Being a Designer, I’m always looking to better define & redefine what I do. I continuously return to the root of the matter in a search for greater meaning. When asked to describe what “Design” is, people inevitably respond in completely different ways. This is so, because the subject is so vast and can be understood from so many different perspectives depending on ones experience, education, profession and so forth. Do a quick google search asking the question What is Design, and you’ll see what I’m on about.
The following video will introduce you to the problem, and why we need to rethink our perception of what design is.
[youtube 3mxbLd9r4Sc&rel=1 – What Is Design?]
My Quick Definition
My own personal definition of design has changed over the years. As a junior I thought of design as a commercialized visual art form, though today I see design more as: “Taking a series of steps to arrive at a solution to a specific problem.” It’s something of a process and even though I’ve stated the aim is arriving at a solution to a specific problem, many times the design process reveals the real problem, one which is different to what was initially perceived as the problem. It’s more about process, strategy and innovation than Art, though let me not open up a can of worms on the definition of the word Art just yet.
The word Design can be used both as a Verb (to describe an act or process) and as a Noun (to describe the resultant product, object, image or solution).