Problem Finding
In design your life we explore how problem finding and problem solving help to achieve a well designed life. A lot of people spend an excess amount of time solving the wrong problems in life.
Wayfinding
Two hints or important tools to finding your way is engagement and energy. Engagement is how interested you are to participate in your work and whether you enjoy it. Energy is the amount of energy you have before and after an activity.
Flow
Flow is the highest level of engagement. Its when someone's skills match perfectly with the problem at hand, it’s not too easy or too hard and the person feels like they're in the zone.
Organizing Information
Grouping the information into groups so that it is easier to understand and memorize. Instead of providing information in one big group or one clustered set of steps, separate it into different categories of steps that focus on one specific task at a time. A paper with one big paragraph and long sentences is way harder to understand than a paper with many sub titles and short well structured paragraphs. Chunking is an example of this as the mind will more easily memorize various things as one simple concept for the sake of learning more things at once. The Order of presenting information is also important, the structure from beginning to end and what the learner should focus on first in a long process. The Layout of the information is important. The information must be easy to understand and processed quickly. Another important way of perceiving information is by keeping objectives in mind of what information should be contained after. These few things will improve the learning process a high amount.
Networking
In the reading, design explains that a good way of searching for jobs that are not in clear view is by being involved with those jobs, not for the purpose of finding a job but to learn and assist. This could be known as prototyping for chapter 6 and it is one of the best ways to find a job in a specific field once you're hooked in. We learn about the importance of pursuing job offers and not the actual job itself. What this means is, in order to learn more about the jobs you have an interest in, you can't believe all of the preconceived notions or bad descriptions about the job, you need to test out these offers and see for yourself if you fit and if only one of these offers works out perfectly, that is all you need.
Designing your life
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A is the activity, what you were doing and your specific role.
E is the environment, your surroundings and the feelings they evoke in you whether it's how secluded a place is or the general mood.
I is the interactions that you have whether with a machine or a person and the interaction was something you're used to or something new.
O is objects, were you interacting with devices or or something more simple.
U is for Users meaning the other people and their roles, and how they affect the overall experience.
Misconceptions
Some misconceptions about design your life are very important to know in order to make full use of the design model. Misconception number one is that design rarely has one correct answer. This makes a lot of sense and this connects to the most recent assignment we've done which is the Odyssey plan. The Odyssey plan shows us that there are multiple correct paths and that each one is equally as good if you put your soul into it. We then look at a few figures that show us a critical look at the design and its criteria. Beginning designers tend to make a lot of newbie mistakes that they will eventually move past, some of these mistakes include building first before understanding the concepts, going into design processes without making the necessary research, and getting stuck on singular ideas instead of brainstorming multiple and leaving options open. Along with other habits that should be avoided, we end with the conclusion that explains that during the struggle of teaching those who are inexperienced about the design process, you are also a student of the process and that you are acting as a designer.
Immunity to Failure
It explains that those who design can have immunity to failure. While it doesn't actually reduce the number of times things don't go our way, it will reduce the number of negative feelings that come along with failure, adding more to our efficiency. The design model wants you to see any failures as productive learning experiences that happened for a good reason. Those who are used to failure are more prepared for success if they take it in the right way. We look at the functional belief that we judge our life by the outcome, but the re-frame that design has proposed is that we should focus more on the process that can lead us to better outcomes. To me, failure immunity just seems like the kind of attitude where you should avoid feeling down about your losses and focus on doing better, but a more complex version of it where you're open to continuing trying with great perseverance.
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Design your life