UNIT 8

Unit 8 – Design Decisions: How can I make better design decisions?

1. Factor of Safety

Factor of safety is also the aspect in design decision. To fulfill the needs in choosing and making a decision, safety is the most important aspect that we need to consider. Paper is a material that can easily be damaged if exposed to water. So it can be conclude that the safety aspect of the paper is less. 

Thus, to overcome the problem, the designer need to find one of the product to cover the paper so it does not damaged if exposed to the water. File is a good example of the product to overcome the problem. Paper can be put into the file so the paper does not damage if exposed to the water because file is covering the surface of the paper. 

2. Redundancy

Redundancy is define as the state of being not or no longer needed or useful. There are 4 types of redundancy which is diverse, homogeneous, active and passive.

a) Diverse Redundancy

Diverse is one of the types of redundancy. Diverse redundancy is the use of multiple elements of different types. Diverse redundancy is resistant to a single cause of failure, but is complex to implement and maintain. For example, fan often have diverse redundancy in their uses. There are 3 press button but the function is still the same.

b) Homogenous Redundancy

Television is one of the examples for homogenous redundancy. Homogenous redundancy is relatively simple to implement and maintain but is susceptible to single causes of failure. Usually, television is used for watch cartoons and other TV program. Besides, television is also can be used for playing PS3 as a medium to play the game. For this example, if the television does not work properly, automatically the uses for TV (watch TV program and play PS3) will also fail to use.

c) Active & Passive Redundancy

Button is an active redundancy. Active redundancy means the product or the design will be use usually if the product is still in a good condition, Passive redundancy is the application of redundant element when only the active redundancy fail to use, so spare button is an example for passive redundancy.

3. Flexibility and Usability Tradeoff

When the flexibility of a system increases so the usability of the system will decrease. There are two products, which is product A and product B. These two products have the same function but different type of appearance. Product A is simple and easy to use, but product B is more complex and difficult to use. So, Product A has a low flexibility and high usability; But products B has high flexibility and low usability.

For example :

Remote control A is more usability than remote control B, because B has more button and function than A. But remote control B is more flexibility than remote control A. Although A has fewer buttons than B but all of button on that remote control has useful, however B has many buttons on it but most of the button is not useful.

4. Satisficing

It is often preferable to settle for a satisfactory solution, rather than pursue an optimal solution. When people are giving a task, they need to compare each of the idea or things to define the most suitable idea or things to complete the task.

For example :

When someone needs to buy a smartphone, they need to define the different between the each of the smartphone. They need to compare from cost, size, function, quality and others. After they compare each of the smartphone, they can buy a smartphone with maximum satisfaction.

5. Ockham's Razor

Given a choice between functionally equivalent designs, the simplest design should be selected. If there are 2 products, it has the same function and uses, but the different of each products are simple design and complex design. So people will choose the simple product but not the complex. It means simple design can also perform complex design.

For example:

Both of the kettle is use to boil the water but the kettle are using electrical is more simple than the kettle are using the gas. So, people will tend to use the kettle (use electrical) because it is simple and easy to use. But most of the people will not tend to use the kettle (use gas), because it is more complex and difficult to use also.

6. Form Follows Function

Beauty in design results from purity of function. It does not see for the design, environment, type and others things. It only sees the function of it. So the functionality is important than others.

No matter is analog or digital type. The function of these two watches is to know the time. It also does not care more about the size, shape, colour and others, because only the functionality is important (to know the time). 

Main Reference

Lidwell, W., Holden, K., & Butler, J., (2003). Universal principles of design: a cross-displinary reference. Massachusetts: Rockport Publisher.