1. Informatics 121 Software Design I
Lecture 5 André van der Hoek
Duplication of course material for any commercial purpose without the explicit written permission of the professor is prohibited.
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
(c) 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

2. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Today’s Lecture
Using the Product / Process framework
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

3. Product / Process Framework
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

4. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Product
C = conceivable
F = feasible D = desirable SP = still possible
design space C C C F D
outcome space SP D
designer
project
customer
A design product is a point in the design space that represents a set of decisions that together delineate a set of possible outcomes in the outcome space
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

5. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Product
C = conceivable
F = feasible D = desirable SP = still possible
design space C C C F F D D
outcome space D D
designer
project
customer
A successful design product restricts the set of still possible outcomes to those that are both feasible and desirable
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

6. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Process
activities
goals (languages)
knowledge (languages)
ideas (languages)
representations (languages)
tools
The design process is defined as the set of information manipulation activities through which a successful design is obtained
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

7. Teams, Stakeholders, and Community
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
tools
goals (langs)
representations (langs)
Information exchange among multiple people takes place as communication through shared representations
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

8. Understanding Unique Nature of Software #1
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
design space C C C F D SP
outcomes D
designer
project
customer
Large space of feasibility
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

9. Understanding Unique Nature of Software #2
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
design space
activities C C C F F D SP
tools
outcomes D
designer
project
customer
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
Goal specificity
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

10. Understanding Unique Nature of Software #2’
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
design space
activities C C C F F D SP D
tools
outcomes
designer
project
customer
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
Goal absence
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

11. Understanding Unique Nature of Software #3
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
design space
activities C C C F F D SP
tools
outcomes D
designer
project
customer
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
Language gap
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

12. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Let’s Brainstorm Some
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
tools
goals (langs)
representations (langs)
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

13. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Let’s Brainstorm Some
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
tools
goals (langs)
representations (langs)
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

14. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Let’s Brainstorm Some
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
tools
goals (langs)
representations (langs)
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

15. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Let’s Brainstorm Some
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
tools
goals (langs)
representations (langs)
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

16. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Let’s Brainstorm Some
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
tools
goals (langs)
representations (langs)
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

17. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Let’s Brainstorm Some
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
tools
goals (langs)
representations (langs)
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

18. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Let’s Brainstorm Some
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
tools
goals (langs)
representations (langs)
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

19. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Roles
A goal constrains desirable outcomes
A goal guides generation of ideas
Knowledge informs outcome feasibility
Knowledge informs outcome desirability
Knowledge guides generation/evaluation of ideas
Knowledge guides creation of representations
Ideas constrain still possible outcomes
Ideas shift goals
Ideas build knowledge
Representations record personalized information
Representations communicate information
Don’t read these, but skip over them selectively to give a taste – they are just all here to give a feel for the breadth of our feelings on this matter
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

20. information manipulation
Roles
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
information manipulation
corresponds to
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

21. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Tensions
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

22. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Tensions
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

23. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Tensions
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

24. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Tensions
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

25. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Roles and Tensions
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

26. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Design Theories
Pure thought
Reflective conversation with materials
Divergence, transformation, convergence
Team communication
Community building
Objectives, expectations, and success
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

27. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Pure Thought
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

28. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Pure Thought
The mental generation, organization, and manipulation of ideas
underlies all other design activities
often subconscious
Guided by:
knowledge of the individual designer
goals to be addressed
Primarily is about idea generation
may involve building knowledge
may involve shifting goals
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

29. Reflective Conversation with Materials
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

30. Reflective Conversation with Materials
“Create a representation, observe it, and gain an understanding”
some design decisions have very unpredictable results
“try and see”
“Flow” – perform this cycle without explicitly taking the steps
“in the zone”
Tools can be a major help or hindrance
Software often gives poor feedback
unpredictability of UML
opaqueness of code
disconnectedness of prototypes
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

31. Divergence, Transformation, Convergence
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

32. Divergence, Transformation, Convergence
John-Chris Jones says that design is:
divergence: problem understanding, creativity, idea generation
transformation: organization, understanding, combination
convergence: analysis and selection of alternatives
Many ways that these steps can be arranged
Software lacks divergence: steeped in existing approaches
Tools can be a major help or hindrance
Software convergence is tough
what ways do we have to evaluate a software design?
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

33. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Team Communication
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

34. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Team Communication
Team communication involves ensuring that an intended interpretation of a representation is its actual interpretation
my ideas as written down become your ideas as read (or not)
my goals are written down become your goals as read (or not)
my knowledge as written down becomes your knowledge as read (or not)
How much context do you and your fellow designers share?
Language is a key factor in effective communication
This is especially difficult in software
high complexity
great amount of detail
great variation between projects
ever-changing landscape of tools, languages, etc.
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

35. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Community Building
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

36. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Community Building
The process of gathering and disseminating general wisdom
education
publications
experience
Software is somewhat unique
disparate projects
changing tools
hidden design decisions
secrecy among developers
many advances are in programming languages
Hidden design decisions: compared to architecture, products – we can study good examples of good design in other fields, not so much in software. We can’t really appreciate how well designed bittorrent, winamp, whatever is – except on an architectural or UI level
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

37. Objectives, Expectations, and Success
activities
goals (langs)
knowledge (langs)
ideas (langs)
representations (langs)
tools
designer
project
customer
outcomes
design space C D F SP C
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

38. Objectives, Expectations, and Success
A successful design product restricts the set of still possible outcomes to those that are both feasible and desirable
ideas faithfully capture my knowledge of feasibility and desirability
ideas faithfully capture my (and my customer’s) goals of desirability
But this design product must be communicated
representation must faithfully capture my ideas
my representation must be “communicatable” (see slides 33 and 34)
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

39. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
To Summarize
The Product/Process framework precisely defines and describes design in general (and thus software design too)
the product part sets objectives for design
the process part describes how to achieve these objectives
Different types of information have different roles
Different roles may be in tension with one another
Design theory helps to bring to light different, higher-level aspects of design
Why did we tell you all this? We want you to be an enlightened designer, one who not only knows what they practice, but also knows how to improve their practice!
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek

40. © 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek
Fifth Assignment
Read “The Reflective Practitioner” by Donald Schön
chapter 3 “A Reflective Conversation with the Situation”
if you want to read more, of course you can read more
available on the class web site
Provide a 1 page summary with what you consider are the major lessons to learn from this text and how these lessons relate to the various design exercises we performed in class
Thursday
April 22, 2019 – 19:53:59
© 2007 University of California, Irvine – André van der Hoek