Most design loops are linear or cyclical. Some follow a direct path and others allow for the designer to jump around the loop and follow or skip steps in the loop. The design loop I have drawn one that allows for various paths.

In class I drew my design loop as the water cycle. I did this because I was inspired to include a mountain (since that is the theme of my upcycle project) but also because the water cycle can see has various paths that can be taken. I believe that the design process for anything can take a multitude of paths and sometimes the path of a design changes – just like the path of water molecules in the water cycle can change due to various ecological conditions!

In my design loop diagram, the protocloud represents a prototype. The protocloud can be formed in a few ways: it could be formed by condensation (or ideas) just out of thin air or from evaporated water. The evaporated water is the basis of the protocloud and thus water represents ideas or needs that inspire the design. This water can come from many places – it could be surface water, ground water, or even ocean water.

After the protocloud is formed it moves inland where it meets a wall, or in this case mountains. At this point the cloud may break up and rain – but rain is water, and water is more ideas! These ideas can inspire a new better protocloud that could finally form a cirrus-ly good awesome cloud and product.

I have already applied this design loop to my upcycle project. My initial ideas came from my friend Keaton and a project he built out of cardboard. I ran with inspiration from his project and decided I could build a model of a mountain. I initially intended to cut the cardboard with a laser but doing so gives the mountain too smooth of a feel. My next step after seeing this will be to try cutting out the cardboard and leaving the edges of each piece rough to represent the rocky ridge line of the mountain. I will follow this process until I have a final model of the mountain.

Reference for Cirrus Clouds image:
http://media.showmeapp.com/files/506779/pictures/thumbs/1941800/last_thumb1426023172.jpg