1. Informatics 121 Software Design I
Lecture 12
Duplication of course material for any commercial purpose without the explicit written permission of the professor is prohibited.

2. Difficulty #1: problem, solution, change
The understanding of a design problem goes hand-in-hand with the understanding of its design solution
This understanding may well change, sometimes dramatically so, during the design project
The challenge is to anticipate this volatility and identify and focus on the essence of the design problem at hand

3. Difficulty #2: success, failure, tradeoffs
A design’s success is not absolute, but judged relative to other possible designs that could have been made
A designer must deal with tradeoffs all the time, and cannot make all stakeholders equally satisfied with the change in the world
The challenge is to identify and address key tradeoffs early

4. Difficulty #3: quality, cost, time
There is no optimal solution to a design problem, designers must find a solution that is good enough
The challenge is to find key quality and cost considerations early

5. Difficulty #4: longevity
A change in the world may last for a very long time…
…and may well need to accommodate future changes in the world
The challenge is to identify and balance present needs with future possibilities

6. Focus on essence and tradeoffs
Thou shall focus on the difficult parts first
Thou shall focus on the difficult parts second
Thou shall focus on the difficult parts third …

7. Focus on essence and tradeoffs
Thou shall focus on the difficult parts first
Thou shall focus on the difficult parts second
Thou shall focus on the difficult parts third …
What are the most important decision points, what are your options, and how do the options relate?

8. Design techniques Brainstorm Divide and conquer
Divergence – transformation – convergence
Envisioning cards
Research

9. Design techniques Study the user Weighted objectives Storyboarding
Personas …

10. Weighted sums Factor Weight Solution 1 Solution 2 Portability 0.1 5 3
Feasibility 8 4
Target age group
0.3
Evolving content
0.2 6
Long-term use
Fun
Total 1
3.9
4.9

11. Weighted sums Factor Weight Solution 1 Solution 2 Portability 0.1 5 3
Feasibility 4
Target age group
0.3 8
Evolving content
0.2
Long-term use
Fun
Total 1
4.9
3.7

12. Design studio 3
Benefactor Z has come to UC Irvine with a check for $1M to support the development of a new app for 60 to 70 year olds
Benefactor Z knows that, rather than her proposing the kind of app, she is better served by running this as a competition and getting a broad range of ideas from which she then can choose
Benefactor Z is particularly interested in forward thinking apps; apps that will really make a difference 2-5 years from now

13. Design studio 3
Your team is tasked with designing a novel app that explicitly aims to address its intended audience: people 60 to 70 year old

14. Design studio 3 – assignment
Research existing apps for this age range, what they can and cannot do, what kinds of functionality they provide and not, and where the “holes” in this app landscape are
Talk to at least 20 different people for whom an app might be beneficial, and learn from them what they might and might not want

15. Today Pick one of your three application domains
Identify the key desired factors
what are the desired decision points?
what are the options?
Brainstorm alternative solutions
Keep track of and compare the solutions using weighted sums