Stage One: Preparation (the conscious state) In this stage the aim is to acquire more information about the problem than you already possess. For Barton Designs, this is the stage where we go out and do a lot of market research, and see what brands in your field are doing right and wrong. You might brainstorm, collaborate with others, anything that can help you move towards solving the design "problem" at hand. The stage of preparation may vary in length from a few minutes, as in the case of a brainstorming session, to months or years, as in the preparation for an invention or a crucial experiment where more research needs to be done. Stage Two: Incubation (the subconscious state) Stop thinking of the problem and turn your attention to anything else. Go for a run, a hike and take some pictures, blast some people in Call of Duty screaming profanities back that 11 year old's shouldn't be saying or have a few drinks with friends... drinking totally helps. Do anything that stimulates your mind, but does not involve solving your problem. You are going to give your unconscious mind time to digest all the material you gathered in the preparation stage. This is the same principal used to solve “designers block” or “writers block”. For us web designers and company branders, the incubation stage can last from a few hours to days. After incubating, go back to your problem and begin crafting a solution or idea. At the end of this stage, the idea, which has been incubating, is more clearly defined than it was at the beginning. Stage Three: Illumination (The “Ahaaa!” Moment.) This is where the idea, which has been incubating, assumes definite form. This is when you say BAM, THIS PROJECT IS GOING TO BE SICK! Better known as the “Ahaa! Moment”. This is the feeling you get when you have been struggling with your thoughts and can’t quite put your finger on what is missing. The idea will appear suddenly and comes with a feeling of certainty. This is a rewarding stage because you really reach a sense of accomplishment. Stage Four: Verification (the, now I can get paid state) This is where you challenge the idea that came to you in the Illumination stage. Does your solution work and/or does it need revisions? This is the stage where Barton Designs fine tunes the content we produce and make sure its ready to be seen in the world. After this stage, you need to continue and do follow up verification, reaching out to clients in the future and ensuring that there are no flaws or issues that come up.
6 Comments
Cybil
4/13/2014 04:37:28 am
Very interesting and informative, this process works for me every time.
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4/13/2014 09:10:59 am
Thanks Cybil, I appreciate the feedback! I'm off to go hiking and take on stage 2 of this process :)
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4/14/2014 04:22:06 pm
Good post, and great reminder! Love the bit about Call of Duty, my husband complains about the 11-year olds all the time LOL ;)
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4/24/2014 10:06:36 am
Thanks Sheila,
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Very well written! I thought it was a repost of other info at first.
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4/24/2014 10:05:01 am
Thanks a ton Joe, I appreciate those positive comments!
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