Design Strategy Report

Chapter 1: Introduction
About the Theme & Team
Our team had chosen to analyze Scanteak because they had won many awards, have quality
products and a good reputation within the furniture design industry. Scanteak had also won the
Promising Brand and SuperBrands award in Singapore many times. As Scanteak is very well-
known and won several awards, our research on Scanteak will be fruitful in a way that it enables
us to know how top company such as Scanteak sustain their success with design strategies that
they uses. As such, my task in this report is to evaluate the designers and their specialisation. My
team members, Aziemah will investigate design leaders while Shimin will explore the impact of
Design Processes within Scanteak. To start, I will evaluate Scanteak based on PEST together
with my team members. With these analysis, I will be better placed to explore the factors that
will lead to the design strategies that they adopt.

About the Company

Firstly we look into Scanteak's motto , vision, beliefs, specialization and target market.

Scanteak’s motto is having a product that exudes friendliness and warmth. Their products should
always be useful, aesthetically pleasant and last long.

Their vision is to transform empty spaces with their products. Their products are thought to
transform empty spaces into warm, inviting and restful environments for home interiors.

Their beliefs are greatly in nature and outdoors. They also use natural materials that has almost
no added chemicals or such treatments to their products. With this consumers can enjoy the
natural smell, colour and textures of a Santeak piece. They really appreciate the natural beauty of
the materials that they work less on them, instead they focus on the shape of the Scanteak where
design aspect comes in.

With all that, they are specializing in Teak wood. Teak is derive from a hardwood trees. It is one
of the woods that are durable, does not split easily, water and termite resist even without
chemical treatments.

Their target market are those who spend most of their times outside the home either working or
studying who come back home to enjoy a Scanteak atmosphere (welcoming, warm and peaceful)
at their home.

About the Environment

Next we will evaluate Scanteak based on PEST. PEST analysis is to investigate on political,
economical, social and technological factors that affect Scanteak.
The political factors that affect Scanteak are that while pruning of teak wood, the forest will
undergo deforestation. This is against the some political rules of preserving nature.
This has a negative affect.
The economical factors that affect Scanteak are that teak does need that much chemical process
thus it does not cost a lot for the preserving of teak. The main concern is the production of teak.
This have both negative and positive affect.
The social factors that affect Scanteak are that people who believe in the goodness and richness
in teak will love Scanteak product. This has a positive affect.
The technological factors that affect Scanteak are while manufacturing teak as furniture is not
that of very high tech. With this Scanteak products are easily made. This has a positive affect.
Overall we can say that PEST has a balance effect on Scanteak.

Overview of the report

In the first chapter, its all about my team, the objective, the company and the environment. About
the company, there is the motto, belief, values, vision and target market. As learning more about
the company it give us information as to in what way can design strategies boost the company
income. About the environment, we used the PEST analysis to evaluate the environment. After
evaluating the environment, we can understand where the company stand with other competitors
in the industry. In the next chapter, it will be more about evaluating the designers. To do this I
will be using two frameworks namely the Expert Behaviour in Design and The seven core
expertise of design.

Chapter 2: Methods
Introduction

The two frameworks im going to use is the Expert Behavior in Design and The seven core
expertise of design. Through this two frameworks, we can understand further on understand how
the designers came into the design strategies.

Expert Behavior in Design

Firstly, a problem-solving strategy used by them seems to be different from the other employed
problem solvers, who usually attempt to define the problem fully before making solution
attempts. This is a findings from Lloyd P and Scott P studies. This was confirmed by Lawson B.

Secondly, even though experts change goals and constraints as they design, they appear to hang
on to their principal solution concept for as long as possible, even when detailed development of
the schemes throw up unexpected difficulties and shortcomings in the solution concept. This
finding was backed up Rowe P case studies.

Thirdly, they usually adopt a kernel solution very early in the session and did not elaborate any
alternative solutions in depth. This was the findings from the studies made by Guindon R.

Fourthly, experts use solution conjectures as the means of developing their understanding of the
problem. It is natural that solution conjectures should be used as a means of helping to explore
and understand the problem formulated. This was observed by Kolodner J L and Wills L.
Fifthly, they have 'opportunistic' behavior. This is basically means top down, breadth first design
strategy. This behavior was argued by Ball L and Ormerod T but was supported by Visser W
example.

Lastly, experts alternatively rapidly in shifts of attention between different aspects of their task,
or between different modes of activity. They figure out this one through a protocol study made
by Akin and Lin

Seven (7) Core Expertise in Design

Another framework which is the seven (7) core expertise in design by Chris Conley (2004).
These seven (7) Core Expertise
-The ability to understand the context of a design problem and construct them in an insightful
way;
-The ability to perform at a level of abstraction that is suitable to the situation at hand;
-The ability to develop and envision solutions even with inadequate information;
-An approach to problem solving that involves the simultaneous creation and evaluation of
multiple alternatives;
-The ability to add or maintain value as pieces are integrated into a whole;
-The ability to establish purposeful relationships among and between elements of a solution and
its context;
-The ability to use form to embody ideas and to communicate their value.

Reasons for two frameworks chosen and how they "fit in"

Framework I: Expert Behavior in Design

Gives you information on the behaviors of the Experts. It also tells you that how important the
roles of the Expert in Design. With this it leads to the understanding of the Design Strategy used.
Thus thats why this finding is crucial.

Framework II: Seven (7) Core Expertise in Design

Gives you information on the abilities they possessed. With this we will know what are the
important core expertise in design that will lead to the Design Strategy. This is essential because
it plays a great role in further explaining of the motive of this report.

Conclusion

Using the First framework that is the Expert Behavior in Design, we can learn that how Expert
Designers are different and unique in some ways that can help in the Design Strategies. We also
got to learn the abilities they possesses that can help in the Design Strategies. In the next chapter,
it will be more about evaluating the company’s designer’s style in contributing to the design
strategy. I will talk more about Scanteak’s designers.
 Chapter 3: Critical Analysis

My group have visited Scanteak and chatted with one of the staff there. We interviewed
Elizabeth Yap, Scanteak’s Spacial designer. She managed the space design for the furniture fairs,
showrooms and location designs. I asked her a few questions about Scanteak’s designers. This is
a few facts she told me about Scanteak.

Firstly, Scanteak does not sell merely products, they sell concept. Thus they does not have any
designers. Usually their products comes from furniture fares and all around the world which have
the same concept they are selling. Thus their selling points for the product is the concept they
trying to sell.

Secondly, decision-makings in Scanteak are usually majority rules and one person decision
making.
For majority rules, the CEO of Scanteak, Mr Lim hold a survey within the company and all the
staff contribute on giving suggestion or ideas.
For the one person decision, Mr Lim decide on everything which furnitures incorporate with the
concept.

Thirdly,

Chapters 1-5

Chapter 1: Introduction
This provides an outline for Chapter 1
Word count: 300 words
1 sentence approximately 20 to 25 words.
This chapter should take about 15 sentences to write.
About three sentences for each heading

Chapter 2: Methods
Word Limit: 500 words
Explain choose of evaluation framework. Give your reasons for your choices
What other frameworks are you using? Explain how it all "fits in"
Describe what you are trying to evaluate & Describe in detail how you will be executing your
work In the process, provide some ideas of how you will achieve what you set out to do.

Chapter 3: Critical Analysis

Word Limit: 750 words
Taking into account what is written in Chapter 1 and Chapter 2, critically analyze the company
for the design strategy it has implemented and state your point of reference when you critically
evaluate the work.
Compare what you had found about the company, your critical analysis and the research articles
that were discussed in class.

Chapter 4: Findings & Discussion

Word Limit: 550 words
Findings
Document and summarize your findings, preferably in tables format.
What were the highlights? Were there unexpected findings? Were there discrepancies or
contradictions?
What was successful and what was not? What could have been better? Would these findings be
revelant in the future?
Discussion
Follow through with the arguments established in Chapter and argue your case with support from
your findings
Explain and/or justify the reason for your choice.

Chapter 5: Summary & Conclusion

Word Limit: 400 words
Give an overview highlight summary of Chapter 2, 3 and 4 & summarise your findings and
discussion,
Provide some self-reflection, personal insights or learning points & conclude by telling your
readers what you had set out to do and what you had really achieved with this report.