Basic principles of ViP (Vision in Product)

P. Hekkert and M. van Dijk (2011)  Vision in design. A guidebook for innovators. BIS

Basic principles:

1. ViP: ‘A designer’s job is to look for possibilities and possible futures in stead of simple solve present-day problems.’
   This means ViP- ideas are especially interesting if you want to change your education thoroughly. For example: to increase study success in the curriculum or your course/module, to introduce more focus on important competencies, to reshape or modernize your education, to start a new curriculum etc. For ‘present-day’ or less complex and principle problems certain activities elements of the ViP-design process are often very useful.
   Design according ViP is the act of defining a vision you (and the ‘teachers’) have about the learning environment you want to create, not simply creating something in response to a demand. Always combined with checking of your design is in accordance with your vision. If not, change your vision of your design. 
2. ViP: ‘Products are means to accomplish or develop appropriate interactions. In interaction with people the products obtain their meaning. ViP is interaction centred.’
   In education you have to create a learning environment in which interactions are enabled  between the curriculum or course program and the students, between the curriculum or course program and the teachers (and managers), between the teacher and the students, between the teachers and between the students.
3. ViP: ‘The appropriateness of any interaction perceived by the designer is determined by the context for it which it had been designed.’ The designer is focussed on a context at some point in the future. ViP is context driven. You first need a set of views and considerations (your vision) to be able to come up with the product: ViP is reasoning from context to a design solution (product). This process is described I   the eight steps. Purpose is to support the designer
   In education the education ideas of your colleagues in your or other disciples might be very interesting. To transfer the idea in your own education is often rather difficult. In education this is often the reason why is it so difficult for teachers to learn from their colleagues. This means in the design process an important step is to find simple heuristics (Fred Jansen)or other means to help the teachers to introduce the newly designed course or curriculum.

Some points of view in the ViP approach:

1. Products (curricula, courses, modules, blended courses) are always reflections of some set of view and considerations. You first need to design this set of views and considerations before you design the new product. So, during the process there are different moments you have to design your own ideas.
2. In the ViP-model there are three levels: the product, interaction and context level. The design solution (product) is always and reflection of or is reflected in, the interaction people have with it. Both the product and the interaction reflect the context from and for which the product was designed. Interaction is the crucial intermediate stage between the world (the context) and the things we put into that world. In this interaction product come alive.
   In the ViP-approach you first deconstruct the existing education at the product level, then the interaction level and the context level. The designing of te new learning environment starts with the context, then the interaction level and at last the product level. see post.
3. Core values are: freedom, responsibility and authenticity.
4. The act of defining a vision of what you want to create , not simply creating something in response to a demand. (these are often simple tasks).
5. They do not tell you what to do, but help you to articulate the appropriate  questions at the right time. You know if you finish a step in the product of the next step and in relation with the complete process. After some time you ‘know’ when you are ready!
6. The designer should (fully) understand people, their goals and concerns, their aspirations and motives and the world surrounding them.