Learning Skills in Design Aesthetics

1. Learning Skills in Design Aesthetics Dr Tan Wee Hoe

2. Outlines • What do you need to prepare? • Learning strategies • Thinking strategies

3. What do you need to prepare? • Curiosity!! • Dare to ask question • Good health • Learning strategies • Thinking strategies

4. Learning strategies • Big white paper method • Mnemonics • Deep learning skills

5. Big white paper method • Big white paper method • Mind mapping • Exponential growth • Good for brainstorming, revision, group discussion

6. Mnemonics • Magical number 7 (plus minus 2) • Snowball effects • Storytelling / story-making • (Mnemosyne vs Lethe)

7. Deep learning skills • Knowledge (Cognitive domain)

8. Deep learning skills • Skills (Psychomotor domain)

9. Deep learning skills • Attitude (Affective domain)

10. Thinking strategies • Reflective thinking vs reflexive thinking • Lateral thinking vs vertical thinking • Six Thinking Hats

11. The reflection—reflexion continuum

12. Comparison between reflection and reflexion

13. How our brain works – three levels • Visceral level: • the automatic, prewired layer • Behavioral level: • contains the brain processes that control everyday behavior • Reflective level: • the contemplative (introspective) part of the brain

14. Affect States

15. The impact of affect states upon the design process itself • Design requires creative thinking followed by a considerable period of concentrated, focused effort. • In the first case, creativity, it is good for the designer to be relaxed, in a good mood. • In brainstorming sessions, it is common to warm up by telling jokes and playing games. No criticism is allowed because it would raise the level of anxiety among the participants. • Good brainstorming and unusual, creative thinking require the relaxed state induced by positive affect.

16. The impact of affect states upon the design process itself • Once the creative stage is completed, the ideas that have been generated have to be transformed into real products. • Now the design team must exert considerable attention to detail—focus is essential. • One way to do this is through deadlines just slightly shorter than feel comfortable. • Here is the time for the concentrated focus that negative affect produces. • This is one reason people often impose deadlines on themselves , and then announce those deadlines to others so as to make them real. Their anxiety helps them get the work done.

17. Vertical thinking • Problem-solving skills • Characteristics: • Selective • Analytical • Sequential • Example in Design Aesthetics: • Evaluating the quality of an artwork by following a particular aesthetic principle.

18. Lateral thinking • Problem-solving skills • Characteristics: • Indirect • Creative • Beyond traditional step-by-step logic

19. Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats • Blue Hat: Meta-thinking • Conductor or organizer • White Hat: Objective thinking • Evidence-based, looking for facts and figures • Black Hat: Critical thinking • Judging the true value of statements, seeking errors

20. Edward de Bono’s Six Thinking Hats • Yellow Hat: Positive Thinking • Why it will work • Red Hat: Emotional thinking • How do you feel about the idea/ concept/ design? • Feeling, opinion • Green Hat: Creative thinking • Lateral thinking • Speculative, innovative, alternative

21. The use of SmartArt • List • Process • Cycle • Hierarchy • Relationship • Matrix • Pyramid