Ten Words Relating to Design

1. Method
2. Process
3. Thinking
4. Intuition
5. Inspiration
6. Creativity
7. Expression
8. Influence
9. Solution
10. Information
11. Ideas
12. Decisions
13. Purpose
14. Function
15. Logic
16. Problem Solving
17. Communication
18. Aesthetics
19. Reaction
20. Feeling


A Rough Draft of My Design Manifesto
The Journey of Design

What is the code? Jay Walker talks about a strain of DNA being a design, a code for life in one of his TED talks. But how can we define a code for design. How does one begin to define something as debateable as design in its broadest form? Even greater of a task is to truly understand what design is. My challenge was to sum up design's meaning in but a short definition: A definition that could be applied to all walks of design. It needed to be based on the underlying parallels of most existing design definitions yet be interpretive enough to please most people. Both broad and specific design definitions exist but most are either too general or do not apply to all disciplines, (http://www.hku.hk/bse/interdisciplinary/what_is_design.pdf). In my research I discovered three main points that most people agree on. Design is a process. Design involves thinking. Design has a purpose. Logically, Design is the process of thinking for purpose. However, this definition leaves little room for interpretation. People could argue that it involves intuition and creativity not just thinking. The problem is so many aspects are crucial to design and worse each discipline uses different aspects. "Different designers use different methods", (http://www.hku.hk/bse/interdisciplinary/what_is_design.pdf). This creates conflicting definitions. I've heard design is art, creation, logic, function, expression etc. I needed to develop a definition that was structured enough to define design yet allow the reader space to use their imagination and experiences to interpret the definition to their satisfaction. So what is design? Design is the journey through the mind to the solution. Let’s break down that journey.

According to David Carson, “Great design is a never ending journey of discovery". So, if great design is a never ending journey then design in general is a journey of some sort. Design is about development. It is a plan: A method towards a desired end. The process can be overlooked in some definitions and only the final product is seen as the design. However, it is the process of creating that makes it design. As founder of IDEO, Bill Moggrigdde says, "A lot of trial and error goes into making things look effortless".

Design is about thinking. The mind is a much broader term then thinking. Thinking can come from the right side of the brain and/or left side. Charles Burnette calls design, “…a process of creative and critical thinking that allows information and ideas to be organized, decisions to be made, situations to be improved, and knowledge to be gained.”

On one side of the brain design involves conceptualizing and visualizing. It can involve intuition. After all, "gut instinct is part of the designer's arsenal, (http://www.hku.hk/bse/interdisciplinary/what_is_design.pdf). David Carson believes that intuition is something everyone has and he quotes Einstein's beliefs on intuition. Einstein said, "The intellect has little to do on the road to discovery there comes a leap in consciousness call it intuition or what you will and a solution just comes to you and you don’t know from where or why". Inspiration is another part of thinking to add to the mix. David Carson advises to "Pull from your upbringing" in order to be truly original. Our unique experiences and influences inspire our designs. "We create by surrounding ourselves with stimuli, with human achievement, with history, with the things that drive us and make us human, with passionate discoveries of the bones of dinosaurs long gone, the maps of space and ultimately the hallways that stimulate our minds and imaginations." (Jay Walker). Design can be "seeing things everyone has seen before but thinking about them in ways no one has thought about before". (Jay Walker) All of our inspirations experiences and influences spark creativity and self expression. You can use the things you see as an opportunity to create something or reframe the ordinary says Paul Bennett. Some design may be experimental, personal or interpretive to a certain degree, (http://noisebetweenstations.com/personal/weblogs/?page_id=1688).

On the other side design needs to be functional and based on purpose. It is done for a client and needs to consider the wants and needs of the audience it created for. "Finding out what the customer wants is the first stage of what designers do", (http://www.hku.hk/bse/interdisciplinary/what_is_design.pdf0). Paul Bennett says you must, "Put yourself in other people's shoes." This is true for all design disciplines. Whether it is a chair, a car, a computer, an outfit or a poster the target needs to be considered in the design process. “When you're designing something, you often have a lot of conflicting constraints", (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/design/1stDraft/01.html). Designers have a huge number of decisions to consider throughout the design process, (http://www.hku.hk/bse/interdisciplinary/what_is_design.pdf). In order for all of the required elements to be met logical and critical thinking is essential to the process. A designer must use strong reasoning for each decision they make.

Problem solving is a key part of the purpose behind design. It might be how do we make a more comfortable chair or how do we design an ad to sell more tooth brushes. Paul Bennett believes that design is based around human nature and that designers create "empathetic solutions" for people. Regardless of what the design is for the design itself is a solution. Designs are created as solutions. Herbert Simon wrote that design is simply "improving situations”. Design can serve a function, inform, communicate or cause an effect. The solution fills a purpose and should have resolved all of the conflicting goals of the project, (http://www.joelonsoftware.com/design/1stDraft/01.html). Designer Richard Seymour stated at the 02 Design in Business Week that design is "making things better for people". Design is not worthless if it doesn't fulfill a need. If it doesn’t fulfil a need it simply isn't design.

When we trace back to what design is defined as in The Concise Oxford Dictionary we'll find it is "a mental plan, a scheme of attack, an end in view, adaptation of means to ends..." The definition I present does suggest that design is the process of coming to a desired end. It also simply indicates the mind is the central control for this process and that the desired end is a solution. The definition of design is similar to a strand of DNA. Each person has a slightly different code for design. Since design is so driven by the mind and each of our minds are different the idea of what design is will always vary to a degree from person to person. Design is complex. Can one sentence truly capture the full meaning of design or must the journey through the mind to the solution still continue? We may not have a definition of design that pleases everyone. But what we all can agree on is that design is certainly apart of life. Design is the journey through the mind to the solution.

Manifesto References
http://www.hku.hk/bse/interdisciplinary/what_is_design.pdf design council
http://noisebetweenstations.com/personal/weblogs/?page_id=1688
http://www.joelonsoftware.com/design/1stDraft/01.html
http://www.mech.uwa.edu.au/DANotes/design/what/what.html

Picture References
www.ronnmotors.com
http://fidm.edu/resources/museum+galleries/exhibits/motion-picture-costume-design/2006/costumes/pride-prejudice.html
http://www.archi-ninja.com/20-bizarre-buildings-from-around-the-world/
http://www.ca.kohler.com/index-ca.jsp
http://www.apple.com
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/649476/111004/Fallingwater-designed-by-Frank-Lloyd-Wright-in-Mill-Run-Pa
http://www.shinystyle.tv/new_fashions/