The Softer Side of Design

Ever wondered what kind of thinking (sometimes, I wonder if any) goes into making new stuff? 

Well, here's a a few of the 'softer' tools used in industrial design to make better stuff. 

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Deep dives
Exploration into behaviors, trends, unmet needs, and aspirations for the purpose of developing people-centered innovation strategies around an experience topic.

Usability Studies
Benchmarking product ideas against user defined criteria.

Trend Mapping
Tracking trends in social, cultural, technological, and aesthetic domains.

Co-creation Workshops
Helping cross-functional teams synchronize their vision for innovation.

Ethnography
Observing and documenting people and their behaviors in their natural environment.

Participatory Design
Engaging your consumers in hands-on activities that enable them to imagine and express their desired solutions.

Flash Immersion
Exposing product innovation teams into the context of use followed by fast track brainstorming.

Deployment Studies
Evaluating the potential impact of new technologies or products by deploying them in the context of use and then studying how people use them over an extended period of time.