Design

Identifying an Opportunity and Forming a Knowledge Base

The first stage of the design process generally involves some extent of qualitative research. Designers employ research methods, such as interviews and focus groups, to help establish needs, expectations, and requirements regarding the desired design artifact.

Humor plays a part at this stage in a few ways. Most notably, humor may be applied in the form of improv (improvisational) exercises, with designers acting as facilitators and encouraging research participants to explore possibilities for innovation while simultaneously gathering basic insights. One exercise example is “Yes, and,” in which individuals in a group continuously build onto one idea at a fast pace. While this exercise within a comedy setting leads participants into a range of chaotically humorous directions, its use in design can be directionally limited to requests for an artifact's features and functions. Exercises like this one are used because of their ability to incite creativity and enthusiasm around a topic, while also making the creative process fun.

Planning a Design and Producing Design Concepts

A design strategy is developed prior to creating concepts for a design. It acts as a holistic plan based on the analysis and synthesis of information and research gathered during the first stage of the design process. The strategy may include recommended requirements, design implications, and design approaches.

Humor is able to play its most tactical role at this stage of the design process, specifically in its ability to be applied as an approach. The type of approach needed is based on the purpose of the design artifact. For example, if the design artifact's purpose is to influence its audience to do something they normally wouldn't do, a designer may choose to employ a persuasive strategy—designing for persuasion is a goal in which humor is commonly called on as an approach.

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