. communicate the presentation a way that demonstates that you have understood the brief
3. quoting directly from the brief shows you are aware and have paid attention to the business needs of the client organisation
4. outline how you approached the brief and the design direction you pursued: the way the design functions and the appeal or qualities that align the design solution with the client's brand or mission
5. tell the story of your creative process in a way that will generate enthusiasm and excitement about the design solution
6. then go into the detail about particular aspects of the solution (layout, format, materials used...)
7. finish with summary of why you believe the design solution achieves the objectives set in the brief
8. if possible touch on the value design can bring
9. remember to take into account the expectations of your audience, and use language they will understand

_________________________________________________

For Major Project

Mind Mapping
We have used them in the process of idea generation together with brainstorming and storytelling. I thought it is good way of preparation for brainstorming but now I think it's also a good tool to visualise the relevant ideas from brainstorming in the areas they belong to.

Whole brain thinking
During our tutorials at uni I have tested myself which part of the brain I use most and it shown that I use them equally. It supports my interest and abilities, both in management and design. According to article I just read I could be a good design manager.

Drawing
I have studied an art schools and was drawing for many years. I always use it for visualising or sketching ideas to don't forget them even nowadays I spend the most of the time in front of computer.
During the project we were drawing our ideas down all the time to explain them to other team members during meetings. Later on computer based visuals were used too.

Collage
We haven't used this technique as it's very time consuming and we needed on the begining of the project to catch up with time.

Presentation
I'm not sure we will be having a typical presentation we had at the end of projects before. Need to check that.
As I mentioned previously, we have been practising presenting the whole year of MA studies.

Client presentation
This would become relevant in case we would get a chance to present our idea to TFL.

B10. Developing Collaborative Cultures

Organisations that encourage their employees, stakeholders and shareholders to share resources, ideas and innovations are often the ones which deliver products, services and experiences that their customers actually want.

Functional teams
The conventional, hierarchical approach.

• each function or discipline (designers, project managers, account directors etc.) should work in isolation
• good: for sharing discipline-specific knowledge as team members benefit from a cross-fertilisation (oplodneni) of ideas from colleagues working with different clients and in different industry sectors

Client teams
in the design consultancy

• individuals from a range of disciplines or functions can be organised to work together in specific client teams
• advantage: members can immerse themselves in the project problem and maintain a level of confidentiality away from other client teams
• as the teams are multidisciplinary, the client problem can be viewed from different perspectives simultaneously
• benefit: they are isolated from functional units and other day-to-day business concerns or distractions

Project teams
in a client organisation

• people from a range of disciplines or functional units can be organised to work together in specific project teams
• can generate all-important creative spark

Design and innovation
Is it possible to develop a culture of innovation, throughout an organisation, by creating separate innovation team, one that is remote from day-to-day business activities?
Or does the act of collaborating in day-to-day business concerns actually stimulates new responses to organisational challenges?

In some organisations design:

• operates as a separate resource (design team)
• is embedded within several different resources (marketing, new product development etc.)

________________________________________

For Major Project

Our team was generated as a project team. We are team of different disciplines and we work together because of the similar area of the interest (the project is in this area).

B9. Facilitating the Design Process

Design process provides a structured way of performing specific tasks.
Design manager plays important role in making sure information flows to the design team.
Other Design managers role - translating business terms to designers, explaining design terms to clients.

Design Reviews
evaluates the project against the criteria in the brief and the agreed key stages.

Design circles

• small groups of people from throughout the organisation put together to review design
• could be: one person for each part of the design is a member of the design circle (senior dev, senior artworker, senior designer, design manager etc. They all have people working on the project under them, they lead.
• or could be: different departments involved in the project have their small teams circles selected which control the process and each of this groups/circles have one manager (leader) who speaks in the main circle

Stimulating working environments
Important to shield the design team from the unproductive comments of others.
Designers go through periods of divergent (debate and dialogue) and convergent (processing ideas on ones own) thinking.
This requires different environmental conditions:

• open-plan and lively spaces for stimulation
• quiet areas for concentrated thinking

Smart objectives
Design managers are

• making multiple choices and decisions
• accommodating the varying demands of others

It's important to plan and prioritise workloads over the short and the long term.

Setting objectives that are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timed) can:

• guide the decisions made by design managers
• help team members be more effective

It is powerful way to motivate teams to achieve outstanding results.

Smart objectives:
Goals > Priorities

• Specific: Have the expected outcomes been made clear? > Clarify what needs done and when
• Specific: Is the information necessary to complete the task available? > Establish the priority of the task in relation to other tasks. Not knowing what the expected outcome should be leads to poor time management - the team will not be sure of where to focus their skills
• Measurable: How does the task support the organisational goals, and is this measurable? > Clarify the outcomes in quantifiable and qualifiable terms (if possible)
• Measurable: How does the task help customers, or reduce expenses? > Be able to demontrate the relationship between the completed task and the success of the business
• Achievable: Is the task achievable within the time and cost allocated? > Communicate throughout the process. Get support if extra resources are needed to complete the task. If necessary, say no to taking on the task if the resources are not available to succeed.
• Realistic: Are the objectives realistic? > Take into account public and employee holidays. Ensure the team are able to proceed as quickly as it is scheduled.
• Timed: Is there a clearly prioritised and defined schedule for the project? > Ensure a realistic timetable and deadline for the task is agreed with the client.
  

_______________________________________________________

For Major Project

Design reviews
are made regularly to make sure the aims and objectives are still clear and the team is not moving away from them.

SMART objectives
Specific:

• roles, responsibilities, tasks and timetable specified
• priorities are specified generaly in the timetable, each week the next steps for each member and priorities of those tasks are stated more precisely

Measurable:

• the outcomes are stated abstractly in fishbone and why, where, when... and regularly checked that we are keeping with them
• the fysical outcomes are specified: working prototype of the digital wall; in terms of technology used for prototype for degree show they are projectors, sensors etc. and proposal for the future technology use they are flexible screen, sensors etc.
• we are making sure via usability testing and user-centered design (demontrable) that the product helps customers/users
• if there will be spare time we will provide rough finance calculations of the production expenses of the product

Achievable:

• the scale of the project is large/small enough to use the time alocated for the major project is well used and everything is completed in time and in the quality required
• through a discussions we are making sure that we are not extending the project too much that it would andanger the finishing the project in time

Realistic:

• there are no public or other holidays.
  

Timed:

• there is agreement with tutor and regular tutorials to make sure that the project is running smoothly and that tutor is satisfied

B8. Managing Creative Teams

Getting the most of creative teams:

• good communication skills
• delegation skills
• leadership skills
• valuing and respecting the different styles, approaches, talents and skills of all team members

Important:

• formally agreeing roles and responsibilities
• matching the right people and personalities with the right project
• learning to be comfortable with certain level of imprecision

Detrimental:

• stifling creativity by micro-managing, controlling and dominating
• steering a solution in a particular direction before the design team has had the chance to fully uncover the problem and explore new ideas

The key words:

• freedom
  
• focus
• budget

Team-working
Combining:

• right people
• right personalities
• right skills

Design is more about team performance than individual achievement.
Every team member should retain equal responsibility for the outcome of the project and for completing his or her task on time.

To inspire positive team working:

• negotiating
• facilitating
• cooperating
• supporting
• looking for win-win solutions
• congratulating team members for a job well done

Structure, guidance and leadership
Design teams work best when:

• there is a structure
• guidance
• leadership

Structure is agreeing:

• roles
• responsibilities
• tasks
• the timing of design reviews
• decision-making process
• project goals
• deadlines
• milestones

If the structure, budget or timescale is detrimental to the creative process, clear communication with the client will be needed in order to negotiate the benefits of an extension.
To prevent individual tem members undermining the overall goals, design manager needs to excercise formal or informal disciplinary measures.

Guidance is:

• keeping the team informed of changes
• sharing information
• providing feedback
• offering constructive criticism of design ideas
• giving praise where praise is due
• encouraging initiative and responsibility
• drumming-up enthusiasm
• maintaining quality of creative solutions
• encouraging the team to communicate effectively and considerately with each other and those outside the immediate team

Design is a collective process and as such someone needs to be in charge. Design managers needs to provide leadership.

Leadership is:

• promoting the abilities of the design team
• taking responsibility when the situation so demands
• dealing with conflicts quickly and decisively

_______________________________________

For Major Project

All these points are for me to practice and keep in mind when leading the team during the project process.

• The choice of the team members was successful. We are doing well together.
• The team roles and responsibilities were agreed.
  
• Everyone is working within the time given without any special pressure needed.
• I'm trying to keep them inspired, happy and enjoying the project.
• Timing and deadlines were agreed.
• The goals and aims were chosen and agreed.
• We are sharing information, findings, ideas and helping each other where possible.

B7. Competitive Advantage Through Design

Having competitive advantage is vital for organisations in over-saturated markets, and those trying to tap in to new ones.

Classic theories devoted to competitive advantage:

• Michael Porter: low cost, differentiation, focus
• Philip Kotler: quality, service, value

These are becoming standard customer expectations, not distinctive, market-share winning attributes.

Design is obvious and practical way to make products and services more distinctive.

Customisation
is a invaluable way to achieve competitive advantage through design.
It creates 'unique' offers for customers.
With the emergence of new technologies, it is becoming more and more common to see mass customisation.

Speed to market
Getting a product or service to market before the competition.
It involves efficient and effective processes:

• information flow
• management
• actual logistics and operations
• internally: design teams, business units, global satellite offices
• externally: suppliers, partners, customers

Differentiation through design
Distinctive products amake themselves unique.
They can command premium prices if, in the mind of the customer, the difference is considered to be worth of extra cost.
Offers on:

• distinctive qualities
• brand atributes (style, appearance)

Details become important:

• aesthetics
• function
• shape
• each and every design detail
• expectation of quality and experience

Design and work environments
Retaining highly-talented staff is an increasingly critical factor to the success of an organisation.
Providing high-quality working environment is another way that design can add value to an organisation.
Company buildings can reinforce and reflect the brand and simultaniously strengthen the internal culture.
They are becoming more important factors than high salaries in staff retention.

Innovation or improvement?
increasing market share may rely on incremental and continuous evolutionary improvements, rather than revolutionary innovation or invention.
Feedback solicited from customers and users forms:

• improving customer service
• incresing satisfaction
• building customer loyalty

________________________________________

For Major Project

Customisation
Our product itself isn't really customisable but it's content is. As it is digital content, each of the tube companies could require specific functions of the content while keeping the landscape as important part of the psychological help in the underground.

Speed to market
is quite issue as developments in the field of digital media is enormous.

Differentiation through design
The design would use in the later stages the newest technology (flexible displays) which would differentiate it from the other products used on the platforms (paper print, projections).

Design and work environments
n/a

Innovation or improvement?
Innovation

B6. Design Processes

1. define the problem
2. develop a better understanding of the problem
3. conceptualise the problem
4. detail a design solution
5. test or implement

The creative process
Creativity is:

• an approach
• skill
• characteristic
• talent

How we address:

• any situation, problem or opportunity
• in business and life

The creative process itself is the series of events or actions we take in order to produce an imaginative, but relevant way of approaching a challenge.

The five step creative process:

1. Preparation: immersion in a set of problematic issues that are interesting and arouse curiosity
2. Incubation: ideas are churned around, below the level of consciousness, and unusual connections are made
3. Insight: pieces of puzzle begin to fall into place
4. Evaluation: deciding which insight is most valuable and worth pushing
5. Elaboration: turning the insight into something real

The ability to adapt to changing conditions encountered along the way, and to make mistakes and backtrack if necessary, is all part of this creative process of discovery.


Iterative processes


Design processes are difficult to standarise because:

• of their iterative, non-linear nature
• the needs of clients and users are different
• real life, with its changing market conditions and customer preferences, is much more dynamic, chaotic and fuzzy than a standard model can accomodate
  

Design team must:

• reach eventually a cut-off point
• commit to an agreed direction
• reduce the level of exploration and development of new ideas
• set the deadline is matter of experience and judgment

Standarised processes

• have a defined set of project steps
• a timeframe
• a known, or at least expected, outcome, one that complies with an agreed checklist of performance criteria

They raise levels of:

• quality
• safety
• efficiency

They can help:

• find ways to optimise production processes
• in communicating performance results against time and cost issues
• improve organisations performance and efficiency

If followed too rigidly, they can result in:

• uninspiring 'assembly-line' solutions
• little dialogue or dabate between teams
• uninteresting results

Customised processes
Are more detailed and so are better suited to specific/individual needs.
They usually combine standard aspects with customised ones.

Design processes as a service offer
Within an organisation, certain processes may be unique to it for strategic reasons, and therefore need to remain confidential.
Other s can be sold as a consultancy offer.

_________________________________________

For Major project
As our project is 'discovery' itself, the Creative process suits it the best.

Preparation
Using the Storytelling technique we have listed a set of problematic and interesting issues on London tube platforms which we could find out or think of. It also shown possible solutions.

Incubation
Using brainstorm we have put down any possible, relevant or irrelevant ideas. We were looking into connecting the ideas in new, innovative or interesting way.

Insight
The analysis of the brainstorm was made and selected the most interesting and relevant solutions.

Evaluation
The best solution was chosen.

Elaboration
The process of final prototype has begone.

B5. Design Methods

Design methods help build trust in the client-design team relationship.
they allow members of both parties to explore the challenges presented by a particular brief or project in a loosely structured, but engaging way.

IDEO method cards
are intended as inspiration for practising and aspiring designers, as well as those seeking a creative spark in their work.
They have been adapted from a variety of established human and social research methods.
They are not prescriptive nor exhaustive 'how to' for human centred design, as a new methods are being developed, adapted and applied all the time.

Categories:

1. Learn: analyse the information collected to identify patterns and insights (conducting activity analysis, character profiles, competitive-product survey, secondary research)
2. Look: observe people to discover what they do rather than what they say they do (compile a day-in-the-life scenario, shadow a consumer, record extended periods of consumer behaviour using a time-lapse video)
3. Ask: enlist people's help to elicit information that is relevant to your ptoject (ask a participant to create camera journal, draw their own user experience)
4. Try: create simulations to help emphathise with people and evaluate proposed designs (paper prototyping, role-playing)

The sustainability issue map
by company A420
It provides design teams with an introduvction to the complex subject of sustainability.
The poster-format map visualises three sudtainability dimensions that design teams must deal with: contexts, agendas and issues.

Sustainability dimensions:

1. Contexts: Design doesn't work in issolation. Map shows: how a design team can contribute to the creation of more sustainable (udrzitelny) business, which will, in turn, create a more sustainable world
2. Agendas: Sustainability is all about conflict. Map shows: that the key challenge for design teams is balancing the four competing agendas of sustainability - financial, social, environmental, personal
3. Issues: Design teams must negotiate complexity. Map shows: that in order to balance the four agendas, a wider range of relevant issues must first be addressed. By dealing with the seissues in relation to all four agendas, design teams will not only gain a better understanding of sustainability, but also of design

In the form of scatter graph, which can be used to clearly identify the issues of any design project.
Each map has two essential features: the agenda axes and the distribution pattern.
The function is to reveal imbalances across competing agendas.

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For Major Project

Both - the IDEO cards and the map need to be purchased to use.
We haven't used them for that reason.
The IDEO cards are list of possible methods to use, so we didn't use the cards but we definitelly used some of the methods they are proposing.

B4. Initiating Design Projects

Designers rarely take a problem as given but by asking questions they explore the range of contexts, issues and agendas at work in any given situation.
More viable solution is achievable by:

• questioning assumptions
• taking into account the varying needs and desires of different stakeholders, business units and users

Brainstorming

• usually involve the key stakeholders within the organisation
• are used to gain familiarity
• gather initial material
• collect variety of viewpoints from within the client organisation
• helps to define the crux of the problem or produce new ways to view it

Prototyping

• describes the use of physical material to simulate or test a design
• Forms: dummy spaces, products, objects, scale models
• for generating feedback early
• raise latent issues that are not explicitly stated in the design brief

Role playing

• the design team might act out or role play the process
• to understand what the experience is like for both the customer and the staff
• to understand the design problem better and so better inform their solution to it

Observation

• better understanding how people do things by watching their actions
• watching: over the day to learn about the frequency of use (rush hour versus lunchtime etc.)
• watching: the types of users (different ages, level of mobility)
• watching: different types of demand etc...

Architectural programing

• method used at the beginning of a building project
• using a systematic search to source the information needed to clarify, understand and state the design problem, the requirements that the building solution must meet

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For Major Project
We are using all the methods except architectural programing to identify problems, ideas and possible solutions:

Brainstorming
was used to generate larger view of the area and users and also to generate ideas for the product itself.

Prototyping
is the main part of our usability testing. We are going to test concept, types of games, space, sensors, the final product is prototype itself.

Role playing
is used when we are creating the first test in the real space with the cameras, projectors etc. We are creating the dimensions of the platform and the wall in the classroom to see how would the real wall interact, how the sensors are working, how large area they reach, how big picture we could project with one projector, feeling of the space etc.

Observation
was done on the platform of London tube observing people and their behaviour, also where new projectors placed how people react to projected advertisement, how they pay attention etc.

B3. Expressing the Brand Through Design

A brand provides both clarity and vision
A brand identifier (usually a logo) is a symbol of this clarity and vision

Brands manifest themselves in the:

• products
• services
• sites
• experiences of the organisation

TOP-DOWN
Design can:

• add value through making a brand more visible and tangible
• help build the reputation of a brand through customer touch points (product designs, retail shops, offices, advertising material, websites)

BOTTOM-UP
Organisation puts the user at the center of their design process and business offers by:

1. observing user habits
2. the unmet need acts as the starting point for innovation
3. the design is a solution around needs and desires of the user

To promote the brand:

• If the business attempt to sell customers through different channels (radio, television, customer services, retail spaces), it's necessary to use the same, consistent brand values
• If brand 'stretched' into a new area, existing brand recognition can be leveraged

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For Major Project

TFL brand is established, would be used in the design and new elements would be added in correspondency with it.

B2. Increasing awareness with Design

Inside of organisation
Growing design awareness means embeding design into the mindset of the organisation so that it can be seen as:

• a way of thinking, not just a business resource
• an investment, not an expense
• a set of problem-solving tools, not just a means of implementations

Design can contribute to idea generation in partnership with:

• business units
• functional groups
• suppliers
• individuals
• customers

It may mean:

• hosting internal training workshops and presentations in design awareness and design thinking for senior, middle, line and project managers
  
• using brainstroming workshops
  

Outside of organisation
For the design managerof the organisation:

• it's worth of investing time in improving the team's understanding and awareness of the organisation's objectives and strategic, business-unit and project levels

For the design consultancy:

• conversations with the client are a way to understand more about the challenges they face, as an organisation and as individuals, for example by providing case studies that benchmark the client against their competitors
  

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For Major Project

Case studies could be helpful when talking to TFL and for future development of the project, in this stage of the project we have no meetings with client to raise awareness (Rob is aware and TFL isn't client yet)

What is Business case

From wikipedia:

The purpose of a business case is to capture the reasoning for initiating a project or task. It is often presented in a well-structured written document, but may also sometimes come in the form of a short verbal argumentation. The logic of the business case is that, whenever resources such as money or effort are consumed, they should be in support of the business. An example could be that a software upgrade might improve system performance but the "business case" is that better performance would improve customer satisfaction.

Business cases can range from comprehensive and highly structured, as required by formal project management methodologies, to informal and brief, such as the example above. Information included in a formal business case could be the background of the project, the expected business benefits, the options considered (with reasons for rejecting or carrying forward each option), the expected costs of the project, a gap analysis and the expected risks. Consideration should also be given to the option of doing nothing including the costs and risks of inactivity. From this information, the justification for the project is derived.

At various stages in the project, the business case should be reviewed to ensure that:

• The justification is still valid,
• The project will deliver the solution to the business need.

The result of a review may be the termination or amendment of the project. The business case may also be subject to amendment if the review concludes that the business need has abated or changed, this will have a knock on effect on the project.

Formal Business Cases

Formal business cases are evaluated to ensure:

• the investment has value and importance
• the project will be properly managed
• the firm has the capability to deliver the benefits
• the firm’s dedicated resources are working on the highest value opportunities
• projects with inter-dependencies are undertaken in the optimum sequence.

Objectives

The Business Case Process should ensure:

• the required issues have been thoroughly considered and documented
• sufficient information to facilitate fair evaluations of different proposals is available
• both the value and risks inherent in the proposed project are clear
• the project is sponsored by, and has the commitment of, an executive with the capability and authority to deliver the benefits
• the delivery of the outcomes and benefits can be traced and measured.

The Business Case Process should be designed to be:

• adaptable - tailored to the size and risk of the proposal
• consistent - the same basic business issues are addressed by every project
• business oriented - concerned with the business capabilities and impact, rather than having a technical focus
• comprehensive - includes all factors relevant to a complete evaluation
• understandable - the contents are clearly relevant, logical and, although demanding, are simple to complete and evaluate
• measurable - all key aspects can be quantified so their achievement can be tracked and measured
• transparent - key elements can be justified directly
• accountable - accountabilities and commitments for the delivery of benefits and management of costs are clear.

The principal purposes of the formal business case process are:

• introduce a way of thinking that causes people with the authority to recommend projects to firstly consider their value, risk and relative priority as a fundamental element of submitting the project proposal
• require those proposing a project to justify its value to the firm and to self-cull any proposals that are not of demonstrable value
• enable management to determine if the project proposed is of value to the business and achievable compared to the relative merits of alternative proposals.
• enable management to objectively measure the subsequent achievement of the business case’s benefits.

Generating a business case

Generation of the Business Case should not be mechanical. Indeed, the case must demonstrate that: the issues have been thought through, the full benefits will be realised on time, any technical aspects have been thoroughly evaluated and costed, and track and measure their achievement.

(For any IT project it is unlikely that any significant proposal would be submitted to the Executive Management Team for approval without both the business sponsor and the head of IT agreeing on the merit of the proposal.)

A business case should contain some or all of the following information types (depending on the size, timing, scale and availability of information):

• Reference - Project name/reference, Origins/background/current state
• Context - Business objectives/opportunities, Business strategic alignment (priority)
• Value Proposition - Desired business outcomes, Outcomes roadmap, Business benefits (by outcome), Quantified benefits value, Costs/ROI Financial scenarios, Risks/costs of not proceeding, Project risks (to project, benefits and business)
• Focus - Problem/solution scope, Assumptions/constraints, Options identified/evaluated, Size, scale and complexity assessment
• Deliverables - Outcomes, deliverables and benefits planned, Organizational areas impacted (internally and externally), Key stakeholders, Dependencies
• Workload - Approach, Phase/stage definitions (Project (change) activities, Technical delivery activities, Workload estimate/breakdown, Project plan and schedule, Critical path)
• Required resources - Project leadership team, Project governance team, Team resources, Funding
• Commitments (required) - Project controls, Reporting processes, Deliverables schedule, Financial budget/schedule