© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 1April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Informatics 121Software Design IInformatics 121

Software Design I

Lecture 3

André van der Hoek & Alex Baker

Duplication of course material for any commercial purpose without the explicit written permission of the professor is prohibited.

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 2April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Today’s LectureToday’s Lecture

Recap Defining design Four canonical complications Assignment 3

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 3April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

RecapRecap

You now have designed…– a statue for an award in excellence in software design

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 4April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

RecapRecap

You now have designed…– a statue for an award in excellence in software design – an ideal classroom seat to be mass produced

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 5April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

RecapRecap

You now have designed…– a statue for an award in excellence in software design – an ideal classroom seat to be mass produced– a bridge

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 6April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

RecapRecap

You now have designed…– a statue for an award in excellence in software design – an ideal classroom seat to be mass produced– a bridge

You have reflected (some) upon these exercises…

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 7April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

RecapRecap

You now have designed…– a statue for an award in excellence in software design – an ideal classroom seat to be mass produced– a bridge

You have reflected (some) upon these exercises…

But what does all this have to do with software and software design?

Course RoadmapCourse Roadmap

Over the next several weeks, we are going to take a detour into design in general, to eventually arrive at software design and its unique aspects

We will, in parallel, start designing software, to continue our hands-on focus

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 8April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 9April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Defining DesignDefining Design

Decision making, in the face of uncertainty, with high penalties for error

To choose the things we use shall look as they do

A creative activity—it involves bringing into being something new and useful that has not existed previously

Relating product with situation to give satisfaction

The imaginative jump from present facts to future possibilities

To form a plan or scheme of, to arrange or conceive in the mind, … for later execution

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 10April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Defining DesignDefining Design

To initiate change in man-made things

To plan or intend for a purpose

To work out a solution in one’s mind

The transition from possible solutions to a specific one

…

Three ThemesThree Themes

Design involves decision making to shape an envisioned future

The decisions together form a plan for actually enacting changes in the world

The changes are consequential: there are stakeholders who must be satisfied with the result

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 11April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Informatics 121 DefinitionInformatics 121 Definition

To decide upon a plan for change in the world that, when realized, satisfies stakeholders

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DesignDesign

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designer plan

change in the world

experiences audience

otherstakeholders

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 14April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Design Fields AboundDesign Fields Abound

There are countless design fields– architecture design– graphic design– fashion design– game design– chip design– car design– instrument design– product design– …

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 15April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Design Fields AboundDesign Fields Abound

There are countless design fields– architecture design– graphic design– fashion design– game design– chip design– car design– instrument design– product design– …

But also– law– chemical synthesis– process design– study design– …

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 16April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Design Fields AboundDesign Fields Abound

There are countless design fields– architecture design– graphic design– fashion design– game design– chip design– car design– instrument design– product design– …

But also– law– chemical synthesis– process design– study design– …

And also– writing– painting– sculpting– music composition– …

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 17April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Design Fields AboundDesign Fields Abound

There are countless design fields– architecture design– graphic design– fashion design– game design– chip design– car design– instrument design– product design– …

But also– law– chemical synthesis– process design– study design– …

And also– writing– painting– sculpting– music composition– …

Software development is a design field, too!

Software DesignSoftware Design

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 18April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

designer plan

change in the world

experiences audience

otherstakeholders

Complication #1: Problem, Solution, ChangeComplication #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

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 19April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Complication #2: Success, Failure, TradeoffsComplication #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 most likely cannot make all stakeholders equally satisfied with the change in the world

The challenge is to identify key tradeoffs early

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 20April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Complication #3: LongevityComplication #3: 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 balance present needs with future possibilities

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 21April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Complication #4: SatisficingComplication #4: Satisficing

There is no optimal solution to a design problem, designers must find a solution that is good enough

The challenge is to know when to stop the design process

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 22April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Routine, Adaptive, and Original DesignRoutine, Adaptive, and Original Design

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Practice, Practice, Practice…Practice, Practice, Practice…

To learn to navigate this space, and thus learn to be a designer, it is essential to practice, practice, practice

There is no theory or magic formula that will teach you to be a designer, only theory that– will help you understand what it means to be a designer – provides you with a frame of mind through which you can

usefully reflect upon your design activities and design products

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 24April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 25April 18, 2023 – 21:42:28

Design Studio 1Design Studio 1

You are tasked with designing an “electronic info portal” to be placed at every single bus, metro, and train stop in Los Angeles and Orange County, the aim of which is to assist travelers

Identify the different audiences and their uses

Identify the other stakeholders and goals they may have

Clearly document these in a typewritten document, to be handed in on Thursday October 7, at the beginning of class– separate list of audience & uses– separate list of other stakeholders & goals

© 2010 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek 26April 18, 2023 – 21:42:29

Design Studio 1 (Continued)Design Studio 1 (Continued)

Assignment is on an individual basis, but will be continued in class on Thursday

You should identify as many different audiences and other stakeholders as you can

You should identify at least three goals for each stakeholder

You should identify at least twenty distinct uses, though you should easily be able to identify many more

The overall focus is on broad brainstorming– your document does not need to have lengthy narratives