This document provides an overview of a conceptual models course taken by students Kim Dowd, Chongho Lee, and Scott Sykora, taught by Miso Kim in spring 2011 at Carnegie Mellon University. It outlines the process the students took to develop 3D models, including brainstorming related to islands, narrowing topics to design-focused areas, and exploring how to visually tell stories through the models. Drafts and inspirations for two models are mentioned, focusing on capturing small designer experiences and using pixel art to engage other designers.

1. Design Island
students
kim dowd
chongho lee
scott sykora
teacher
miso kim
course
conceptual models
carnegie mellon university
spring 2011

2. Spider diagramming everything related to an island ever!

3. Narrowing down to affinity diagrams of design related things.

4. Focusing on the funny little moments we experience as designers.

5. What are all the disciplines?

6. How is this all related?

7. How can this be 3D and tell a visual story?

8. WWDBS (What Would Dick Buchanan Say?)

9. First draft of Model 1. The placement seems so... random.

10. Visual research for Model 2.
3d Illustration with texture
Random
flat projection
LEGO ART PIXEL ART
Possible Logoforms for
items in the model
Line Art Physcial Art

11. Inspiration for Model 2 – fun with Pixel Art!

12. First draft of Model 2. Pixel art will draw in an audience of designers.

13. Exploration of Model 1 arrangements.

14. Exploration of Model 2 visuals

15. DESIGN
“ Design is the human power of conceiving, planning, and bringing to reality all of the products that serve
human beings in the accomplishment of their individual and collective purposes.” — Dick Buchanan
how the tribes connect
Strategic Designers…
consider ponder cultivate
long term change Long term change begins innovation
short term change with asking the right wholistic thinking
questions to the right people.
systematic approaches
The designers role is
strategic planning to facilitate conversations.
qualitative & quantitative
variables
HUMAN
BUSINESS practice create COMPUTER
Game Designers… Service Designers…
empathy for customers problem resolution strategies INTERACTION
empathy for employees within businesses
customer shadowing
conversational
consider ponder cultivate problem solving consider ponder cultivate
level design A game is a problem-solving listening needs Services come to existence systems thinking
virtual worlds activity, approached with service provider at the same moment they are empathy for customer
a playful attitude. being provided and used.
mechanics & technology experience
The game is NOT the experience. Its like an improv performance.
aesthetics & story The game enables the experience. touchpoints You can’t always predict what
fun actors the customers will do.
game balance behavioral scripts
interest curve systems
practice create practice create
agile development games empathy for customers service blueprints
iterative designs empathy for employees
open beta testing customer shadowing
playtesting conversational
problem solving
Person to
Cosmos
environments
systems
ideas
cultures
Person to values
Person to
Object Environment
FINE ART Communication Designers… Interaction Designers… ARCHITECTURE
signs activities
symbols services
words planning
consider ponder cultivate images processes consider ponder cultivate
message & meaning Data plus organization empathy for the user Object needs Experience is everything. empathy for user
yields information. If user views
rhetoric & narrative structure
information and personally
meaning making
to Object stories The medium of design is time,
for experience happens over time.
channel connects with it, becomes behavior of interactive systems
audience understanding. If a user integrates relationships between I am not the user.
voice this knowledge into his or her people, products & services
life, it becomes wisdom. user’s worldview
color, grid, typography
sound physical objects systems
practice create practice create
sketching presentations directed storytelling software interfaces
layout logos wireframing applications
production videos needs validation information systems
advertisements brainstorming physical products
magazines user testing environments
websites rapid prototyping services
books synthesis systems
Industrial Designers… Web Designers…
consider ponder cultivate consider ponder cultivate
form Should one million of empathy for the user grids & templates What is the grid? client symbiosis COGNITIVE
ANTHROPOLOGY texture & color these exist in the world? a/b testing How strong is the call to action?
context of use How will people feel about button styles Where will people click?
SCIENCES
this object in ten days, ten
manufacturing months, ten years? call to actions
materials scan patterns
ergonomics
usability
practice create practice create
user research physical objects sketching HTML
sketching color Wireframes
competitive analysis text Templates
model making grid CSS
prototyping empathy for client Sheets
testing
Written and designed by Kim Dowd, Chongho Lee and Scott Sykora
for the course Conceptual Models with instructor Miso Kim.
Carnegie Mellon University | March 2011

16. behavioral scripts
systems
create practice
games empathy for customers
empathy for employees
customer shadowing
conversational
problem solving
Person to
Cosmos
environments
systems
ideas
cultures
Person to values
Person to
Object Environment
signs activities
symbols services
words planning
vate images processes consid
or the user Object needs
making
to Object stories
behavior of interacti
relationships be
people, products &
user’s worldv
physical objects systems

17. problem solving
Person to
Environment
Interaction Designers… ARCHITECTURE
activities
services
planning
processes consider ponder cultivate
needs Experience is everything. empathy for user
stories The medium of design is time,
behavior of interactive systems for experience happens over time.
relationships between I am not the user.
people, products & services
user’s worldview
systems
practice create
directed storytelling software interfaces
wireframing applications
needs validation information systems
brainstorming physical products
user testing environments
rapid prototyping services
synthesis systems
Web Designers…
consider ponder cultivate
grids & templates What is the grid? client symbiosis COGNITIVE
a/b testing How strong is the call to action?
button styles Where will people click?
SCIENCES
call to actions
scan patterns
practice create
sketching HTML
color Wireframes
text Templates
grid CSS
empathy for client Sheets

18. DESIGN
Design Island Challenges
Game Design Quest Service Design Quest Web Design Quest
Find and collect the lens of surprise. Visit to giant tissue box in center of empathy square. Find the secret clearing in Participant Forest.
Get temporary tattoo of logos, ethos and pathos. Observe a meeting of the Google Analytics
Strategic Design Quest Create a design solution at a Make Tools party. Anonymous Recovery Group.
Play hopscotch around logos, ethos and pathos
diagram. Using glowing ball of innovation as play Interaction Design Quest Communication Design Quest
how the tribes connect
marker. Ask strangers to use your creation. Take notes on their Strap a giant pixel to your back and scale Mt.
reactions. Synthesize data collected. Buchanan. At the top sacrifice the pixel by throwing it
Write persona needs on Post-it Notes and affix to the into the lava. The smoke tendrils will inspire your next
Persona Monument. project.
Industrial Design Quest Descend the mountain fill out a short survey.
Make a physical model of a toaster that responds to Collect enough Post-It notes from the Mine of Office
the feelings within toaster users the world over. Supplies to offset your Post-It note footprint.
Bring the toaster to the Guilt Corral and drop off your
feelings about designs gone wrong. HUMAN
BUSINESS COMPUTER
INTERACTION
GAME DESIGN
STRATEGIC DESIGN
SERVICE DESIGN
COMMUNICATION
FINE ART
DESIGN ARCHITECTURE
WEB DESIGN INTERACTION DESIGN
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
ANTHROPOLOGY COGNITIVE
SCIENCES
Written and designed by Kim Dowd, Chongho Lee
and Scott Sykora for the course Conceptual Models
with instructor Miso Kim.
Carnegie Mellon University | March 2011