Study on the process of decision-making during the conceptual phase of product design

The phase of product design conceptualization is particularly important, since the decisions taken therein have a relevant impact on the definition of the degree of innovation, the quality of the design solution, the cost and, therefore, on the competitiveness of the product. During this phase, diverse options are continually accepted or discarded, so that making successful decisions becomes a very important activity for the industrial designer. This article examines the process of decision making by some industrial designers when they work as a team during the concept generation phase. The analysis has been developed through an experimental work with groups of undergraduate students of industrial design at Unviersidad Nacional de Colombia, who faced the challenge of conceptually solving a product in several working sessions, which were recorded by applying the design protocol study method. The result of the analysis concludes that the most relevant factors in the decision-making process refer to the experience of the participants, the way to deal with the exercise and the initial generation of solution proposals. There are recommendations to enhance the capabilities of assertive and dynamic interaction of industrial designers when they work together.