This design process solves (almost) every problem

A reminder of Frau Birgit Weller

Professor Birgit Weller was my professor during Industrial Design studies.

She was a force of nature, a visionary thinker who redefined what design could be.

Her work as a designer with LEW/AEG/Bombardier shaped the field. She also pioneered the Industrial Design program at HTW Berlin.

She won some of the industry's top awards. These include the German Design Award, Red Dot, and IF Award. But, her true legacy is how she shaped my mind, processes, and philosophies.

She was key in designing the Baureihe 485 trains, now iconic in the Berlin S-Bahn. Early in her career in East Germany, Weller aimed to modernize these trains. She wanted to improve their functionality and style.

I was lucky to work with her at HTW Berlin. She was the first professor in the Industrial Design program for my main project.

She lived design.

Her approach was about opening possibilities, pushing boundaries, and exploring the unknown. She believed design could solve problems and inspire. It could create ripples felt far beyond the initial idea. It wasn't about answering every question. The best designs left room for interpretation, interaction, and innovation.

“You can measure the quality of an idea by the continuation of ideas that it sparks.”
— Frau Birgit Weller

Even after her passing in 2021, her spirit lives on. Her principles remind me to seek designs that go beyond the obvious. I aim to ask deeper questions and spark new ideas.

Systems Designs Are Everywhere

Your Life is a system.
Your Body is a system.
Your mind, body and soul work as a system.

Consider how your body uses energy!
When you eat, it doesn't burn all calories at once.
That would be chaotic, an uncontrollable fire.

Instead, it breaks down sugar through a process called the citric acid cycle. This releases energy in controlled, measured steps. This system lets your body extract energy without overwhelming itself. It prevents chaos from a sudden release of all that energy.

Without this precise orchestration —we’d be burning alive.

A system, then, is about more than just function.

It’s a mechanism of articulation, where smaller parts work in harmony to support the whole. This is the essence of how all complex systems, from our biology to our businesses, are designed to operate.

Your hand, with all it’s fingers and little bones, is a system.
Your individual fingers are all systems working together as a hand.
Your two hands working together as two hands.

System design is about crafting solutions that drive efficiency, creativity, and growth.

—But before we dive into systems, we have to learn what designing is.

Universal Design Thinking: A Holistic Approach to Systems

Universal Design Thinking (UDT) is a philosophy I learned at the University of Applied Sciences in Berlin.

UDT is where the practical meets the profound. It blends the holistic principles of Universal Design with the dynamic, iterative nature of Design Thinking.

And the goal? To create products and services that serve people, not as isolated solutions, but as answers that meet real needs in a connected world.

We live in a time of rapid change. We face an aging population, globalized markets, migration, and multicultural societies. There are also new discussions about gender and equity.

UDT gauges social, ecological, and cultural movements. It uses them to design solutions that are both functional and relevant. Whether for the many or an individual, it's about harmony. It's about making systems work together, seamlessly.

This philosophy came to life through a partnership between the University of Applied Sciences (HTW) Berlin and the National Institute of Design (NID) India.

Let's see the whole picture. Let's design with foresight. And, let's build systems that adapt and thrive as the world changes. It's a design process. It reflects the links between people, nature, and technology. It ensures our solutions today are relevant tomorrow.

True design strives for balance.
It becomes a tool for harmony and coherence. It crafts systems that belong, not because they were forced, but because they were meant to be—like a puzzle piece solving problems.

Universal Design Thinking: Fluid, Adaptive, Alive

Universal Design Thinking (UDT) breaks away from rigid, step-by-step plans. No checklists or neatly defined boxes. Fluid, adaptive, and alive as a process. It is a process that is constantly shifting, evolving, and responding as new insights emerge.

Every stage—understanding, observing, synthesizing, ideating, prototyping, testing—flows seamlessly into the next. It’s a conversation.

Every insight, every bit of feedback, every unexpected turn guides the next step. And when something doesn’t fit, you circle back, refine, and adjust until it clicks.

The strength of UDT lies in its ability to grow and adapt. Designs change with the world. They adapt to new needs and technology. This approach ensures systems remain relevant by being open to change.

This kind of design is

• alive,
• responsive,
• intuitive, and
• always ready to pivot when new challenges or opportunities arise.

How to use Universal Design Thinking

Understand:  Start by seeing the world through the eyes of those you’re designing for. Gathering information and empathy.

Immerse yourself in the environment. Grasp the real problem. Connect with the people at the center of it all. Understanding is the foundation of it all.

Observe: Slow down, watch, and listen. Let the systems unfold in front of you without rushing to conclusions. Patterns will emerge naturally if you give them space. Observation seeks hidden truths and guiding details. They will shape everything else.

Synthesize: Take what you’ve learned and weave it together. The insights, the nuances, the big picture. Make them a cohesive, complementary system that makes sense. Here, you turn the raw material into something whole, ready to grow.

Ideate: Let creativity run wild. Push past the obvious solutions and dig deeper. Explore the edge cases, the unconventional approaches, and the overlooked 'what ifs.'Ideation is about exploring possibilities. Somewhere in the messy ideas, the right one will emerge.

Prototype: Make it real. Put your ideas into a form that you can touch, see, and interact with. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just tangible. Prototyping tests and refines a concept through hands-on feedback. It aims to learn what works and what needs rethinking.

Test: Take it back to the people. Engage in genuine dialogue, not just to validate but to learn. Listen to how it performs in the real world, gather the input, and be ready to iterate. Testing is about closing the loop. It means refining, improving, and, if necessary, going back to the start. True design is never static. True design is ever evolving.

The Principles of Effective System Design

Now we have an effective foundational grasp on what design is.

Effective system design is all about creating structures that thrive. Whether you're building a process for a business, a product, or a daily routine, certain principles guide you in making those systems.

• resilient,
• efficient,
• and effortless.

And what we want is a good system. In my particular offer, I am not focusing on physical products per se. My goal is to integrate a system in your life that is tailor made for you, so you can enjoy the fruits of your labour.

Clarity is the first essential. Every process needs a clear purpose and a defined outcome. Without clarity, systems become convoluted. You end up with more confusion than results.

Clear design ensures everyone knows what to expect, how things work, and their goal. It cuts through the noise, setting a direct path that makes the process seamless.

Then comes scalability. Good systems grow with you. They don’t fold and fumble under pressure when things expand; they

• stretch,
• adapt,
• and support your growth.

Scalability is what turns a short-term fix into a long-term solution. It’s the difference between a system that crumbles as you scale and one that powers your next big leap.

Simplicity is at the heart of every effective design.

The best systems strip away the unnecessary, reducing complexity and making it easier for everyone to engage.

When things are simple, they’re easy to understand, quick to implement, and less likely to break. Simplicity means cutting through the clutter to focus on what really matters.

Finally, flexibility is key. A rigid system is a fragile one. The most effective systems are those that adapt to change. They’re built to adjust, pivot, and evolve when new challenges or opportunities arise. Flexibility ensures that your system can navigate the unexpected without losing its integrity.

Like I said in previous Loveletter: “a real system that creates ease is adaptable, flexible and movable like a spine. Stable yet dynamic at the same time.”

Good design is beyond functional; it’s intentional.
Deliberate choices that create

• clarity,
• scalability,
• simplicity,
• and flexibility.

These principles keep a system running smoothly and smartly, now and in the future.

Why My Design Methodology Works: Efficiency, Ease, and Future-Proofing

My approach to system design is not about quick fixes or complicated workarounds. It’s about building solutions that work seamlessly, save time, and make your life easier.

Here’s how:

• Efficiency: I design systems to make work easier and cut waste. Time and resources are precious. The right system values them. I focus on simplifying workflows so you can get more done with less friction. When things run smoothly, you can breathe easier and focus on what matters most.
• Ease of Use: A system that’s hard to use is a system that won’t get used. I want to design processes that feel intuitive from the start. No lengthy manuals or drawn-out onboarding sessions should be needed. A well-designed system, for you or your team, is clear, logical, and easy to use. That’s how you move from frustration to flow.
• Future-Proofing: Businesses grow, shift, and change direction. A rigid system will crack under that pressure, but a flexible one will adapt. I design for scalability. Your systems can then expand, adjust, and evolve without a complete overhaul. It’s not just about solving today’s problems but setting you up for whatever tomorrow brings.
• From Chaos to Clarity: At the end of the day, a well-designed system is about control. It removes chaos, guesswork, and constant firefighting from your ops. It replaces them with clarity. You see the bigger picture. You know how each piece fits. You can run your business with confidence. That’s the power of a system that’s been designed with care, intention, and a clear vision of your success.

Let’s talk soon!

Kiss Kiss,

Tarkan