
In addition, the cognitive approach of the designer will affect the approach: Not all designs will be approached in the same way: Similarly, the level of detail required and the method of presentation adopted may influence the strategy that is followed. A client that adopts a quantitative approach to assessing design proposals may elicit a different solution from one that adopts a qualitative approach. For example, a design competition may produce a different result from a traditional appointment for the same brief. The method of assessment will also influence the approach.

SYSTEM DESIGNER CONTRACT SERIES

Matters are further complicated by the fact that the approach designers say they take to design is very often different to what they actually do.įor more information see: Design methodology. While it can be relatively easy to explain from contractual and technical perspectives, as a series of stages through which the level of detail increases – and fairly straight forward to describe the output of design in terms of drawings, styles, typologies, or components, the creative process itself remains elusive. When considering buildings, it is extremely difficult to describe what the design process actually is. For more information, see Design principles and Architectural styles. This process can be supplemented by the adoption of specific design principles such as balance, unity, movement, emphasis, contrast, space and alignment, or by the adoption or pre-existing stylistic solutions. In order to create a harmonious solution, the building design process must rationalise a series of different and sometimes contradictory requirements that include aesthetics, the brief, budget, structure, regulations, climate, weather, security, privacy and so on. For example, the design of a manufacturing component may require a completely functional response that is driven by speed, performance and cost. Whilst the objective of some design processes may include an aesthetic outcome – as say in painting, architecture and photography – this is not always the case. At the end of each iteration, the outputs are reviewed and then the process may have to begin again. These can then be used to enable items to be created or issues resolved.ĭesign can be seen as an iterative process where, at each iteration, there are inputs, there is a design process and then there are outputs.
