Design: Simultaneous Processing

Though the title might look technical the subject I want to talk is not. Though what I write may be a bizarrely philosophical; that it means may not be so absurd. They are all a reflections of my thinking both about UIs and Design in general. Design - I’m sure you will agree - is a continuous learning. Every project/product thrown up different challenges; so every new project is built on the experience and learning of the previous one. So one should keep their ears, eyes and more important the mindopen to learning. Writing is my way of learning.

Let’s come to the point. Why do I say ‘Design as Simultaneous Process’?? any thoughts?

Taking UI Design as an example; lets try to see what builds it – there are two primary aspects Communication and Experience. The main aim of UI is to help human operator to communicate with the machine; but at the same time this communication should be interesting and engaging for the human operator. This helps him in doing his work efficiently and effectively. Now the big challenge is both communication and experience should be in sync. What do I mean? What I mean is if either of the two are lacking in their role; the over all communication and experience is not achieved. Which means a FAILURE OF DESIGN. So as a designer one needs to do parallel or simultaneous processing – taking care that 'both' not only individually are efficient but when they combine together also create a greater impact. Communication is supported by experience and vice versa. Which one will dominate or if they be equal will depend on the ‘Context of usage’ of the application. If design is good in experience but bad in communication it fails and vice versa

Its here that my earlier thought about Research and Design fits in; communication is one which is driven more by research while experience is what is more driven by creativity. Now you would ask where will I place Interaction design or Visual design or even elements like navigation etc; what category are they – Communication or Experience? Well; they lie in both; every element has both communication value and experience value.

Isn’t it complex? Yes it is. That’s where the knowledge of a designer comes into picture. The more and more parameters a designer can process the better and more complete design he can make. If I can think of 1000 parameters at one time; means that I am taking all those 1000 criteria for designing and that I’m designing for those 1000 parameters. This should ensure that the design has taken care of those 1000 criteria. These criteras are nothing by parameters; mentions in my earlier post.

Pheew. That’s why I call it Simultaneous Processing.

Looking at in a very detailed level – the UIs is a set of elements. Not only do the individual elements have to be good but when they combine with other elements in the UI - the whole UI also should look good. Same is the case with products – if the packaging is not good; even if the item inside is good; people wont like to buy it; is the packaging is good but the item is not good them; they might buy it once; but they wont buy it later.

Thus design is complete system; to work effectively it has to take care of each and every element – Simultaneous Processing.

There are Processes which break all this into disciplines - Interaction, Visual etc. But what I talk is not UCD Process but an 'Approach' to design. Approach should be to design for all the parameters available rather that dividing it into sub part. No doubt with division we can make the design process simpler; but it compromises the completeness. Individual design disciplines can care for their own part but even in UCD Process there could be people who should think about the connections - the over all design.