What is design to you?
We all have our own ideas of what it means to be a designer and we enter the world of design in various ways, for some it’s the aspiration to do something creative, or to explore art and aesthetics or maybe to try and solve problems, no matter what started the journey, design in its entirety humbles us.
I have been ambitiously exploring design through multiple perspectives and have always been intrigued by the different roles we as designer can play. In a recent conversation with other designers, we explored the possibilities of this question “what is design to you?”
What followed was an inspiring conversation from many different perspectives that navigated from design as an art of reasoning all the way to design as a method to elevate and dignify human lives. In this article I would like to summarize and share these view points with you all, hoping to help you gain a fresh perspective on the definition of design. I would also like to mention that these definitions are just a few of the variations of what design is, and design as a whole can have multiple other definitions and understanding as well.
#1 design as a tool for understanding behavioral patterns
Humans are at the center of a design process, we aim to understand users’ behavioral patterns, how they might think, the actions that they perform and the decisions. These considerations help us identify possible pain points and tailor solutions that fit their narrative.
#2 to design is to explore
We are all intrigued by the unknown. We try to understand why things are the way they are and ponder on what would happen if they weren’t. As designers we try to answer this question innumerable times, wondering why products are built the way they are, or why visuals have that specific look and feel. We try variations and experiment to understand what works and what doesn’t. This exploration helps us build products, whatever they might be (a visual, an apparel, an app or even a sharpener), that has a connect with the user. It communicates a purpose, and when executed flawlessly even an emotion to the target user.
#3 designing for impactful progress/changes in society
Design is largely a human-centric process, and has been used to make human life easier and better. When we apply this approach to social contexts we as designers have the ability to bring about impactful progressions in the society, improving on or help humans build sustenance and quality of life. When we design social strategies we apply design at a greater context that benefits greater sections of the society. Thus to design is to dignify human life.
#4 design is about structured problem solving
It is human nature to try and solve problems we encounter, and almost all of our actions may be equated to a process that solves one or more problems. Over time, our approaches to solving problems started to get standardized and recognizable. Design can thus be referred to as a set of standardized guidelines or structures that help us approach, understand and solve a problem we or a group of people encounter.
In conclusion,
Design can have multiple definitions and we all have our own journeys to try and comprehend it as we progress. It is however imperative to acknowledge that there are no wrong answers to “what is design to you?” as it is something that is extremely personal and yet draws from a universal pool. So as designers we ought to respect this individuality, and attempt to understand other perspectives as well.
I would leave you with the same question I started with.
So, what is design to you?
Happy Designing
