Since its initial publication in 1970; Design Methods has been considered the seminal work on design methodology. Written by one of the founders of the design methods movement; it has been highly praised in international journals and has been translated into Japanese; Romanian; Polish; Russian; and Spanish. As Jones states in the preface: "Alongside the old idea of design as the drawing of objects that are then to be built or manufactured there are many new ideas of what it is; all very different: * designing as the process of devising not individual products but whole systems or environments such as airports; transportation; hypermarkets; educational curricula; broadcasting schedules; welfare schemes; banking systems; computer networks; * design as participation; the involvement of the public in the decision-making process; * design as creativity; which is supposed to be potentially present in everyone; * design as an educational discipline that unites arts and science and perhaps can go further than either; * and now the idea of designing Without a Product; as a process or way of living in itself." Design Methods first evaluates traditional methods such as design-by-drawing and shows how they do not adequately address the complexity of demands upon todays designer. The book then provides 35 new methods that have been developed to assist designers and planners to become more sensitive to user needs. These methods move beyond a focus on the product to the thought that precedes it. Throughout; the books emphasis on integrating creative and rational skills directs readers away from narrow specialization to a broader view of design. The new methods are described and classified in a way that makes it easier for designers and planners to find a method that suits a particular design situation. They include logical procedures such as systematic search and systems engineering; data gathering procedures such as literature searching and the writing of questionnaires; innovative procedures such as brainstorming and synectic and system transformation; and evaluative procedures such as specification writing and the selection of criteria. Offering a wider view--accompanied by appropriate skills--than can be obtained from the teaching of any specialized design profession; Design Methods is important reading for designers and teachers in numerous fields. It will be welcomed by engineers; architects; planners; and landscape architects; as well as by interior; graphic; product; and industrial designers. This extraordinary book will provide key insights to software designers and numerous others outside traditional design professions who are nevertheless creatively involved in design processes. It is also relevant to the teaching of cultural studies; technology; and any kind of creative project.
#578659 in eBooks 2010-08-31 2010-08-31File Name: B003V1WTKE
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. A decent field guide for total outsiders but not much else there.By B. KikIf you are on the margins of this new Americana culture. and want to know more about whats going on. this book will help. Its a comprehensive listing of lots of different sub-cultures. including canning. butchering. fermenting. distilling. artisanal cocktails. barbering. beards. buy-it-for-life-clothing (like Filson or Woolrich). buy-it-for-life footwear. old time music. crafts. DIY. rustic-modern decorating. salvage construction. vintage everything. etc. The book does a pretty good job of covering the up and comers in these different scenes. though it shows a strong bias for the coastal cities (especially Brooklyn).That said. the book reads like a very-over-extended article for an in-flight magazine. There is no depth of analysis here. and what insight it does provide is over and done by the end of the introduction. The sections connected to old companies like Filson or Carhartt read like they were lifted straight from PR pieces. I was hoping for something that looked deeper and made the larger cultural connections. or offered some critique. but this falls flat on anything beyond "look! cool!"Again. if you are looking for a very basic field guide. this will do. Anyone expecting anything beyond the 101 will be disappointed.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Hipster HeavenBy DianeFound myself skimming through most of the book. a lot of details on a lot of things I dont exactly consider Americana. Seemed very wordy on a lot of the topics. too. hence the skimming. But if youre a hipster 25 year-old living in the city with no exposure whatsoever to any of these subcultures and a desire to learn about them. its probably going to be right up your alley. The more you know already. the less youll want to read it through however. as its a very basic primer without too many surprises or revelations.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The How and Why of DIYBy Alonso D.The struggling economy. planned obsolescence. and the never-ending cycle of new generations rediscovering the cool stuff discarded by their elders has led to a rebirth of the "Americana" movement. and Kurt B. Reighley explores this phenomenon through its many fascinating strands. from roots music. to homemade crafts and canned foods. to the burlesque revival. to the renewed popularity of brands that make clothes and shoes that are designed to last. Its a fun and informative guide that provides both insight and specific how-to information that will delight dilettantes and the hardcore homespun alike.
