DEVELOP, ANALYSE, REFINE, R
EPEA
T...
SKETC
H OUT YOUR IDEAS HERE...
At SOLE
we b
eliev
e mak
ing
is ex
citing
, eng
aging
and s
atisfy
ing an
d can
offer
an
altern
ative
to to
day’s
unsus
taina
ble
leve
ls of
consu
mption
.
Creatin
g som
ething
can b
e a ch
allen
ge –
but it
also
prov
ides a
sense
of sa
tisfac
tion
and p
ride i
n a jo
b well
done
, and
a
relati
onshi
p with
the fi
nishe
d obje
ct tha
t
is un
ique a
nd pe
rsona
l.
We h
ave p
ut tog
ether
this g
uide
for th
ose w
ho ar
e con
fiden
t
abou
t their
prac
tical
skills
but le
ss co
mfortab
le with
the cr
eativ
e asp
ect, t
o
lead y
ou th
roug
h
the de
sign
proc
ess.
It’s im
porta
nt yo
u fee
l insp
ired a
nd ex
cited
by yo
ur pr
oject.
Estab
lish w
hat it
is th
at yo
u’d lik
e to m
ake a
nd ju
st as
impo
rtantl
y why
you’r
e doin
g it.
It may
be yo
u’ve b
een i
nspir
ed by
someth
ing yo
u’ve s
een
or it
could
simply
be th
e rea
lisatio
n tha
t som
ething
could
be
bette
r if it
was ju
st a l
ittle d
ifferen
t.
If yo
u’re s
trugg
ling
for in
spira
tion,
look t
hroug
h mag
azine
s
and
newsp
apers
and
/or h
ead
off to
a m
useum
or g
aller
y.
Alway
s car
ry a
pen
and
pap
er –
an id
ea ca
n str
ike a
t
anyw
here,
any t
ime.
Using t
he in
formati
on yo
u
built
up du
ring r
esea
rch, y
ou
can b
egin
to ex
perim
ent. T
here
are q
uestio
ns th
at yo
u’ll h
ave b
een
unab
le to
answ
er by
rese
arch
alon
e.
You m
ay be
unsur
e how
you’r
e goin
g
to mak
e som
ething
wor
k. Yo
u may
be
unsur
e whic
h wou
ld be
the b
est o
ption
from th
e num
ber t
hrown u
p by y
our
resea
rch. Y
ou m
ay be
unsur
e how
someth
ing sh
ould
look o
r how
it sh
ould
feel w
hen t
ouch
ed.
It migh
t be t
hat y
ou’re
mak
ing so
mething
for so
meone
with
reall
y spe
cific n
eeds
.
For e
xample
, if yo
u’re c
reatin
g an
armch
air fo
r you
r blin
d gra
ndma,
expe
rimen
ting –
sittin
g on v
ariou
s cha
irs
with a
blind
fold o
n – w
ill he
lp yo
ur
unde
rstan
ding o
f her
requir
emen
ts.
The b
est w
ay to
find o
ut is
by tr
ying
thing
s out:
doing
someth
ing fo
r you
rself
instea
d of s
imply
read
ing ab
out it
will
give y
ou a
much c
learer
pictu
re. Th
is is
your
oppo
rtunit
y to t
est, e
xplor
e and
disco
ver a
nythi
ng yo
u thin
k migh
t be
bene
ficial
to yo
ur pr
oject.
At this
point
it ca
n be u
seful
to fil
l out
a
‘Cou
ld Be
, Sho
uld Be
, Must
Be’ c
hart.
Write
out
any i
deas
that y
ou’ve
had f
or yo
ur
proje
ct in
the C
ould
Be sp
here;
wha
t the
perfe
ct ve
rsion
of yo
ur
proje
ct wou
ld be
like i
n the
Shou
ld Be
sphe
re; an
d any
requir
emen
ts for
the o
bject
in
the M
ust Be
sphe
re. Th
is will
help
clarify
the p
rojec
t and
prov
ide yo
u
with a
good
summar
y of y
our in
tentio
ns.
Refer
ring b
ack t
o it a
t a la
ter st
age w
ill
help
you g
auge
the r
elativ
e suc
cess
of
your
desig
n.
As you
r res
earch
prog
resse
s and
your
unde
rstan
ding d
eepe
ns, id
eas w
ill be
gin
to tak
e sha
pe in
your
mind. T
ry w
riting
them ou
t, dra
wing th
em or
even
mak
ing
models
from
wha
tever
you h
ave l
ying
roun
d the
house
.
This stage of
your project is
all about research.
A good place to start
is by considering similar
existing products. Work out
what is good and/or bad about
them and think how they could be
improved.
Check out your local library, look
online – make use of all the research
resources available. You need to
understand as much as you can
about the type of object you
want to create.
Spend time working out
the perfect version of
your object. Don’t
worry too much
about
achievability – there will be plenty of time
later for the practical details.
Think through where, when and who will
use your object – and why. This could
provide a useful insight into how your
object could be better than the alternatives.
Work out and write out what your object
should be like and what it should do. This
will come in useful later as principles to aim
for.
Consider the different materials and
methods of making your object, sometimes
picking a material to work with can provide
useful insight.
As your research and understanding
progresses you might find as many
questions as you do answers; use a mind
map to keep track of these as well as all
your other research.
At this
stage
you
shou
ld an
alyse
your
resea
rch.
Org
anise
all
the in
formati
on
you’v
e gath
ered
to mak
e it a
s eas
y
to un
derst
and a
s
possi
ble. M
ind
mappin
g or P
ost-it
notes
stuc
k to a
wall
can b
e grea
t tools
to he
lp with
this
proc
ess.
Look
ing at
your
resea
rch, y
ou
shou
ld be
gin
by w
orkin
g out
what a
re the
mos
t
impo
rtant,
excit
ing
and i
nteres
ting
aspe
cts of
wha
t you
have
lear
ned.
You s
hould
also
set y
ourse
lf som
e
para
meters
at
this p
oint. T
hese
shou
ld be
base
d on
prac
ticali
ties s
uch
as w
hat s
ize yo
ur
objec
t will
be or
what m
ateria
l you
are g
oing t
o use
or
the re
quire
ments
of its
use –
for
exam
ple a
chair
must be
stro
ng
enou
gh to
take
the
weight
of a p
erson
.
Write
out a
brief
objec
tive d
escri
bing
your
proje
ct.
Refer
back
to yo
ur
inspir
ation
as w
ell
as yo
ur ‘C
ould
Be,
Shou
ld Be
, Must
Be’ c
hart
and t
ry
to sum
marise
, in a
few lin
es, w
hat it
is
you’r
e crea
ting a
nd
why yo
u’re
creati
ng it.
Using e
very
thing
you’v
e lea
rned,
now yo
u sho
uld be
gin to
deve
lop an
d refi
ne yo
ur ide
as,
push
ing th
em to
wards
a mor
e pra
ctica
l solu
tion.
You s
hould
cons
ider y
our o
bject
from ev
ery a
ngle
– how
it will
look,
feel, b
e use
d... A
ll asp
ects
are
linke
d and
how yo
u wan
t you
r obje
ct to
functi
on w
ill alm
ost c
ertai
nly in
fluen
ce ho
w it loo
ks.
Sketc
h out
and/
or cr
eate
mock-u
ps of
your
objec
t. Use
wha
tever
you l
ike to
deve
lop th
e
idea –
all th
at matt
ers is
that
the te
chniq
ue w
orks
for yo
u. Try
sketc
hing u
sing a
varie
ty
of med
ia an
d mak
e mod
els us
ing w
hatev
er yo
u hav
e at h
and.
Don’t w
orry
abou
t how
neat
your
work i
s just
as lo
ng as
you u
nders
tand i
t.
Come u
p with
diffe
rent v
ersion
s of y
our o
bject,
vary
ing de
tails
such a
s
shap
e, siz
e, co
lour a
nd m
ateria
l cho
ice. If
you g
et stu
ck, th
ink ab
out it
in
a diffe
rent w
ay. If
, for in
stanc
e, yo
ur de
sign h
as be
en qu
ite ge
ometr
ic
perha
ps tr
y crea
ting a
mor
e org
anic
shap
e. Ev
en if
you d
on’t i
nitial
ly
like w
hat y
ou’re
coming
up w
ith, y
ou m
ight ju
st stu
mble ac
ross
an
idea o
r a de
tail th
at yo
u’d no
t thou
ght o
f befo
re. Th
e key
is
to be
non-c
ritica
l at th
is po
int an
d sim
ply
to ex
plore
what’s
possi
ble.
Once you’ve come up with a variety of options
you should take a step back and carefully
examine each of your designs.
Refer back to your objectives and compare your with
‘Could Be, Should Be, Must Be’ chart. You need
to ensure that your project is moving in the right
direction and will provide the desired solution
while still satisfying all the
parameters you set.
Write out the benefits and
drawbacks for each of your
designs. This should help you
build up a clear picture of
what works.
From your analysis choose three designs and
repeat step 5; this time you should be more
focused and practical in your approach. Instead
of coming up with as many variations as you can,
spend time developing and working on the details
of the objects. Try making small changes to see
how they affect your design. If you struggle or get
stuck use the best parts from your other designs
and combine them with your chosen three.
Continue to assess your designs – be more critical
and rigorous in your analysis. Make a prototype
using whatever material is practical and try it out.
For example, if you’re making a table, prop up
some wood using chairs and books so you can
check that it’s at the right height. Consider the
benefits and drawbacks of the object during use.
This process of developing, analysing
and refining should go on until
you’re certain it can’t get
any better.
Once you’ve
finished developing
your design
this final stage
gives you the
opportunity to make
any changes. Refer
back to your research and
objectives and consider if
you’ve achieved what you set
out to. Ask yourself if your project
will work, if it is engaging and most
importantly if you’re satisfied with it.
If you’re not happy with your design you
need to work out why not. Retrace your steps,
and repeat the developing, analysing and refining
process until you come up with a design that
works for you.
If you are happy and excited with your design now you can
plan how you’re going to make your object, calculate how much
material you will need and create your design plans. These should
contain all the dimensions of each part that you need for manufacture.
See our Guide to Making for some tips on the making process.
Finally spend a little time reflecting on the project as a whole. Think about
which steps you enjoyed the most, what you found easy and what
worked well for you. It’s also as important to take a look at what
didn’t go so well and why, to save finding yourself in the same
situation next time round.
Creating something from start to finish gives you a unique
understanding of and attachment to it – and there’s no
better feeling than ‘I made that!’
STICK
PHOTOS, DRAW
PICTURES
OR
MAKE NOTES
OF WHAT
INSPIRES
YOU
IN THIS S
PACE...
MY KEY
INSIGHTS
WERE:
I ENJOYED...
...WAS CHALLENGING
WILL IT B
E USED
BY...WHO?
WILL THEY
USE IT..
.
WHEN?
WHY?
WILL THEY
USE IT..
.
COULD BE:
MUST BE:
(REQUIREMENTS GO HERE)
(IDEAS GO HERE)
(THE IDEAL GOES HERE)
SHOULD BE:
6
5 10 15 20 25 30 35
GUIDE TO DESI
GNING
BE INSPIRED
INVESTIGATE
EXPLORE
DEFINE
DEVELOP
ANALYSE
FINALISE
2
3EX
PLORE
INVESTIGATE
DEVELO
P
ANALYSE
10°20°
30°
40°
50°
60° 70° 80°
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
7 FINALISE
BE IN
SPIRE
D
There
will
be
prob
lems t
o solv
e
and d
ecisio
ns to
be
made;
howev
er, w
e
think
you’l
l find
crea
ting
objec
ts as
excit
ing as
we d
o…
4 DEF
INE
At SOLE
we f
ollow
a
strict
set o
f prin
ciples
when w
e are
desig
ning
to en
sure t
hat w
hat w
e’re
workin
g on h
as re
al, lo
ng la
sting
value
and i
ntegr
ity. O
ur pr
incipl
es
are a
s foll
ows:
ECOLO
GY & EN
DURANCE
To us
, mak
ing en
viron
mental
ly so
und p
rodu
cts
is no
t an o
ption
, it’s
a req
uirem
ent. T
heref
ore w
e
use th
e mos
t sus
taina
ble ye
t har
d wea
ring m
ateria
ls
and m
anufa
cturin
g pro
cess
we can
. We a
lso m
ake
ever
ything
here
in the
UK fu
rther
reduc
ing ou
r car
bon
footpr
int an
d of c
ourse
we d
esign
our p
rodu
cts to
last
as
long a
s pos
sible.
HONESTY
& SI
MPL
ICITY
We d
on’t t
hink o
bjects
shou
ld mak
e pro
mises t
hey
can’t
fulfil
. To u
s for
m does
follo
w func
tion a
nd
we fee
l that
simple
often
mea
ns be
autifu
l and
elega
nt.
INDIV
IDUALIT
Y & IN
NOVATIO
N
For u
s it’s
cruc
ial th
at the
owne
r of
our p
rodu
cts m
akes
them
their
own.
We w
ant o
ur cu
stomers
to
perso
nalise
, ada
pt an
d lov
e
our p
rodu
cts.
At SOLE
we b
eliev
e tha
t eve
ryone
should
expe
rienc
e the
joy a
nd
satisf
actio
n tha
t mak
ing gi
ves,
and
that e
veryo
ne sh
ould
live w
ith un
ique,
perso
nal, h
igh-qu
ality
items t
hat e
xpres
s
who th
ey ar
e and
wha
t they
’re ab
out.
So w
e hav
e pro
duce
d two i
nnov
ative
rang
es ai
med
at dif
feren
t skil
l leve
ls:
The A
SSEM
BLE r
ange
comes
flat-p
acke
d and
is si
mple
enou
gh fo
r beg
inners
to pu
t toge
ther,
and t
hen p
ut the
ir own
stamp o
n the
piec
e. W
ith a
hard
wood (
Red G
rand
is) fr
ame,
the
rang
e is m
ade f
rom hi
gh-qu
ality
untre
ated p
lywoo
d so y
ou
can p
aint, w
ax or
oil th
e piec
e to s
uit yo
ur ho
me. Ta
ke a
look a
t www.SO
LE.co
m for a
dvice
on ho
w to tr
eat y
our
furnit
ure an
d insp
iratio
n for
takin
g you
r mak
ing a
step f
urthe
r.
The F
ABRIC
ATE ra
nge o
ffers
more
expe
rienc
ed m
akers
a ra
nge o
f sim
ple
frame c
ompo
nents
that
you c
an us
e to
create
your
own,
besp
oke,
comple
tely
indivi
dual
piece
of fu
rnitur
e.
CREATE
THRE
E WAY C
ORNER
£10.
00
6cm x
6cm x
6cm
TWO W
AY CORN
ER
£10.
00
4cm x
6cm x
6cm
FRAM
E SEC
TION
£10.
00 , £15
.00 , £
20.0
0
Availa
ble as
pack
s of 4
in th
ree le
ngths
: 99c
m, 70c
m, 54c
m
SUPP
ORT
£25.
00 , £35
.00
Availa
ble in
two s
izes:
70cm
x 54
cm, 1
40cm
x 54
cm
FABR
ICATE
with
OUR PRINCIPLESO
UR
RAN
GE
CHEST O
F 4 D
RAW
ERS
£175
.00
140c
m x 82
cm x
54cm
STACK O
F SHELV
ES
£75.
00
140c
m x 82
cm x
54cm
SIDEB
OARD
£150
.00
99cm
x 11
0cm x
54cm
DESK
£50.
00
71cm
x 99
cm x
540c
m
CHAIR
£50.
00
53cm
x 48
cm x
48cm
(sea
t dim
ensio
ns)
MED
IA ST
AND
£125
.00
70cm
x 11
0cm x
54cm
SIDE T
ABLE
£100
.00
70cm
x 61
cm x
54cm
ASSEM
BLE
ALL
YOU N
EED TO
ASS
EMBL
E WITH
SOLE
IS A
SCRE
WDRIV
ER
Top Related