TrippingWords unalterated verbiage

What is Design? A Thorough Analysis of Definitions

“Design” and “Designer” – are words that are often used rather liberally to refer to the profession or craft of “making functional and perceivably attractive things”. Design in its contemporary linguistic usage bears an almost absolute resonance with “beautiful aesthetics”; a connection, which is understandable but inherently myopic. Design is creativity and beauty but also much more.

The key word here is “conceptualization”; the process of meticulous planning and the management of functionality and purpose. In this article, I aim to formulate a more feasible framework for interpreting the meaning of design and hopefully shed some light on why it is imperative that we reassess traditionally popular definitions of design.

The Reason for the Confusion

The fundamental reason behind our skewed conception of design lies in how designers (presumably the same people who claim to be well-acquainted with “design”) contextualise and represent the subject. It is more commercially viable to refer to design as the “creation of creative and stunning visuals” as opposed to something more abstract and philosophical (see definition above). Why?

Well, for clients, it makes more economic sense to invest in a service which promises resounding tangible results; design is thus portrayed as a material visual manifestation that is at once noticed and appreciated. As a consequence, design is now limited to definitions which characterise it as a purely aesthetic art or a field of pure creativity. My argument is that, design extends beyond creativity and beauty; it is an institutional practice that is catered to finding practical and functional solutions in an environment of limited resources. 

Let’s Get into the Nitty-gritty

Video game developer, Dino Dini, once defined design as the “management of constrains”. Constraints are merely perceived “problems” that need to be addressed with the right kind of solutions. These “problems” are not conventional obstacles in everyday life, but rather they are specific goals and objectives that designers/clients want to achieve. These are the constraints that a designer has to work with. For example, if you are designing a coffee table, then there would be specific set of constraints.

Firstly, the table has to be able to take on a certain load (weight) to be functional and it has to stand independently without external support. According to Dini, these are non-negotiable constraints. On the other hand there are negotiable constraints in constructing a coffee table, such as the choice of materials used and other finer intricate aesthetic qualities; these elements can be altered accordingly. Design involves the clever “tinkering” of these variables to satisfy non-negotiable constraints and fully capitalise on negotiable constraints.

 

The Methodical Process of Design

The first stage of design is the design brief/proposal – a statement of goals, aims and ambitions. This is followed by a structured analysis of these objectives to develop an understanding of how/if they can be met (which brings us back to the earlier point on negotiable and non-negotiable constraints). More often than not, the “analysis” phase is followed by research, the practice of seeking related design solutions to similar “problems” or design “constraints”. Research is an absolutely vital facet of design because it involves a creative sense, in making connections between interrelated ideas/concepts and applying these ideas in to a new perspective. The final aspect of the design process concerns visual presentation; how an idea is conveyed in an aesthetically pleasing way. 

As you may have noticed, several aspects of design that I’ve mentioned so far, pertain to a three-tier approach: problem-solving (identification of constraints), conceptualization (analysis stage) and documentation (design brief). These are the central tenets of design.

Once a topic is selected, start with defining your design concept. If your subject area requisites multiple topics, then be sure to define each area with sufficient depth. It is also crucial that you set the context of your argument – from what perspective will you be examining the proposed areas of design?

Creativity and Design Completely Separate Entities?

Creativity and design are interrelated, no matter how intensely we try to disconnect both fields.

There are a considerable number of designers however who vehemently claim that creativity and design are separate entities, hence arriving at the conclusion that creativity masks and compromises the true essence of good design practice. Their premise is based upon the idea that the concept of creativity does not follow any guided set of design-based principles (Grids, specific visual conventions etc), and it is this perceived freedom (artistic license) that is inconsistent with the highly structured/coded paradigm of design. Proponents of this view have pointed out that an intellectual appreciation of design (the syllabus thought in universities) does not include within its grasp, an acknowledgement of creativity. It thus follows that creativity is not design and vice versa. 

I however completely disagree with this view.

Having lectured on creativity in an academic environment before, I can quite boldly attest that design has everything to do with creativity and more. Creativity does not connote a sense of “lawless” artistic freedom but a method of thinking. Creativity is about taking seemingly disparate entities and joining them up in inventive but logical ways that meet objectives and provide solutions.

Design is problem-solving. It involves extensive research of practical solutions (for example what type of grid-based design is appropriate for a news portal website), a process which demands creativity to a large extent. One cannot hide behind the vanguard of intellectual knowledge and leave the wider context of design unacknowledged.

Concluding Remarks

I sincerely hope that this piece has perhaps cleared the air on what design actually is, as an independent subject of study. Once again, I urge you to leave any comments, viewpoints and feedback that you may have on the subject of design, as these responses will certainly serve to clarify any lingering doubts we have on the subject.

     

[ Creativity - Design - Design Environment - Design Philosophy ] Subscribe to the Goodness >>