Wednesday, 20 June 2007

Adaptive Path Workshop - Day 3


Today was the third day of the Adaptive Path Workshop in Amsterdam. Dan Saffer was sharing some of his advanced interaction design thoughts and it got very intense indeed!

We were exploring the "miracle that occurs here".

It was fascinating to get a glimpse at the different ways in which the various designers approach design, and the very different results this produces. (I actually quite liked our group's elegant solution to the multiple-device-integration-exercise :-).

Dan's exploration into the way we think and methods of influencing our thought process to achieve an innovative, creative and elegant solution was very interesting. Certainly gave me plenty food for thought on approaching my favorite activity, ideation and visualization of innovative concepts. Still trying to figure out how to avoid that common pitfall, though, of clients mistaking early concept designs for final product specs.

A reassuring thought (for me at any rate!) was that we learn most from our mistakes, and that innovation follows failure.

In the end however, as Dan pointed out, it all comes down to informed guesswork, supported by good research, empathy for the users, as well as the design team's talent and experience: "Good designers have good hunches. They make good guesses."

It's our job to come up with the best design, given the circumstances, and make it happen!


Day 3, Exercise 2
Originally uploaded by Antje Roestenburg

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