Idea Searching for Design : How to Research and Develop Design Concepts

The second edition of Idea Searching examines methods of generating and identifying ideas, and teaches you to understand what is being observed and recorded. Using lavish illustrations, concise case studies and practical examples, it explores how different experiences, contexts and references are important in identifying an idea that is appropriate for a particular individual, target audience or culture. Advocating a step-by-step approach to generating ideas and brainstorming, it encourages an open mind in the development of ideas and teaches you to always question convention.

The text is accompanied by a variety of case studies and examples of work from the world's best contemporary product designers. It also includes a number of new projects for students, to encourage further exploration of ideas.

Dave Bramston is a British designer and Associate Professor of Design, at the School of Architecture and Design, China University of Mining and Technology. A former leader of undergraduate and postgraduate design programmes in the UK, Bramston engages in idea generation practice at CUMT, and at the associated Muse Atelier Xuzhou studio, with a particular focus on creative curiosity and the exploration of abandoned or rejected materials.
Bramston has created multiple collections using unexpected materials through a process of play, experimentation and adopting an alternative mindset. Works have included knitted clothing collections using factory surplus facemask string, in addition to old Chinese school uniforms becoming lighting solutions. Factory surplus ceramics have been utilised to generate the sounds of traditional musical instruments and Chinese street stools have been transformed to amplify sound. Bramston considers that all materials have endless possibilities and that the materials that are often overlooked in society have so much to offer at all levels.
The outputs generated in the Xuzhou studios are multidisciplinary including fashion, ceramics, industrial, interactive and print. The cross-pollination of disciplines is fundamental to the creative approach and the challenging of conventional boundaries.
Bramston graduated from Wolverhampton Polytechnic and Manchester Polytechnic in the UK prior to working in London based design studios designing for companies such as Christian Dior, Reebok, Swatch and Motorola. Previous books for AVA Bloomsbury have included Idea Generation, Material Thoughts, Visual Conversations, and Idea Searching for Design which are all published in multiple languages