Reading: Stage 5

My thoughts jumped around, while the analogies stuck in my brain causing my over active imagination to reawaken and spit out more comparisons.

While reading this section, I will have to admit, was a tad bit overwhelming.  I'm all for being environmentally friendly, so I guess I fear creating something that will damage the environment.  Sadly, this has already been done too many times.  


You cannot assume that just because you, yourself find your design easily comprehensible, that others do as well.  This chapter touches upon the definition and modeling of the design process.

Anatomy of an Idea  Your design is your creation, it is your baby.  You must know it front, back, side to side, inside and out.  While reading this section i could not help but think these thoughts because they are true.  When you create something you put so much work and thought into, like making a painting, but in design one must take it another step forward because your design will make it's way into the environment where the materials used to create it will have to e considered, along with its function and purpose.  You design is like your baby because you have a say in all details and aspects of how it is made and why. 

Scale  I read this section and immediately thought of a five foot safety pin, versus a normal one inched sized safety pin.  When making a model of your design scale is a major factor depending on it's function and purpose.  A gigantic safety pin defeats it's purpose, unless your Paul Bunyan. 

Does a designer have to be a jack of all traits?  Does a designer have to not only know how but have to also be very good at drawing, painting, sculpting, etc.?  I think in a design team, not really, because in a team you can have people with certain strengths and weaknesses, but if you're working alone it can work to your advantage.
An awareness of materials and how things are made along with their effect on the environment is also crucial.  So a designer should be well informed of all the materials they are using along with having a creative mind, and also good will.

Creating models allows you to explore, and by comparing it to sketching, Aspelund helped me see it in a different light.  With my own sketching processes I have to remind myself that it is changeable and that it isn't a final copy of what I am going to be making.  The same goes for making a 3D model of your design.  This stage is important because your model is tangible and actually exists in the universe.