Abstract
With rapid advancements in information technology, data has emerged as a crucial material that broadens the scope of design. Product designers urgently need to develop a comprehensive understanding of the role of data in design and how data can effectively shape and guide the creative design process. In this study, we identified different types of data in design by using bibliometric analysis and conducted semi-structured interviews using qualitative analysis with 12 experienced smart product designers, aiming to understand how product designers in various fields practically apply data in their design process. We have developed a taxonomy to leverage data in design, clarifying its impact and illuminating common challenges in data-driven decision-making throughout the design stages. This study aims to promote a shift toward a data-driven design paradigm, highlighted by a nuanced understanding of data's role in the design process.
Keywords
data in design; design process; data as design material; smart products
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.708
Citation
Tan, Y., Yuan, X., Peng, Y., and Zhang, Z. (2024) Exploring the role of data in designing smart products: A survey of Chinese product designers, in Gray, C., Ciliotta Chehade, E., Hekkert, P., Forlano, L., Ciuccarelli, P., Lloyd, P. (eds.), DRS2024: Boston, 23–28 June, Boston, USA. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2024.708
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Research Paper
Included in
Exploring the role of data in designing smart products: A survey of Chinese product designers
With rapid advancements in information technology, data has emerged as a crucial material that broadens the scope of design. Product designers urgently need to develop a comprehensive understanding of the role of data in design and how data can effectively shape and guide the creative design process. In this study, we identified different types of data in design by using bibliometric analysis and conducted semi-structured interviews using qualitative analysis with 12 experienced smart product designers, aiming to understand how product designers in various fields practically apply data in their design process. We have developed a taxonomy to leverage data in design, clarifying its impact and illuminating common challenges in data-driven decision-making throughout the design stages. This study aims to promote a shift toward a data-driven design paradigm, highlighted by a nuanced understanding of data's role in the design process.