Jim, I think we totally agree on the apprenticeship model as a key approach to training young designers. And I think we also agree on the use of design patterns as a means of teaching/learning/building/sharing design knowledge. In fact, design patterns can (and should) be seen as an effort to encode and formalize the sort of situational design knowledge that is internalized by design experts. Finally, I do take your point that the expertise you are referring to is the ability to rapidly design successful solutions. I would only add that this expertise is (inter)dependent on, if not expertise, then at least a level of exposure to, a critical mass of related design and problem domains.
Robert. Robert Reimann IxDA Seattle Associate Creative Director frog design Seattle, WA On Tue, Jan 27, 2009 at 4:40 PM, Jim Leftwich <jl...@orbitnet.com> wrote: > I concur wholeheartedly with many of your observations here, Robert. > That's why I most offten use the words "philosophy" and > "approach" much more than "method" (which implies a particular > methodology). > > I also agree that many designers that work in this manner, and > successfully take on projects and challenges that require a great > deal of experience, judgement, and complex interrelated > decision-making (often across a wide range of products, systems, and > services) have indeed internalized much of their skills over time. > > And that's why I suggested in my initial post that this approach to > design is crucially dependent upon apprenticeship and junior > teammember type working relationships. It's through these type of > side-by-side design-in-real-situations that these complex and dynamic > skillsets and judgement abilities are demonstrated, practiced, > discussed, iterated, and honed over time. > > This is how most "expertise" in many fields is gained. A good > starting foundation is, of course, incredibly valuable. And any and > all means of obtaining insights, information, and knowledge about all > the stakeholding aspects of any project are always helpful. > > However, there are also many patterns and known solution fields from > which new solutions to complex problems can be drawn and applied, and > this is where RED delivers success. > > I should also underscore that while "expert" can refer to expertise > in particular domains (say for example 'mobile phone operating system > experience frameworks' or 'handheld medical equipment' or > 'web-based commerce transaction systems', etc.), RED is first and > foremost about expertise in rapidly designing successful solutions to > a range of projects, problems, and challenges. > > ________________________________________________________________ Welcome to the Interaction Design Association (IxDA)! To post to this list ....... disc...@ixda.org Unsubscribe ................ http://www.ixda.org/unsubscribe List Guidelines ............ http://www.ixda.org/guidelines List Help .................. http://www.ixda.org/help
