Demystifying the Design Process: A Learnable Skill

00:00 Introduction

Rich Hickey expresses gratitude to attendees and introduces the topic of design in practice, aiming to clarify and demystify the design process.

01:30 Design as a Learnable Skill

Hickey emphasizes that design can be learned through concrete activities and practices, rather than being an abstract concept. He discusses the importance of integrating design activities into project management systems to track progress.

03:00 Writing and Communication

The significance of writing in the design process is highlighted. Writing aids in thinking, sharing ideas, and maintaining clarity among team members. Hickey stresses the need for precise language to ensure shared understanding and avoid confusion.

05:30 Techniques for Better Design

Hickey introduces the technique of maintaining a glossary for terms and emphasizes the importance of asking good questions, using the Socratic method for effective dialogue, and reflecting on one’s thinking as part of the design process.

09:00 Phases of Design

The talk outlines the phases of design, including describing the problem, diagnosing issues, and delimiting problems. Hickey suggests that design should lead to a clear problem statement that guides the development process.

12:00 Decision Making in Design

A decision matrix is presented as a tool for evaluating approaches to problems. Hickey explains how to create and use this matrix to assess the trade-offs of various solutions effectively.

15:30 Implementation and Reflection

The final phase of design involves implementation decisions based on strategies developed during the earlier phases. Hickey advocates for reflective inquiry in order to refine approaches and ensure clarity in objectives.

18:00 Conclusion

Hickey concludes with encouragement to practice the principles discussed and acknowledges the support from his colleagues. He believes that rigorous design leads to smaller, more general solutions that are easier to manage.