dt:
tools and techniques for the conceptual phase of design

The design techniques research group focuses on developing methods, tools, and techniques to support designers and design teams in the early phase of the design process. In this phase, opportunities and constraints are gathered, directions are explored, and inputs from many different perspectives are brought together.

The conceptual phase is a busy time, full of creativity, ambiguity, gaps, and conflicting bits of information. To deal with that, a variety of artefacts and representations are made, both of verbal and visual form, models and protypes, traditional and new media, about the past, present, and future experiences of people with products. Part of our research is aimed at improving these artefacts and representations (tools) and the way they can be used in the design process (techniques).

The research takes a designerly approach, in which the generation of knowledge and the development of applications go hand in hand. Under the motto 'research through design' we develop tools by which we try to support design teams and at the same time explore how they work. A key role in this is given to research prototypes, which instantiate know-what and know-how, and form the 'red thread' through our projects. Another prominent role is played by visualisations of various kinds, such as storyboards, infographics, personas, situation pictures. These support visual thinking in individuals, and communication and shared understanding in groups.

Who's the dt group at ID-StudioLab?

What's this group doing?