Design Terms Flashcards
Aesthetic Values
Features of a product which are visually pleasing or satisfying. Could relate to form (size/shape), colour, integrity, purity, balance…
Fitness for purpose
Suitability for the intended use. Could also be described as function or performance
Fixation
Pursuing the most obvious solution, or one that already exists. Being blind to alternatives. Innovation is blocked.
Synthesis
The combining of separate elements to form a coherent whole
Inversion
Needs-first, rather than product-first. Examining the customer need and developing a product/technology
Morphological analysis/charts
A method used to generate ideas in an analytical and systematic manner, taking the functions of a product as the starting point.
Lateral thinking
Using an indirect and creative approach using reasoning that is not immediately obvious. Thinking ‘outside the box’. Looking at things from another perspective.
Innovation
The act of introducing a new idea or product and putting it to practical use. Often involves technical change. From the latin ‘novel’.
User centred design
Putting the end user at the centre of every decision made during the design process, focussing on user needs.
Ergonomics
Exploring how humans interact with products and environments.
Anthropometrics
The study of data and statistics (dimensions, weights, forces) associated with the human form.
SCAMPER
A lateral thinking technique: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Modify (minify, magnify), Put to another use, Eliminate, Reverse.
