I’m hoping that everyone enjoyed a bit of weekend time to rest. Our topic this week is the design of your results.
In this context, the word “design” means all the elements that go into creating a specific result. Suppose the desired result is a birthday party: lots of resources, ideas, work and materials go into the birthday celebration. Think of all of these as design elements – just as a car would have four tires, a steering wheel, an engine.
Having superior results requires attention to design. A car without an engine is going nowhere. If a birthday party had no birthday cake, its lack would negatively impact the desired specific result of celebrating the birthday.
What these examples teach us is the necessity of thinking through all of the design elements: material, labor, skill, imagination, finances, etc. – even intangibles like attitude and psychological perspective.
In class this week, let’s work with one of your projects and, for the exercise, we’ll go into deep detail about all of the design elements required for its success. Consider the example of a mission into space with humans on board, and you’ll understand the “mission critical” nature of design. Everything has to be considered and included for success.