The word “design” is used very often today. We hear it everywhere. But the structure of this activity is a little more complicated than it might seem at first glance.
The term “design” itself has two meanings. On the one hand, we can translate it as a “thing”: a design, a drawing, a sketch, a concept; on the other, as a “process”: to design, to construct, to conceive, to plot.
A big mistake when we talk about design is to understand it as “decorating.” Although, of course, beauty, which is also contained in logic and functionality, is the goal of design.
There is no consensus on the definition of design in the literature. There are also several points of view as to when this kind of activity emerged. In a sense, a person was engaged in designing since ancient times, when he invented the first tools. After all, he was trying to adapt the environment for his needs. But in fact we can talk about the formation of the designer’s profession in its current form since the late XIX century. At that time, industrial production of household items replaced manual production. There was a need to transform the crude mechanisms, which were created to perform certain functions into objects convenient for use by the consumer. In fact, it was a bridge linking production and consumption.vididensky design Besides the above-mentioned industrial design, there are several other types and subspecies: graphic design, interior design, landscape design, fashion design, web design, art design.
Perhaps the easiest way to describe design is the way a designer has mastered it – through education. Although design education differs, there are a few common themes:
Design education.
Most design schools focus on learning design by creating it. This is a hands-on specialty, where students learn from model projects. It requires them to formulate problems, think through and present projects, and then receive and give feedback.
Methodology
Methods of generating and exploring multiple concepts, then methodically narrowing down choices to the best solution.
Understanding, exploring, and co-creating.
Designers are taught that the answer always lies with the user. By learning methods of interviewing, co-creation, facilitation, and mapping, designers develop empathy for users and learn to overcome their own assumptions and biases.
Storytelling
People respond best to stories – it’s a natural way to process and store information. Designers learn to use it in both text, userfloat, and sales concepts.
The building blocks of visual communication
How can shape, line, color, and font affect how we receive a visual message and our response to it? How can we direct the user’s gaze through composition or evoke different feelings through visual elements?
Visualization
Based on aesthetics, designers practice being able to quickly and efficiently turn complex ideas and problems into easy-to-understand visuals using simple sketches and diagrams.
Prototyping
Prototyping allows designers to test concepts and iterate them quickly and cheaply.