STUCK in Design

Are art and science really that incongruent? Creative technology is a relatively new field of work that straddles the border between arts, science, design and development. In his very first episode, Benjamin Xue, one of the leads in STUCK's newly launched branches STUCK Labs, shares aspects of what he does as a creative technologist at STUCK, and even plays a sneaky little numbers game to showcase the magic of computational thinking.   If you want to find out more about STUCK Labs click on the link below https://stucklabs.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you would like to hear more like this you can find us on: Youtube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLl1HOXB4dbFcooWNhZtfJ3hPDTdm5X7p7 Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/spotstuck Google: https://bit.ly/2Ufs9FG Apple: https://tinyurl.com/applestuck   Or you can follow us on: Website: https://www.stuck.sg/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stuckdesign/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stuckdesign/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can have the perfect design and it could still fail If you can't tell it's story well.   Today we have one of STUCK's newest director's KK Wong sharing about how to craft a story so your audience understands the consideration behind your design.   KK shares how a juicy insight needs to be R.I.P.E. like a juicy mango How to test your design stories with the 'Happy Hour Bar' test and how to get really good at making sure your design stories stick.   Check out http://www.stuck.sg for the full transcript.   #STUCKdesign #MakeThingsPeopleLove #MTPL #designstorytelling #happyhourbartest #ripeinsights  

Should designers only design for the good of humanity?   Donn shares how creating small ripples for good is better than trying to effect big changes, and how life-centred design could be a more compassionate alternative to human-centred design.   #STUCKdesign #STUCKinDesign #STUCKedu #podcast #MakeThingsPoepleLove #MTPL #lovable  #consultancy #humancentreddesign #lifecentreddesign #whatsnext

Designers face a dilemma when asked to design products or services that may not align with their personal beliefs.   In the case of vice products, Donn shares why STUCK tends not to pick up such projects, and how the team holds one another accountable to only designing for good.   #STUCKdesign #STUCKinDesign #STUCKedu #podcast #MakeThingsPoepleLove #MTPL #lovable  #consultancy #vice #design

An idea that is based on truthful insight will naturally resonate and be loved, and storytelling is the key to bringing this to light.   Donn shares an anecdote of designing a farming implement, and how the project team crafted a story to bring forward a missing but crucial insight that would alter the entire design.   #STUCKdesign #STUCKinDesign #STUCKedu #podcast #MakeThingsPoepleLove #MTPL #lovable  #consultancy #insight #truth

Designing a well-loved product is hard; producing and selling one is even harder.   Donn discusses the various stakeholders involved in making an object that people love, and how big brands like MUJI and Apple are closing the gap between objects that designers love and objects loved by the general public.   Donn also shares the approach he takes when designing products people love, and how to design something that people don't know they miss.   #STUCKdesign #STUCKinDesign #STUCKedu #podcast #MakeThingsPoepleLove #MTPL #lovable #muji #apple #consultancy

We go on staycations to relax and unwind, but what difference does a hotel bring as compared to our own homes?   Donn thinks the answer lies in the products we have at home and shares how products that are inappropriately designed for human use at home are driving us to find an escape elsewhere.   #MakeThingsPeopleLove #STUCKedu #STUCKinDesign #STUCKdesign #consultancy #podcast #MTPL #staycaytion #humanbehaviour

Creating a delightful experience is a common goal amongst designers and brand managers.   Yet, this sense of delight changes with the context of the brand, product and user. Tze talks about the different ways “delightfulness” changes, and how we can use it to design better things that people love.   #MakeThingsPeopleLove #STUCKedu #STUCKinDesign #STUCKdesign #consultancy #podcast #MTPL  

'I just need to add one more thing to make it better' As a designer, project manager or client, it's tough to decide when a design is complete and ready for market. Tze shares how testing is an important step in evaluating a design's readiness for the market, and how there needs to be a balance between innovation and pragmatism.   #MakeThingsPeopleLove #STUCKedu #STUCKinDesign #STUCKdesign #consultancy #podcast #MTPL

Intangible prototype, tangible experience. It is easy to think about making prototypes and iterations when the project involves a tangible object, but how exactly can you visualise an intangible prototype?   Tze shares some examples of ways to create a tangible experience of an intangible prototype.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #stuckdesign #stuckindesign #podcast #processes #makethingspeoplelove #MTPL #stuckedu #designexperiment  

Is there ever too crazy an idea?   Crazy ideas are often associated with things that are unfeasible or too out-of-this-world, but it doesn't always have to be the most complex or challenging idea. Tze shares how crazy ideas can just be what is completely unexpected and unconventional that inspire new methods or designs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #stuckdesign #stuckindesign #podcast #processes #makethingspeoplelove #MTPL #stuckedu  

Thought experiments cost nothing to test. Experiments are valuable to discover newness but can often be costly and comes with the risk of failing. Yet experiments can also start from thought experiments, which cost close to nothing to test. Tze shares how to experiment meaningfully in different kinds of projects, and how the spectrum of experimentation can lead the design process.     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   #stuckdesign #stuckindesign #podcast #processes #makethingspeoplelove #MTPL #stuckedu #designexperiment

Doing research isn't just about asking questions. Instead of conducting research with the mindset of a one-way collection of data, Jieyu shares how going into research with a point of view on the subject matter enriches the process and the data you collect. Jieyu also talks about how a qualitative research methodology, like design research, can provide a different kind of representation that quantitative research gives. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ If you would like to hear more like this you can find us on: Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/spotstuck Google: https://bit.ly/2Ufs9FG Apple: https://tinyurl.com/applestuck   Or you can follow us on: Website: https://www.stuck.sg/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stuckdesign/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stuckdesign/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   #stuckdesign #stuckindesign #podcast #processes #makethingspeoplelove #MTPL

Does bias really have no part to play in research? It is commonly believed that research studies should be unbiased and fair.   Yet, biases are very much human and commonly found in research, especially qualitative studies.   Jieyu shares how biases should be something to look out for when conducting design research, but also help to guide the synthesis of data and add richness to the research work.

Why do we need to hire a designer? Most companies have employees who are far more experienced, who understand the issues the company is facing more intimately and who by all logic would do a much better job at solving the problems the company is facing. So why would you pay someone who knows next to nothing about your issues to come in and tell you how to change your company?   Let Jieyu share in this short snippet, the crux of why designers are paid to consult on complex issues that companies face and how they bring value to a field they may be novices in. #makethingspeoplelove #stuckindesign #designconsultancy

Design thinking seems to be the hot new tend that everyone talks about. And though it seems quite simple in concept it is seen as something that only designers can do.   Well the truth is, ANYONE CAN USE DESIGN THINKING.   Listen to Jieyu as he breakdown what design thinking truly is, empathy and looking at things through someone else's shoes. Learn how you can employ a little design thinking in your own life and get ahead of the crowd. #stuckdesign #stuckindesign #makethingspeoplelove #MTPL #podcast #process

Design Thinking has been a buzzword amongst innovation teams and businesses over the past few years, and it can be easy to fall onto the bandwagon without truly understanding the core intention of the process.   Tze talks about the cornerstone of the popularised process, and key points to keep in mind before and after attending a design thinking workshop.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Or you can follow us on: Website: https://www.stuck.sg/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stuckdesign/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stuckdesign/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ #stuckdesign #stuckindesign #podcast #processes #makethingspeoplelove #MTPL

Ever wondered what the story behind STUCK's name was? Or been curious how friends make a design studio work without tearing each other's limbs off?   Donn shares his tale of STUCK's origin story, his journey in growing the business, and his end goal for the STUCK team.

Too many processes hinder innovation.   As a company grows, processes come into place to give structure and a fallback for newcomers to assimilate into the company's approaches and even culture. Yet these processes often become impediments for the team, especially when it obstructs innovation.   Tze shares how STUCK has been evolving on both the design and business fronts and the 2 fundamental truths that remain and guide the design practice over the years.   #stuckdesign #stuckindesign #podcast #processes #makethingspeoplelove #MTPL

In a consultancy like STUCK that dabbles in a plethora of projects, design work can become a blur, but some things just stick.   Jieyu shares the most memorable and disappointing projects that he has done at STUCK over the years, as he recounts the lessons learnt and experiences had, he also dives into client-consultancy working relationships, and how that develops and gets strengthened over time.   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   If you would like to hear more like this you can find us on: Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/spotstuck Google: https://tinyurl.com/googstuck Apple: https://tinyurl.com/applestuck   Or you can follow us on: Website: https://www.stuck.sg/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stuckdesign/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stuckdesign/   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   #stuckdesign #stuckindesign #podcast #memorable #makethingspeoplelove #MTPL

If everyone is and can be creative, how can it be activated?   Tze shares some steps you can take to become self-aware and break away from the trappings of feeling uncreative. Plus, he shares how to as for feedback on a brilliantly silly idea without seeming like you came up with a terrible concept.   Do let us know in the comments if you have any other ways to turn on your creativity!

It is hard to be innovative, either you are born with it or without it. Yet being innovative seems to be the most sought after skill now. Many of us think that there are two types of people in the world: creative and non-creative people.   On the contrary, Tze shares how the fear of judgement is often a roadblock to creation and creativity, and how silly ideas aren't all that bad after all.   We would love to inspire everyone with a few silly ideas, so if you have any to share do leave them in the comments and we'll highlight a few of the ones that really make us laugh

Is there really such a thing as a non-creative industry? Donn shares how creativity can be brought into seemingly regimental and repetitive work/industries, and how new ideas generated from a different perspective can resonate more deeply with people. Yet, creativity doesn't always need to result in a large transformation to the workplace, as incremental improvements also have its place in evolving the industry.

Being a creative seems like a daunting task, but truly everyone can do creative work.   Donn shares his method of systemising creativity by simply making a list of objects or words that act as triggers for creating new ideas and generating new questions or parameters.   In following a structured way to creativity, you just might find yourself working your creativity muscle and finding connections in the most unexpected way.

As part of our mini-series on hiring a design consultant, Tze quickly talks about the factors that make design fees high and how the design cost compares to the overall cost of bringing a product to market.

As part of our mini-series on hiring a design consultant, Tze talks about various factors that STUCK can bring to the table, and how that might be a match for your organisational needs

As part of our mini-series on hiring a design consultant, Tze shares how important it is to find a good match with the consultancy and how you might be able to discern whether a particular consultancy or consultancy is a good fit for your organisation at that point in time.

As part of our mini-series on hiring a design consultant, Tze shares the different junctures at which design intervention can come in, and how that differs with the characteristics of your own organisation.

Sustainability is often something people want but may not be willing to pay for.   In answering a question posed by a listener, Tze shares how a designer can weave a sustainability angle into the project from both a user and a business standpoint.

With a multitude of design consultancies to choose from, how do you know which can add value to your company and project? Donn attempts to pitch STUCK in the least salesy way as possible, and shares what edge we bring for clients.

Donn shares two broad perspectives of design that when misaligned, can cause tensions between businesses and designers.

It is easy to feel paralysed when diving into the uncertain workscape as a gradute during COVID-19. Let Tze break down the key things to consider when taking a step forward in this pandemic so that you can excel and thrive in your upcoming career.

Starting a design studio seems to be a dream of many designers looking to elevate their craft. Donn shares how this could be a hype not suited for all types of designers and the need for passion in building teams for a design studio to thrive.

We are all trying to find our identity as designers, but design itself is a broad realm which is easy to get lost in. Listen to Donn share about how to clarify what your own niche is and what are a few signs that you might be in the niche you were meant to be in..

Join Tze as he shares considerations when choosing between furthering your design education or jumping into the industry after design school. Plus how going into design school later in life could affect the way you tackle design.

Donn shares how less resources can sometimes bring about better value in design projects, using the example of the balance bike.

Donn shares the different reasons why designers may take on projects, and what implications that might bring.

onn shares ways to approach mellow projects, and how possible it is to carry out client projects that may not align with your worldview as a designer.

Tze shares practical steps to take when trying your hand at futurecasting.

Tze shares design research methods to keep at the forefront of innovation when doing projects.

Donn shares STUCK's experience in figuring out the team makeup in the face of new disciplines, and whether these new disciplines should be tackled in-house or out-sourced.

Donn shares how STUCK figures out how and when to add new disciplines and members to the team so that we can create the best value outcome.

Jieyu shares one of the pivotal points in his design journey that helped him grow as a designer.

During this pandemic, everyone struggles in their own way. Find out from Tze how COVID-19 could be one of the best times for researchers, environmentalists, designers and businesses to act and how STUCK makes the best of a tough situation to grow and prepare for the future.

Jieyu shares the main differences between crafting briefs for clients and for personal projects.

Donn shares technical and philosophical elements that make up a good design brief.

Jieyu shares some ways for clients to find synergy and get better results when working with designers.

Tze shares his system of breaking down a multitude of research into manageable tidbits of information.

Donn shares the one dangerous assumption designers unconsciously make when acting as a design consultant as opposed to a design vendor.