What makes a great senior thesis?

I haven’t posted anything in awhile, so hopefully some people are still listening.

As my final co-op quarter comes to a close, I’m beginning to ask the question, “what the &$#! am I going to do for my senior thesis?” So, instead of trying to pull an awesome idea out of nowhere I’ve decided to try and understand what elements are inherent in the creation of a solid, culminating project. What are the most important characteristics of a senior design thesis?

Here’s the list I’ve come up with so far:

1.Make sure it’s doable and can be well executed in the given time.

2.Pick a topic that is going to show your strengths as an industrial designer ready to be hired

3.Most importantly, own the topic you choose. Consider a topic that is going to show your talents and drive you to do your best work possible.

Let me know if I’m missing something from the list…

---Update---

I talked with some guys at work and this is what they felt was important...

1. Process book

2. Presentation & Storytelling: Make sure you plan to give yourself time to put together a compelling story about your product.

3. Schedule backwards: Understand what you want to accomplish and make a schedule backwards from the final due date to hit those milestones.

4. The critics will be professionals: Direct quote, "make sure you know what you are talking about or people are going to nail you on shit."

HP Storyboards (Do people understand my concept?)

Okay, here are the problem and solution storyboards for my HP project. The critique posed a lot of understandability issues in my concept and hopefully I can use this criticism in a positive way.

That being said, it is hard for a designer to detach and step away from a project they are intimate with. If anyone has a chance to run through my story it would be nice to hear where "hang ups" are occurring.

Rough Idea for a Computer Concept (China)

So midway through the quarter I have learned that designing a computer for another country is difficult, if not near impossible.

Here is my idea; since there is a large generation gap in China and online addiction has become a big problem among teenagers, why not design a computer that both closes this gap and helps parents monitor teen computer usage without invading their privacy.

The monitor is a wireless touch device that can move anywhere in the house to help bond families around technology. When the computer is in use by an individual (mainly the kids) a mobile object lets parents monitor computer usage discreetly. The orb changes colors based on what the child is using the computer for. While the teenager retains some privacy, parents can rest assured their child is balancing time on the computer.

What does everyone think? Any ideas on how these objects could integrate together better?

Final Images: Usb drive for Epic Records

In class we've worked through some new skills including rendering in illustrator and utilizing quick 3D models in creating final sketch renders.

Spencer Nugent and Concept Sketching

I'll assume by now everyone has heard of idsketching.com. If not, here is a really good demo by Spencer Nugent on laying out and creating exciting concept pages.

If you have time to take a glance, do it. Here are a few questions to keep in mind while watching:

1. How are text, call outs, and motion details used?
2. How is depth achieved?
3. Does creating a thumbnail sketch of a concept page seem useful?


IDSKETCHING.COM : Cell Phone from Industrial Design Sketching on Vimeo.

Super Sweet Hi-Rez Picture

Here is a cool amazingly hi-rez picture of the inauguration. It was taken with a Canon digital camera and encompasses 200 individual shots, 1,474 Megapixels, and a resolution 295 times greater than your average camera. It is amazing what creativity and technology can create together.

Click here to check it out!

The 3 Rules of Visualization

While everyone has a different way to go about creating appropriate concept visualizations, I think these three rules (which I have accumulated through personal experience)are an effective start when a designer begins organizing ideas for presentation.

1. Organization

What idea are you trying to get across in a certain concept. Be concise and arrange your ideation in a meaningful way. A bunch of sketches on a wall don't mean a lot unless it is easy to see a wide range of ideas neatly organized. Extra bonus: it makes it look like a lot more thought went into the work than probably did.

2. Efficiency
Find a way that works for you. Make this your go to method when you need to get a lot of ideas out fast. When you work in a media and style that is easy for you, there is more time to think and less time spent sketching.

3. Dynamism

Even though you should work efficiently and concisely, make sure your work is interesting. Creating excitement through visualization is what we are hired to do.