Design Approaches

Designers’ priorities determine how they will approach a design problem. Design teams that value people’s communities and want to give them an active role in the design process will employ activity-centered design or design research. If designers are more interested in producing work that turns a profit or satisfies a client’s demands, a more traditional approach is often used.

On this page, I will introduce you to several design approaches—some more traditional and others designed to create experiences that support people in making special memories.

Design Approaches Diagrams

Traditional: Designer-Driven

Traditional: Client-Driven

Human-Centered

Experience Design: Story-Driven (Theme Parks like Walt Disney World)

Experience Design: People-Driven