Chapter 1. The Design Process (IDMEC) FREE
When designers solve a problem or meet a need, they follow a step-by-step method called the design process. In South African Technology it is often remembered by five steps: Investigate, Design, Make, Evaluate and Communicate (IDMEC).
The five steps
In the Investigate step, you find out about the problem and what already exists, and write a design brief, a short statement of the problem and what must be made. In the Design step, you think of several ideas, draw them and choose the best, setting out the specifications (what the product must do) and constraints (limits such as cost, time and materials). In the Make step, you build the product safely with suitable tools and materials. In the Evaluate step, you test the product against the design brief and ask how it can be improved. Throughout, you Communicate your ideas, usually with drawings.
It is not always a straight line
The design process is often a cycle rather than a straight line. After evaluating, a designer may go back to an earlier step to improve the design. This is a normal and useful part of designing.
Worked example
A learner is asked to design a stand to hold a cellphone. She first finds out what stands already exist and writes a design brief. Which step is she busy with? The Investigate step, because she is gathering information and stating the problem.
Common errors
- Thinking the steps can only be done once in a fixed order. Designers often repeat steps to improve.
- Confusing specifications (what the product must do) with constraints (the limits).
- Forgetting that communicating happens throughout, not only at the end.
Practice
- Name the five steps of the design process.
- What is a design brief?
- What is the difference between specifications and constraints?
Solutions
- Investigate, Design, Make, Evaluate and Communicate.
- A short statement of the problem and what must be made.
- Specifications are what the product must do; constraints are the limits, such as cost and materials.
Summary
The design process is the step-by-step method used to solve problems and meet needs: Investigate, Design, Make, Evaluate and Communicate. A design brief states the problem, specifications say what the product must do, and constraints are the limits. The process is a cycle, so designers often return to earlier steps to improve their work.