Idea bouncing (aka ping pong) happens a lot during the conceptual design stage. Customers have developed thoughts about their new designs and we start talking. During my hay days working with industrial designers at Microsoft talking about any type of constraints would be taboo, the mantra was: just make it work (the ‘Apple way’).
After a while I started to agree with that approach, design constraint free at first, find a manufacturing solution soon after and cycle a few times through options. I also noticed that even CAD modeling in 3D can put the chains on and force you into a direction, no matter how proficient one is. Testament to this is the emergence of new 3D modeling tools skinning around scanned point clouds, easier digital sculpting tools with force feedback etc.
We used to have various levels of computer savvy industrial designers, but they mostly started sketching, then sculpt in clay or other material, after which usability would get involved and the 3D scanning and skinning would begin for initial volume feasibility study. Only a few designers would go direct to digital, also depending on the product outlook. A more boxy shape would end iterating a lot sooner than any type of curvy swoopy design.
Whichever way used: there are plenty of parameters triggering multiple iterations and the more space constraints the more iterations, and more input from various directions would obviously spawn more design cycles, up to a point where we had to put hard deadlines for the delivery of the design, which we didn’t have in the early days causing havoc with the schedules.
Many have discovered that breaking through idea logjams happens in off times, when you relax, have time to think away from your desk and work environment. I have made this a working method in fact, I absorb all the ideas, directions, questions, and challenges first and the go off thinking and designing during commute times to other appointments (not behind the wheel, no worries…). Some go home and work in peace and quiet without interruption to do some deep thinking which feels the same to me.
After so many years of 3D digital modeling you can do this in your head, iterate and visualize the end shape, and go through various options. I think most people can, as long as you can turn off your computer for a while… Tinkering is also making a come back btw! Still hard to replace touch and feel…