Project 2 Brief and Guide
24-week programme, Project 2 Phase (Weeks 13 to 20). The same design cycle, at a higher standard.
How Project 2 Raises The Bar
Project 1 proved you can run the design cycle. Project 2 proves you can run it well on a harder problem. Three things step up:
| Dimension | Project 1 | Project 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Constraints | One main constraint | Several competing constraints to balance |
| People | One user | A user plus at least one other stakeholder with different needs |
| Research | Interviews and observation | Mixed methods: interviews, observation, desk research, and precedent analysis |
The Brief
Design track brief
Challenge: design a creative learner toolkit that works for two different users who share a space, for example a student and a parent, or two housemates with different schedules and needs.
Competing constraints: low cost, small shared footprint, must suit two people with different habits, must be quick to reset between users, must be tested with real users from both groups.
Success looks like: a resolved, tested design that measurably serves two users, shown as a portfolio case study with clear trade-offs explained.
Architecture and spatial track brief
Challenge: design a compact learning pod that serves two different session types on one small site, for example quiet study and noisy making.
Competing constraints: small footprint, affordable materials, good daylight, must switch between two uses quickly, must respect neighbours or shared users, tested as a model with real users.
Success looks like: a resolved spatial concept that balances the two uses, shown as a model and a case study with the trade-offs explained.
Key Ideas You Need First
1. Trade-offs are the work
With competing constraints you cannot please everything. Project 2 is judged on how well you balance and justify your trade-offs, not on avoiding them.
2. Stakeholders are not all the same
A stakeholder is anyone affected by the design. Two users, or a user and a neighbour, will want different things. Name them early.
3. Start smarter with Project 1 learnings
Use what went wrong last time. If you tested too late in Project 1, plan to test earlier now.
Tools And Materials Needed
- The brief above, your Project 1 reflection, and your Week 3 folder system.
- The Stakeholder Map Template (used in Week 15) to map who is affected.
- The Advanced Research Template (used in Week 14) to plan mixed-method research.
Step-By-Step Walkthrough
- Choose your track and copy the Project 2 brief into a new Project 2 folder.
- Name your users and stakeholders. At least two people or groups with different needs.
- List the competing constraints and note where they pull against each other.
- Write one Project 1 lesson you will apply to start smarter.
- Plan more rigorous research: mixed methods, with dates, feeding the weeks ahead.
Demonstrated Example
Users: a design student who works late evenings, and a housemate who studies early mornings, sharing one small desk.
Competing constraints: both need the desk clear for their own tools; neither wants to pack fully away; the reset between them must take under a minute.
Project 1 lesson applied: "I tested too late last time, so this time I will test a rough reset with both users by Week 17."
Research plan: interview both users, observe a real handover, desk research on shared-desk systems, and analyse two precedent products.
Why this is strong: two real stakeholders, genuine competing constraints, a specific lesson carried forward, and mixed-method research.
Your Task This Week
- Accept the Project 2 brief and name at least two stakeholders.
- List the competing constraints and where they conflict.
- Write one Project 1 lesson you will apply, and a mixed-method research plan.
Submission Checklist
| Upload item | Pass standard |
|---|---|
| Brief with stakeholders | Two or more real people or groups with different needs. |
| Competing constraints | Named, with the conflicts made explicit. |
| Research plan | Mixed methods, dated, clearly more rigorous than Project 1. |
Assessment And Pass Criteria
- The brief is genuinely harder than Project 1, with competing constraints.
- Two or more stakeholders are named with different needs.
- The research plan uses mixed methods and applies a Project 1 lesson.
Common Mistakes
- Repeating Project 1. Raise the complexity, do not redo the same thing.
- Ignoring the second stakeholder. The tension between users is the point.
- Skipping research because you know the process. A harder problem needs more evidence, not less.
Extension Challenge
Add a third stakeholder with a conflicting need and see whether your plan still holds. Designing for tension is the skill Project 2 builds.