Visual Communication TVKK12 - The Design Process & Creativity
Fundamentals of Creativity in Design
Definition of Creativity: - Creativity is defined as the ability to produce work that is original, novel, and useful. - It is a universal human capacity, not limited to specific individuals, though it is highly context-dependent. - It involves the interaction of three key elements: ability, process, and environment. - The ultimate goal of creativity in a design context is for an individual or group to produce a product that serves a purpose within a social context.
Course Overview: - Course Code: TVKK12. - Credits: credits. - Institution: Jönköping University, 2026. - Subject: Visual Communication – The Design Process & Creativity (Part 1 of 2).
The Necessity of a Structured Design Process
Counteracting Cognitive Bias and Overconfidence: - Designers' instincts are often influenced by prior experiences, personal tastes, or dominant mental models rather than the actual needs of the users. - A structured process is explicitly designed to reduce these biases and ensure the design remains user-centered.
Making Creativity Systematic and Repeatable: - Inspiration is viewed as unreliable and "accidental." - A formal process makes creative outcomes less dependent on an individual's mood or flashes of brilliance. - It allows for consistent outcomes even when working under strict constraints.
Support for Collaboration and Learning: - A structured process separates the framing of the problem from the generation of the solution. - It facilitates better collaboration among team members. - It creates an environment where learning from failures is integrated into the workflow.
Karl Aspelund’s Seven-Stage Design Process
Karl Aspelund's framework (as outlined in The Design Process, 3rd Edition, ISBN: 9781609018382) consists of seven distinct stages:
Stage 1: Inspiration - Designers should not wait for inspiration; they must actively seek it. - The Collector of Impulses: Designers should make a point of experiencing, seeing, and listening to new things regularly to build a library of mental references. - Cultural References: David Bowie is quoted saying, "The only art I’ll ever study is stuff that I can steal from." This aligns with Austin Kleon's books Steal Like an Artist (10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative) and Show Your Work! (10 Ways to Share Your Creativity and Get Discovered). - Research: If an assignment falls outside a designer's comfort range, research becomes the primary tool for inspiration. - Caveat: Inspiration and research are not ends in themselves. Philosophizing about an idea is different from creating a tangible, useful product.
Stage 2: Identification - This stage involves identifying the nature of the project. It may be: - A project brief requested by a client. - A self-directed new design. - An improvement on an older design. - Constraints: Design depends heavily on constraints, which can be inherent or imposed. Common constraints include: - Price/Budget. - Size and Scale. - Physical strength and balance. - Surface and material qualities. - Time/Deadlines. - Parkinson’s Law: "All work expands to fill available time." - Aesthetics vs. Function: Strict functionalists may ignore aesthetics, but aesthetic appeal can be a functional requirement in itself. - Budgeting Management: It is standard practice to add to a budget to account for "unknowns," based on the designer's experience.
Stage 3: Conceptualization - This stage requires developing a thought structure to explain the unknown/unseen using known elemental images. - Brainstorming: This is the process of playing with all available ideas and thoughts to create connections freely without the fear of making mistakes. - Designers must find ways to describe and explain designs that do not yet exist or have never existed.
Stage 4: Exploration and Refinement - The process transitions from broad brainstorming to a focused, solution-oriented state. - Tools become more tailored toward a specific result, primarily through sketching. - The Role of Sketching: - Used to explore the possibilities inherent in an idea. - Acts as a language for a dialogue between the designer and others to communicate the idea. - Hierarchy of Conveying Information: Sketches should prioritize conveying information first, then emotion, and finally a sense of reality. They do not need to meet the standards of "fine art."
Stage 5: Definition and Modeling - The project moves from exploration to a physical embodiment in the world. - The emphasis is on precision and exactness. - Functions of the Model: - The model is a representation of the real thing, but not the final product itself. - It is used to demonstrate the design to clients and invite them into the process. - Clarity in Presentation: Designers must declare upfront whether a mock-up is intended to show the look, the function, or both, to avoid confusion.
Stage 6: Communication - Clear communication is the designer's primary responsibility. - Designers must consider the Who, What, How, and Why of their communication. - The Performance: A design presentation should be prepared as a performance. - Client Interaction: Part of communication is showing the client that their actual needs might differ from their stated wants. - Reference: "Clients from Hell" stories highlight industry struggles, such as clients demanding the removal of whitespace or requesting impossible video edits (e.g., 387 photos in a 2-minute video).
Stage 7: Production - Working with a production team requires respect for their specialized expertise, as collaborators often know more about certain subjects than the designer. - Managing Feedback: One cannot please everyone. Criticism should be evaluated based on how it connects to the needs of clients and end-users. - Real-World Factors: Production often involves late changes and compromises due to budget constraints, schedule shifts, and navigating unexplored territory.
Course Assignment and Conclusion
Report Requirement: Due 12/5.
Task: A 4-5 page report documenting the design process for the Brand Book project.
Instruction: Select an established process (such as Aspelund’s) and document each step taken.
Evaluation Criteria: Assessment is based on the intention behind design decisions and how well those intentions were documented.
Final Advice: "Trust the process" and avoid waiting until the deadline to finalize work.