UNIT-I

INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN THINKING

Design thinking is a non-linear, iterative process that teams use to understand users, challenge assumptions,
redefine problems and create innovative solutions to prototype and test. Involving five phases—Empathize,
Define, Ideate, Prototype and Test—it is most useful to tackle problems that are ill-defined or unknown.

it’s crucial to develop and refine skills to understand and address rapid changes in users’ environments and
behaviors. The world has become increasingly interconnected and complex since cognitive scientist and
Nobel Prize laureate Herbert A. Simon first mentioned design thinking in his 1969 book, The Sciences of
the Artificial, and then contributed many ideas to its principles. Professionals from a variety of fields,
including architecture and engineering, subsequently advanced this highly creative process to address
human needs in the modern age.

Twenty-first-century organizations from a wide range of industries find design thinking a valuable
means to problem-solve for the users of their products and services. Design teams use design thinking to
tackle ill-defined/unknown problems (aka wicked problems) because they can reframe these
in human-centric ways and focus on what’s most important for users. Of all design processes, design
thinking is almost certainly the best for “thinking outside the box”. With it, teams can do better UX
research, prototyping and usability testing to uncover new ways to meet users’ needs.

ELEMENTS AND PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN

The principles of design are the golden guidelines a designer must follow to ensure an effective
composition in any project. Without these rules, it’s common for pieces to look unbalanced, cluttered, or
simply visually unappealing.

In a way, the elements and principles of design are what separate “design” from simply being “art”. With
art, you have freedom of expression to create anything you choose. In design, each project has a specific
purpose, which makes following certain rules more critical.

The principles of design are the rules designers are required to follow to ensure a project looks good and
delivers the right visual experience. Principles of design don’t just improve the aesthetics of a composition
or page; they can also make whatever you’re creating easier to look at.The main principles of design often
include:

The elements of design are the tools you use to create a work of art. Knowing the fundamental elements
and applying them to your piece with a clear understanding will help you make it powerful enough to
convey a message
 1) LINE

2) SHAPE

3) SPACE

4) TEXTURE

5) VALUE

6) FORM

7) COLOUR

Line:
Line refers to the way that two points in space are connected. Whether they’re horizontal lines, diagonal
lines, or vertical lines, lines can help direct the eye toward a certain point in your composition. You can
also create texture by incorporating different types of lines such as curved or patterned lines instead of just
straight lines. Lines are the foundation of most designs. The can be straight, curved, thick, thin, horizontal,
vertical, or diagonal. Lines can imply direction
Space: Space is the area around and between objects in a design. It can be positive (filled with elements)
or negative (empty). Space helps to create balance and hierarchy within a composition. Making proper use
of space can help others view your design as you intended. White space or negative space is the space
between or around the focal point of an image. Positive space is the space that your subject matter takes up
in your composition. The spacing of your design is important because a layout that’s too crowded can
overwhelm the viewer’s eye.

Color:

Color helps establish a mood for your composition. When light waves strike an object and reflect back to
the optic nerve in a human’s eyes, the sensation they perceive is called color. Artists and designers use
color to depict and describe the subject. Color is used by designers to portraymood, light, depth, and point
of view. Designers use the color wheel and the tenets of color theory—a set of guidelines for mixing,
combining, and manipulating colors—to create color schemes.Color is one of the most powerful elements
of design. It can evoke emotions, create mood, and attract attention. Color has three main properties: hue
(the name of the color), saturation (the intensity of the color), and value (the lightness or darkness of the
color).
Shape

Shapes are created by enclosing lines. They can be geometric (like squares, circles, and triangles) or
organic (like leaves or clouds). Shapes define the form and structure of a design.When a line encloses an
area, or when other visual elements are combined, we get a shape. Ultimately, everything around us is a
shape one way or another, but for a designer, they are more important since they are the root of the
most powerful logos. A shape can be geometric or organic. The geometric shapes are precise and include
shapes like triangles, squares, etc. Organic shapes have a more natural look with a curvy flow. They are
asymmetrical and irregular elements and are associated with the natural world. Creating a shape for your
design piece demands attention and knowledge since they express a mood or convey a message based on
their form, color, texture, and other attributes. For example, sharper shapes like squares are more
masculine, while triangles direct the attention of the viewer to a specific point. And, abstract shapes are
considered the basic shapes that provide building blocks for any kind of design composition

Value:

In design, value refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. The values of a color are often visualized in a
gradient, which displays a series of variations on one hue, arranged from the lightest to the darkest. Artists
can use the various values of color to create the illusion of mass and volume in their work. A Foundation
for Visual ImpactValue, in the context of design, refers to the lightness or darkness of a color. It's a
fundamental element that plays a crucial role in creating visual hierarchy, depth, and mood within a design.
Form

Form is the three-dimensional version of shape. It has depth and volume. Form can be created using light
and shadow, or through the illusion of depth. Form refers to the positive element over the space of your
work. Together with space, it creates a three-dimensional effect. The 3D objects include pyramids, cubes,
and other abstract forms. You can make a 3D effect by using shadows, color, and overlaid objects. It’s
sometimes interchangeably used with another design element – shape, however, they’re slightly different.
The form is mostly 3D and more realistic, while the shape is two-dimensional and flat.

Texture:
Texture is one of the elements of design that is used to represent how an object appears or feels. And it is
the surface quality of an object. It can be real (like the texture of fabric) or implied (like the texture of a
painted surface). Texture can add depth and interest to a design. Tactile texture is a physical sense of touch,
whether it’s rough, smooth, or ribbed. Visual texture, on the other hand, refers to the imagined feel of the
illustrated texture, which can create more visual interest and a heightened sensory experience.

Principles of design
 The principles of design are the rules that govern how elements are arranged and organized within a
composition. They help to create visually appealing and effective designs. Here are some key principles:
Design Thinking involves the human perspective in all steps of the problem-solving approach. It focusses
on understanding the mindset of people who will use the solution and their unmet needs.
Mindful of process means teams who apply Design Thinking find ways to be thoughtful of the work they
do, how they do that work, and how they will improve on their methods in the future.
Expressing ideas in a non-verbal way, makes ideas more compelling, helps spotting problems and
opportunities that discussion may not reveal. Visualisation helps teams come to agreed design decisions.
Culture of prototyping allows team stay experimental, build to think and engage people with artefacts.
Prototyping facilitates elicitation and early feedback that will help teams learn more about both their designs
and about Design Thinking.
Design Thinking promotes action-oriented behaviour, rather than discussion based work. Don’t talk too
much, start creating!

 Balance in design
 Hierarchy in design
 Alignment in design
 Unity in design
 Emphasis in design
 Contrast in design
 Repetition in design
 Pattern in design
 Movement in design
 Rhythm in design
 Variety in design
 Harmony in design
 White space in design

1. Emphasis
The first of the 7 design principles is emphasis, referring to the focal point of a design and the order of
importance of each element within a design. Emphasis is the use of visual elements to draw attention to a
specific area of a design. This can be achieved through contrast, color, size, or placement. Say you’re
creating a poster for a concert. You should ask yourself: what is the first piece of information my audience
needs to know? Make a mental outline. Let your brain organize the information and then lay out your
design in a way that communicates that order. If the band’s name is the most essential information, place it
in the center or make it the biggest element on the poster or you could put it in the strongest, boldest type.
Learn about color theory and use strong color combinations to make the band name pop.

2. Balance and alignment

one of the most important principles of design is balance. Balance can be achieved in a design by using
different elements in equal amounts or by arranging elements so they counterbalance each other.Never
forget that every element you place on a page has a weight. Balance is the distribution of visual weight
within a composition. It can be symmetrical (both sides are identical) or asymmetrical (both sides are
different but balanced).The weight can come from color, size, or texture. Just like you wouldn’t put all
your furniture in one corner of a room, you can’t crowd all your heavy elements in one area of your
composition. Without balance, your audience will feel as if their eye is sliding off the page ..

3. Contrast
Contrast holds a special place among the principles of design. It refers to the use of distinct elements to
create visual interest and break up the monotony. Contrast can be created through the use of color, shape,
size, and texture..Contrast is what people mean when they say a design “pops.” It comes away from the
page and sticks in your memory. Contrast creates space and difference between elements in your design.
Your background needs to be significantly different from the color of your elements so they work
harmoniously together and are readable As you seek out examples of really strong, effective design, you’ll
notice most designs only feature one or two typefaces. That’s because contrast can be effectively achieved
with two strong fonts (or even one strong typeface in different weights). As you add fonts, you dilute and
confuse the purpose of your design.

4. Repetition

In design, repetition is used to create a sense of rhythm and flow If you limit yourself to two strong
typefaces or three strong colors, you’ll soon find you’ll have to repeat some things. That’s ok! It’s often
said that repetition unifies and strengthens a design. If only one thing on your band poster is in blue italic
sans-serif, it can read like an error. If three things are in blue italic sans-serif, you’ve created a motif and
are back in control of your design. Repetition can be important beyond one printed product. Current
packaging design is heavily embracing beautiful illustrated patterns.

5. Proportion
Proportion refers to the relationships between various elements in a composition. The most common way to
think of proportion is in terms of size, but it can also refer to other attributes such as color, shape, and
texture. Proportion is the visual size and weight of elements in a composition and how they relate to each
other. It often helps to approach your design in sections, instead of as a whole.Grouping related items can
give them importance at a smaller size—think of a box at the bottom of your poster for ticket information
or a sidebar on a website for a search bar. Proportion can be achieved only if all elements of your design
are well-sized and thoughtfully placed. Once you master alignment, balance, and contrast, proportion
should emerge organically.

6. Movement

Movement means guiding the user’s eye to a predetermined path in a composition.When a viewer views a design
they are first attracted to the focal points of the design. By careful placement of these focal points, designers can
easily guide the viewer through the design. This is called Movement in designmovement is all about creating a sense
of flow and visual interest. By leading the eye around an image or object, designers can control how a viewer
experiences a piece. If you decided the band was the most important piece of information on the page and the
venue was the second, how would you communicate that with your audience? Movement is controlling the
elements in a composition so that the eye is led to move from one to the next and the information is properly
communicated to your audience. Movement creates the story or the narrative of your work: a band is playing, it’s
at this location, it’s at this time, here’s how you get tickets. The elements above—especially balance, alignment,
and contrast—will work towards that goal, but without proper movement, your design will be DOA.

7. White space
All of the other principles of design deal with what you add to your design. White space (or negative space)
is the only one that specifically deals with what you don’t add. White space is exactly that—the empty
page around the elements in your composition. For beginning designers it can be a perilous zone. Often
simply giving a composition more room to breathe can upgrade it from mediocre to successful. White
space isn’t sitting there doing nothing—it’s creating hierarchy and organization. Our brains naturally
associate ample white space around an element with importance and luxury. It’s telling our eyes that
objects in one region are grouped separately from objects elsewhere.Even more exciting, it can
communicate an entirely different image or idea from your main design that will reward your audience for
engaging with it. The logo above uses active negative space to communicate multiple ideas in one fun,
creative design.

8)Unity:
Unity is the sense of wholeness and completeness in a design. It is achieved through the use of similar
elements and principles throughout the composition. Unity is all about creating harmony in your designs. It
involves using harmonious colors, shapes and textures, balancing positive and negative space, and playing
with repetition, proximity and alignment

9) Pattern
Pattern is the repetition of elements in a design. It can create visual interest and rhythm. Patterns
are a basic element of design and can be found in both natural and artificial objects. In nature,
patterns often occur as a result of the repeating shape of leaves or petals, the stripes on a zebra, or
the ripples in sand dunes. Pattern is a fundamental principle of design that involves the repetition of
similar elements, such as shapes, colors, or textures, to create a cohesive and visually appealing
composition. Here are some key aspects of pattern:
1. Repeating Pattern: A repeating pattern involves the repetition of a single element or a group of
elements at regular intervals.
2. Random Pattern: A random pattern involves the arrangement of elements in a random or organic
way, without a repeating structure.
3. Gradating Pattern: A gradating pattern involves the gradual transition from one element or color
to another.

10)Rhythm
Rhythm is the repetition of elements with variation. It creates a sense of movement and flow within
a design. The principle of rhythm is all about creating a sense of movement. In design, this can be
accomplished by repeating elements, such as patterns or shapes .When used effectively, rhythm can help to
guide the eye around a design and create a sense of flow, and define the pace at which the design should be
experienced. Also, rhythm can also be used to convey a feeling or mood. For example, a design with a fast-
paced rhythm may feel energetic and exciting, while a slow and steady rhythm may convey a feeling of
calmness and relaxation
Introduction to Design thinking
Design thinking is a human-centered approach to problem-solving that draws inspiration from the design
process. It's a non-linear, iterative process that teams use to understand users, challenge assumptions,
redefine problems, and create innovative solutions to prototype and test. Design thinking is a methodology
that combines empathy, creativity, and rational thinking to solve complex problems. It's a flexible and
iterative approach that can be applied to various fields, from product design to service design, and even
organizational design.

Key Principles of Design Thinking:

User-centric-focus : Focuses on the needs, desires, and behaviors of the people for whom you are
designing. By understanding user needs, designers can create products that are intuitive, easy to use, and
meet user expectations.

Innovative solutions: Design thinking encourages creative and innovative solutions. Innovation is the
process of introducing new or improved products, services, processes, or business models that create value
for customers, organizations, or society.

Iterative process : The iterative process is a fundamental aspect of design thinking, allowing designers to
refine and improve their solutions through continuous cycles of prototyping, testing, and feedback. with
each iteration building on the previous one.

Collaboration: Work in interdisciplinary teams to foster diverse perspectives. Collaboration is a crucial

aspect of design thinking, as it brings together diverse perspectives, skills, and expertise to create
innovative solutions.

How to start design thinking

1.Start small
Design thinking isn’t something you can magically embed across your company in an afternoon. It will take
time to first teach others about the mindset and then practice executing each of the five phases.
So start small. Create small experiments that allow your team to practice gathering data, testing frequently, and
iterating quickly. Perhaps you set aside time each week to work on these skills, or start with a small part of your
business and grow over time.

2. Identify early adopters and evangelists

As with the introduction of any new process or skill, there will always be people who naturally excel from the
beginning. Some people may have had prior experience with design thinking or are especially motivated to take
the time to learn.
Make sure to leverage these early adopters to create a network of supporters. These employees can act as
evangelists for design thinking, championing the concept in meetings and projects across departments, and also
helping to coach other employees along the way

3. Avoid silos by department or team

Design thinking is multi-disciplinary and co-creative. It works best when it includes people who bring different
perspectives and expertise to the table.
Whether you’re holding a workshop to teach your organization about design thinking or starting off with a
small project to gain hands-on experience, make sure your design groups include people from across
departments and disciplines.

4. Understand that design thinking is a fluid process

Design thinking is non-linear. The five phases don’t have to follow a specific order and they can occur in
parallel. When introducing design thinking in the early stages, don’t try to apply the end-to-end process, from
empathy to test, to every problem.
Ensure that design thinking is applied in a way that makes the most sense for your problem. For example, you
may start with testing and find that it creates new ideas for your project.

5. Identify how you will measure success

How will you measure and communicate the success of design thinking? When you’re spending so much time
and effort to introduce the process to your team, make sure you have a way to track progress. You could track
the number of projects that apply design thinking. Or, conduct surveys to measure the impact that design
thinking has on employee satisfaction.

History of design thinking

The origins of design thinking lie in the development of psychological studies on creativity in the 1940s
and the development of creativity techniques in the 1950s. Design thinking has its roots in the 1950s and
1960s, but it gained popularity in the 2000s.
 In 1950’s “John E Arnold” psychologist engineer, educator who brought how we do the new
innovations and relation between great minds . he created the course creative thinking
 He invented it on bases on what is creativity , why creativity& new innovations .
  . In 1969 Cognitive scientist and Nobel Prize laureate Herbert A. In 1969 state that design have a way of
thinking & created a book on the science of Artificial. then went on to contribute many ideas
throughout the 1970s which are now regarded as principles of design thinking
 1982 Nigel cross states that designerly ways of knowing design is science of solving problems
and understanding this method is different from engineering
 Design thinking is successfully implemented by the company “ IDEO” it is the design consultancy
company which worked on branding , marketing and software industry etc.
 In 2002 tim brown who spoken every where about the design thinking
 Raymond Loewy was named the father of design in the 20th century because, during his life, he
contributed many creative designs that shaped our lives during the 1980s.

1970-1979
L.Bruce Archeer extens inquiry into designerly ways of knowing.
1980-1989
Donald shcon publishes papers on Human-Centered-Design
1990-1999
First symposium on Research in DT is held at Delft University , Netherlands at 1991.
IDEO formed(Global Design Company) came.DT courses also came.
2000-2009
A Significant Increase in DT. In 2005 Stanford university begins to teach DT as generalised approach to
technical and social Innovation.
Tim Brown(Father of DT, Professor stanford university Published paper in 2008).
2010 – present
USA starts to teach the students regarding DT across the country.
In 2011 DT became world wide famous.
Agile is an approach to problem solving, DT is an approach to problem finding and solving.
Harvard Business Review claims that DT works in business Processes.
New Materials in industry

1. Sustainable Materials

The immense volume of waste generated during the use and production of materials forces governments to
draft various environmental regulations. Practically all industries face challenges while rearranging their
internal processes from the perspective of materials’ lifecycle. Companies in the construction, automotive,
packaging, and manufacturing sectors are integrating sustainable materials to lower their carbon footprint.
Eventually, these efforts aim to lessen the burden of waste on the planet. Sustainable materials also provide
a boost for circular systems and allow for the implementation of a circular economy.

2. Responsive & Smart Materials

In order to comply with the requirements of certain industrial use cases, novel materials currently in
development possess application-specific characteristics. Advancements in materials science enable smart
materials with programmable properties that behave or respond to stimuli from external factors. Emerging
startups design materials and products with diverse qualities, from thermo-, electro-, and photo-chromism
to piezoelectricity, shape memory, self-healing, and phase-change attributes, among other characteristics.

3. Nanotechnology

Advancements in nanotechnology show that the characteristics of materials at a nanoscale differ from those
of their bulk equivalents. The proliferation of nanofibers, nanotubes, allotropes, quantum dots (QD), and
other nanomaterials enable an almost infinite source of value-addition. This includes a strengthened
performance of industrial products, retained at an atomic level. By leveraging the nanomaterials, modern
companies secure their competitive edge, specifically in the electronics, energy, mobility, and
manufacturing sectors.
4. Additive Manufacturing

Emerging additive manufacturing facilities strive to evolve beyond traditional thermoplastics and apply
materials that offer greater flexibility, customization, and functionality while producing lesser waste. The
progress of 3D printing technologies, in turn, spurs the upgrades in metals, alloys, ceramics, fibers, and
their compounds. It also encourages the appearance of completely new and durable polymer filaments with
improved conductance, melting, and chemical resistance, among other properties.

5. Lightweighting

Various industries, from aerospace to mobility, search for innovative ways to diminish excess weight and
consequently provide superior fuel efficiency and handling. This drives research into materials like
aluminum, magnesium, and titanium, as well as high-strength plastics and carbon fiber. These materials
offer industries the option to reduce their environmental and operational burdens arising from their heavier
parts. Moreover, lightweighting innovations in the materials industry also provide safety and reliability
levels on par with heftier equivalents.

6. Material Informatics

Big companies today employ a data-driven approach to materials, enhanced by principles of informatics
and computational techniques, as well as ML and AI. This allows them to arrange and model materials data
in a meticulous manner. In addition to optimizing the ability to reliably derive scientific insights from
complex materials data, informatics also accelerates the timelines for research and development (R&D),
saving time and labor.

7. Advanced Composites

The rapid increase in the number of industrial applications also results in the development of a variety of
composite or hybrid materials. In pursuit of improving performance and regulatory compliance as well as
reducing costs, emerging startups innovate within resins, fibers, substrates, matrices, and finishes to build
custom composites. These composite solutions provide advanced and user-specific applications, primarily
for the infrastructure, energy, industry 4.0, and mobility markets.

8. Graphene & 2D Materials

Breakthroughs in nanotechnology allow materials science companies to configure pathways for 2D, or
single-layer, materials. Possessing inherent thermal conductivity and mechanical strength, 2D materials
endow industrial applications with enhanced capabilities. However, a majority of 2D materials, such as
germanene, silicene, stanene, and phosphorene, are still under development, excluding graphene. As the
first 2D material successfully commercialized, graphene improves tensile strength, intra-sheet strength,
surface durability, electron mobility, flexibility, and thermal resistance. The sectors utilizing graphene
include electronic displays, supercapacitors, automotive, construction paints, and plastic manufacturing.
9. Surface Engineering

Exposed to continuous wear and tear, corrosion, UV rays, and other harmful factors, industrial surfaces
require coatings that demonstrate improved durability. This is essential for protecting automotive,
industrial, agricultural, marine, and manufacturing assets, as well as for increasing productivity. Besides,
engineering innovations offer the possibility to grant surfaces the properties of hydrophobicity and
omniphobicity, self-cleaning, and smoothing. Following the COVID-19 outbreak, surface engineers work
to undertake efforts to master antimicrobials for more reliable protection in both industrial and non-
industrial sites.

10. Materials Management 4.0

Industry 4.0 is inducing the implementation of its practices in materials management, handling, and
processing. Spanning autonomous mining and advanced automated fabrication to robotic manipulations
and cloud computing, the materials sector is being rapidly digitized and interconnected. As a result, the
development of new materials comes in parallel with their industrial adaptation through the fourth
generation of industrial technologies.