Cyclic Design Model

Many design process models show a cycle that repeats itself and is populated by a number of design strategies. The illustration to the left shows some typical strategies. A standard starting point is to read and understand the specifications and constraints of the design challenge, followed by researching the idea and then brainstorming for possible solutions. Ideas then get prioritized and the best selected to be built. The prototype then undergoes an evaluation based on the product specification checklist.

Designers experience the cyclical nature of their work when their designs cycle through many iterations before the final design is completed. First they develop one idea, build it to try it out, notice changes that need to be made, make those changes and evaluate the new product. Then the cycle repeats itself. The act of repeating these steps is an iteration in the product design cycles.

MOVIE 1 shows Mike Hacker of Hofstra University talking about the cylical model of designing and comparing it with the simpler, Linear Design Model.