Breathing life back into your design process.

Published 20070522 by Olivier Blanchard | E-mail this post

Dave Armano offers this brilliant little bit of insight for designers. Yeah, simple, okay... but how many of us actually go out into the world on a regular basis and do this? I used to do it a lot more than I do now... and that needs to change.

Just remember that your designs will live out there... so they might as well be born out there as well. (It all works out for the best in the end.)

Per Dave:

1. Get out of the office
Put down that design magazine and boxes+arrows article. Go out into the real world. Watch. Listen. Observe.

2. Talk to someone
Talk to the people you are designing for. Chances are you won’t be able to relate to them at first. When you get to this point—then you know you’re doing something right. [Don't just rely on market research and focus groups. Actually go out and talk to people. - Olivier]

3. Eat, sleep, dream curiosity
Be curious. Be very curious. Don’t know how? Find yourself a five-year-old, and hang out with them for a while. Then ask the same questions they do.

4. Do what they do
Are you designing for stay-at-home moms? Take the day off and go to a park. Hover around schools during drop off time. Walk a mile in their shoes. Better yet, just walk with them.

Good stuff.

Have a great Tuesday. Oh, and check out the Archetypes & Branding post if you haven't already. It's pretty sweet!

Labels: curiosity, design, inspiration