I think the reason the three part structure lasts is because it forces movement in telling a story. The readers never stuck in one mode for too long. It builds pressure, then shifts, then resolves, which mirrors how people want life to work even if it rarely does. That structure gives stories a shape, and that’s probably why we keep coming back to it.

I feel like design justice is an important aspect that every designer or producer should account for. Although we might think or seem to be catering to the masses, there could always be discrepancies or misrepresentation from other perspectives not so common. That said, this type of thinking and design approach can be applied to many aspects of our world.

I think this breakdown of processes is a great checkbox in designing a product, and it kind of reminds me of the work we're currently doing in info 380. I remember at the start of the class after we picked our topics, we had to determine who our stakeholders were and think from their perspectice. Not only did we analyze interviews with users but also took notes on what features they expected or wanted.

I think usability tests are one of the most important steps in design, as they allow for feedback and constructive criticism. In building a startup with my other classmates, one of the main things I think we were lacking before pitching our idea to VCs was this step, and we realized how important it was since it serves as a "proof of concept" for our product as well.

This section kind of reminds me of variables in coding. I'm currently picking up python and SQL, and this idea perfectly encapulates what variables are. Bridging this to an interface of data and algorithms, I agree that although not directly, a lot of these "state" from different designs do overlap. If we were to take inspiration or use other designs as a template, it would be easier for us to get the variables down.

I think this section is important with any design before actually implementing and trying to build something. A good sketch (even if the product is abstract and not physically tangible) points the developers in the right direction, and forces them to see everything linked together. I also feel like even a diagram or a flow chart would be nice if a sketch isn't feasible with the product idea someone is making as well.

I like how this article specificly articulates the steps before a survey is actually done. Reading the question development phase reminded me of the activities and past assignments we did in this class, and it's interesting seeing how real-world instances use and practice the same process we've been taught to do in class.

I completely agree with these two bullet points in describing hw competitive analysis should be done. However, something that came up in my mind was where we draw the line between learning about other company's products and taking their idea to become competitive. I know that there's IP laws to protect things like this from happening but some politicians have been pushing for such rules to be taken down. I feel like without proper IP protection for businesses, it would make startups a lot harder to succeed, since they don't have enough resources like larger companies.

I completely agree with and applaud the comparison the author made here between a synthesis and analysis. Although he makes a good point in saying that synthesis leaves open thought for interpretation and focuses on "new possibilities", I feel like both are actually more intertwined than the black and white it's described as here. For example, data analysts "analyze" data to come up with solutions or forecasts on how a company should tackle or act. That in itself is technically a synthesis.

2nd Chapter: In the second chapter of our reading, the passage delves into the different types of approaches and specific paradigms. While there were a lot of different ones, including HCD (I was finally able to figure out what the HCDE major really focuses on), I felt like scholars were complicating things too much. Other than the aspect of values and universality in terms of usage and representation, I feel like design doesn't have to be split into so many different categories. If there's a problem or a need, there lies an opportunity for better design.

I completely resonate with the idea of combining contexts of other aspects you encounter in life. One of my mentor once told me to look around and experience what life has to offer. If you take the time to think about the little inconveniences you encounter, they can turn into great ideas. In fact, a project/startup I'm currently working on with some other students at UW is based on my experience investing on Robinhood! I wouldn't have had the idea in the first place if I wasn't playing around with options.

Chapter 4: Being involved in a college startup, I've had the experience of leading the development of a product. I feel like this section perfectly encapsulates a stage of design where my team and I were still hashing out who our audience members and target customers were as a business. Instead of doing traditional interviews, we did what this text describes as a "persona" by comparing our target audience to those on a Reddit channel.

3rd Chapter: This section of the 3rd chapter talks about how we should be very detailed about who we're addressing the problem for. I think this is a great way to connect to an idea we learn from the Info 380 class, where we were taught that we shouldn't jump into solving a problem. Instead, we should ask questions, and learning to ask the right questions is key to building the right solution (especially keeping in mind direct and indirect stakeholders).

1st Chapter: For the first chapter of our reading, I enjoyed getting a first-hand dive into the perspective of someone who has gone through and has had experience in the field of design. It was fascinating to learn about the different types of design and how it can be applied to essentially all aspects of our daily lives. What I found really empowering and is something I'm for sure going to take away from this chapter is how the authors talk about designers having most of the power within a company or organization as they're the ones making or creating the product being sold.