INTRODUCTION

While design outcomes are real-world creations – full of dimensionality and nuance, designers tend to communicate the intent of their ideas – at least initially, via paper and screens, which leaves some wrestling with how best to document, communicate, and ultimately celebrate their designs. To aid in this process, designers can use props to share their solution and convey its benefits. That said, there are many manners in which to share design ideas – each presenting their own challenges and opportunities. This chapter will explore these tactics, including outcome diagrams, various drawings types, and some multi-modal strategies that can be used as props in telling a compelling design story.

EXPRESSING IDEAS

Idea in head – pen in hand, was the traditional path toward design expression. While this route remains both relevant and valuable, today, there are many props that designers can use to inspire, orientate, and build their audience’s understanding.

What is included in a design story and the manner in which it is done (i.e., the character and tone of the imagery) are largely functions of a number of considerations:

Quantity of Elements
How many props should be included?

Character of Elements
What is the best media & level of development for those props?

Following these decisions, aim tobe consistent with these characteristics, since the audience may incorrectly infer that characteristic changes imply a change in the design.

CHARACTER CONSIDERATIONS

Since the fate of a project can rest upon a client’s interpretation of design illustrations, the persuasive sway of various media types should bear consideration. In other words, what subliminal messages do sketches, hybrid drawings, or photo-realistic representations convey to viewers?

 

AUTHOR’S NOTES The Influence of Rendering Style

To investigate this, I conducted a study that explored the responses of both interior designers and proxy clients to images of the same design – the only difference being the style of the rendering itself.¹

The results revealed that experts and non-experts evaluate architectural renderings differently. The client group was more inclined to value the most realistic rendering higher. This might be due to their having less design expertise, making it more difficult for them to “imagine” design outcomes from seemingly vague imagery. However, realistic images can cause misunderstandings, especially in the early stages of design.

One design leader who participated in the study noted how competition renderings for a recent project essentially locked in design decisions in the client’s mind before their team was able to explore and finalize options. This experience led him to conclude that it was critical to align the design progress with the fidelity of the renderings. For example, schematic sketches should be used in early design meetings, thus allowing the designer to maintain some flexibility (and time) for specific design considerations. So, unless your design is nearly complete or you desire specific feedback, it may be best to represent ideas abstractly. On the other hand, in a competition scenario where the goal might be to awe the decision makers, advanced realism might make for a memorable experience.

While designers might prefer to use familiar tools or those thought to make a visual significant impact, it’s best to examine your goals before choosing which rendering style to use for a presentation. Is the goal to provide conceptual or informative depictions?

	Conceptual Low fidelity	Informative High fidelity
Use when there is	little need for realism	greater need for realism
Consider for	preliminary sharing & idea development	later stages of a design
Examples	sketches, study models, & mock ups	computer renderings, animations, final models, & prototypes

Figure 8.0
The images (above), which were used in the study, suggest that an image’s rendering characteristics can convey subliminal messages

DESIGN OUTCOMES DIAGRAMS

Outcomes diagrams can be a quick way to focus on a particular aspect of the design. When creating diagrams, consider what idea you’re aiming to depict, then focus solely on what is needed to represent this idea. Avoid including unnecessary information so that the viewer can concentrate on your message.

When information is potentially confusing or complicated, consider framing the diagram around a metaphor, which can make seemingly unfamiliar information more understandable.

Figure 8.1
Outcomes diagrams can focus viewers’ attention toward a specific aspect of the design

CONCEPTUAL IMAGERY

Conceptual drawings are often used early in the design process. They are frequently more evocative and imaginative than subsequent imagery and can be generated via hand sketches, collaging, and hybrid images.

Figure 8.2
Conceptual images can take on a range of styles

ORTHOGRAPHIC DRAWINGS

Orthographic drawings are a series of separate but related views. There is no foreshortening in orthographic views so that they can be drawn to an accurate scale. Orthographic drawings often illustrate more technical aspects about a design.

Figure 8.3
Showing orthographic views simultaneously can help viewers understand spatial relationships

ORTHOGRAPHIC TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

Orthographic drawings can be produced via manual drafting or computer software.

Manual Drawings

Since orthographic views are drawn to an accurate scale, they are drafted using either a T-square and triangle or parallel bars. Typical methods of doing so include using graphite pencils on vellum paper, or ink and mylar.

Line Weights

Since there is no foreshortening (and little shade and shadow) in orthographic drawings, line weights are critical to legibility. There are a few universally accepted conventions for both manual and digital drawings:

Digital Drawings

Today, there are many software programs available to create orthographic drawings. The earliest software programs were fashioned after traditional 2D orthographic drafting techniques using layers to distinguish line types and line weights. More recently developed tools, however, model elements digitally on the computer. Orthographic views can then be captured from these models by rotating around them on screen. The most recent software programs even make use of algorithms to create parametric, or flexible forms that respond to various inputs.

MODELING

While the role of physical models has shifted given new technologies, models remain an important tool for studying design decisions and for communicating design intent.

For industrial and fashion designers working with true-to-life scales, physical prototypes provide an invaluable tool to test form and function. At the same time, for designers and architects working in the built environment — where full-scale prototyping remains largely unfeasible — physical models continue to be a vital tool to illustrate macro relationships between forms and objects.

Parti models, study models, concept models, and maquettes can be built at a reduced size to depict large-scale projects.

Form models and prototypes can be built at full scale to test form & function. Photo courtesy of Emily Swerdloff.

Figure 8.4
Physical models can be used to both study the design & share it with others

MEANS OF MAKING

When determining how to make the model, first reflect on the desired form and consider whether it would be constructed most easily through additive, subtractive, or cast-in-place model-making methods.

Figure 8.5
Methods of model making

Whatever method you choose, be sure to protect your lungs and extremities during model building. Ensure proper ventilation and use respiratory masks when sanding and painting. Also, aim to cut with high-quality equipment and fresh blades, and only do so when you are rested and alert.

MODELING TOOLS & TECHNIQUES

Important considerations in model building include access to materials and tools.

Material

When selecting materials, consider whether the goal is to convey materiality or to emphasize form. For materiality, use materials that mimic final selections. If the emphasis is on form, select materials that are uniform and nondescript.

Nondescript model materials include:

museum board	plaster	wire
bass or balsa wood	acrylic	thread
chip board	epoxy	rods
masonite	plywood	putty or filler

Tools

Depending on your construction method (i.e., additive, subtractive, or cast-in-place), different tools may be necessary. Before starting, consider the need for and access to the following:

Measuring	Adhering or Forming	Finalizing
digital & laser capturing devices	3D printer	putty
Cutting	cast-in-place forms	sander/sandpaper
X-acto blades with sharp edges	straight pins	appropriate paints
laser cutter	quick-set glue or 2-part epoxy
router (manual or CNC)
band saw
rotary tools

VIRTUAL MODELING

The frontiers of design communication are both vast and changing. At the time of this printing, tools such as holograms and technologies that capture gestural movements and provide multi-sensory experiences are being developed. The path forward is hard to predict, but some technologies are already being integrated into design storytelling, and bear explanation.

Thanks to new user-friendly software programs and less expensive hardware, digital models are growing in popularity. Such models can be shared via virtual and augmented reality experiences. While each method presents limitations, they offer newfound potential to bring design stories to life.

AUGMENTED REALITY (AR)

AR is the enhancement of an existing environment by superimposing new information over it. These augmented scenes are made visible as a response to a marker, or with GPS coordinates. Some retail stores are already using augmented reality to show their products within existing environments.

VIRTUAL REALITY (VR)

VR can be thought of as a total immersion within a virtual environment. To view this environment, users wear a steroscopic headset and sometimes use hand-held devices for haptic feedback. Inexpensive headsets make use of a mobile phone and allow the user to view a design from many angles, while high-end sets allow for locomotion, or movement within a virtual space.

Figure 8.6
Augmented reality (top) & virtual reality (bottom) provide new opportunities for design storytelling

THREE-DIMENSIONAL DRAWINGS

Three-dimensional drawings give viewers a sense of spatial relationships. These drawings can be created with parallel projection, where there is no foreshortening of distant objects, such as in Isometrics and Axonometrics, or by making use of a vanishing point(s), such as in perspective drawings, which allows viewers to perceive depth, thus giving a realistic view.

PROJECTED DRAWINGS

Figure 8.7
3-Dimensional drawings give viewers a sense of spatial relationships

PERSPECTIVES

There are several types of perspectives you may opt to use based on your goals and desired viewing angle. Consider where the “viewer” is located relative to the objects featured.

Figure 8.8
Perspectives can have either one, two, or three vanishing points

OTHER THREE-DIMENSIONAL VIEWS

Section perspectives, section obliques, and exploded views can also serve as useful props in telling design stories.

Figure 8.9
Section perspectives & exploded views show design components

DRAWINGS AIDES

There are numerous tools to help create 3-Dimensional Drawings.

Manual	Digital
Compose It Grids	3Ds Max	Sculptris
Gridvu Drawing Tool	Autodesk 123D	SketchUp
John Pike Perspective Machine	Form Z	Solidworks
Perspective Grids Underlays	Inventor
	Maya
Hybrid     (programs/apps with grid underlays)	Optitex
Adobe Photoshop Sketch	Revit
Illustrator Underlay	Rhino
Illustrator Underlay
Gridvu
Procreate

RENDERING

Rendering adds a great deal of dimensionality to your design depictions. A rendered image gives viewers a sense of color, light, material, and texture. Entire volumes have been written on how to generate inspired design renderings. Below is an overview of rendering considerations:

FOUR-DIMENSIONAL DEPICTIONS

The fourth dimension is time, and technological advances now allow designers to represent their designs over a duration. Designers have long benefited from before and after images as well as sequential depictions that illustrate how a design is assembled. Today, there are many opportunities to showcase how a design responds to various inputs and constraints. For instance, architects and interior designers can generate daylight studies, illustrating daylighting patterns over the course of a day, week, month, or year. Or, using RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) devices and the internet of things, design researchers can track and display the locations of building occupants, highlighting patterns of use. Similarly, industrial designers might show force animations depicting how a product can withstand user demands. At the same time, fashion designers might show how a garment responds to the movement of its wearer.

Figure 8.10
Dayligh studies can show light pattern over a period of time

GIFs, Graphic Interchange formats, are compressed image files that allow for short animations. GIFs are often the format of choice for websites and blogs that feature quick, looping animations. Software plug-ins enable the study of various inputs which can then be shared with project stakeholders. Additionally, many designers are now creating videos and animations, which are discussed in Chapter 9.

As a design storyteller, it will be imperative to keep abreast of new technology — both within design and from other fields. With a bit of vision and thoughtful planning, these tools can provide the vivid props your story needs to make for a memorable and persuasive audience experience. The key is to keep the story focused on the message at-hand.

SUMMARY

The “props” designers use to convey their ideas are essential components of any design story since they can inspire, orientate, and build audience understanding. To determine the quality and quantity of your props, consider your goals, your audience’s characteristics, and the project’s stage of development. To avoid miscommunication, aim to align the fidelity of your design’s representations to your stage in the project (i.e., early stages would likely utilize more schematic representations, while later stages may benefit from added realism).

There are a variety of props that you may opt to include in your story:

Today, designers can create these representations using a range of manual, hybrid, and digital tools. While it is important to stay abreast of new communication technologies, the key is to keep the goals and the audience in mind when determining what to create and how to do it.

FOR CONSIDERATION

“Have a big idea and/or unifying concept and clearly communicate that at the outset of your presentation. If you have a goal, state that to keep your audience on track. Present your concepts in a sensible order to support your efforts to communicate, persuade or gain approvals. And don’t rely on the quality of your visuals to make up for a weak idea.

Great images of a poor design won’t last.”

Eric Ibsen,

chief design officer for Forge

APPLICATION 8.0

To enhance the Sharing the Solution portion of your presentation, consider the following:

1 Reflect on your audience and your design. To determine the quantity of your visual messages, identify 2–3 of the most compelling benefits for your audience. Consider how best to frame these benefits for your audience (See Chapter 2) and how knowledge of these benefits might encourage the audience change you are seeking.

2 Based on your stage in the project, your goals, and the characteristics of your audience determine which representations methods (drawing type & level of fidelity) would best convey these benefits.

3 Similar to Chapter 7, for each iteration, establish where viewers should begin, how they should navigate the content, and what they will need to remember about it.

4 Determine what cues will help viewers to do this. Test several methods of integrating navigational cues into your depictions. The goal is to produce 2–3 versions of each.

5 Quickly sketch out your ideas and discuss them with a trusted peer prior to beginning any final iterations.

6 Based on your reviewer’s feedback, generate your ideas by whichever means you feel most appropriate; aim to create 2–3 iterations for each.

7 To understand how others might approach and interpret these depictions, review them with several people without providing verbal explanations.

8 Ask your reviewers to explain their responses to the images. If these explanations do not align with your goals, revise your work accordingly.

9 If you are not generating a video for your presentation, rehearse your presentation once more in front of an audience using your entire visual package.

10 Adjust and refine your presentation and your visual messages based on your audience’s comments and your own experience.