Noun

Singular design

Plural designs

design (plural designs)

1. A plan (with more or less detail) for the structure and functions of an artifact, building or system.
2. A pattern, as an element of a work of art or architecture.
3. The composition of a work of art.
4. Intention or plot.
   • M. Le Page Du Pratz, History of Louisisana (PG), p. 40

     I give it you without any other design than to shew you that I reckon nothing dear to me, when I want to do you a pleasure.

5. The shape or appearance given to an object, especially one that is intended to make it more attractive.
6. The art of designing

   Danish design of furniture is world-famous.

Related terms

• designer

Verb

Infinitive to design

Third person singular designs

Simple past designed

Past participle designed

Present participle designing

to design (third-person singular simple present designs, present participle designing, simple past and past participle designed)

1. To lay out or plan.

Design is the planning that lays the basis for the making of every object or system. It can be used both as a noun and as a verb and, in a broader way, it means applied arts and engineering (See design disciplines below). As a verb, "to design" refers to the process of originating and developing a plan for a product, structure, system, or component with intention. As a noun, "a design" is used for either the final (solution) plan (e.g. proposal, drawing, model, description) or the result of implementing that plan in the form of the final product of a design process. This classification aside, in its broadest sense no other limitations exist and the final product can be anything from clothing to graphical user interfaces to skyscrapers. Even virtual concepts such as corporate identity and cultural traditions such as celebration of certain holidays are sometimes designed. More recently, processes (in general) have also been treated as products of design, giving new meaning to the term process design.

The person designing is called a designer, which is also a term used for people who work professionally in one of the various design areas, usually also specifying which area is being dealt with (such as a fashion designer, concept designer or web designer). Designing often requires a designer to consider the aesthetic, functional, and many other aspects of an object or a process, which usually requires considerable research, thought, modeling, interactive adjustment, and re-design. With such a broad definition, there is no universal language or unifying institution for designers of all disciplines. This allows for many differing philosophies and approaches toward the subject. However, serious study of design demands increased focus on the design process.

Design is the planning that lays the basis for the making of every object or system.

Sourced

• Good design is a Renaissance attitude that combines technology, cognitive science, human need and beauty to produce something.
  • Paola Antonelli, curator of architecture and design, Museum of Modern Art, New York, in A Conversation About The Good, The Bad And The Ugly

• The urge for good design is the same as the urge to go on living. The assumption is that somewhere, hidden, is a better way of doing things.
  • Harry Bertoia, Knoll Design, p.66

• Design is to design a design to produce a design.
  • John Heskett, in Design: a very short introduction, Oxford University Press, USA, 2005, 148 pages on p.3

• I think so many of the objects we're surrounded by seem trivial. And I think that's because they're either trying to make a statement or trying to be overtly different. What we were trying to do was have a very honest approach and an exploration of materials and surface treatment. So much of what we try to do is get to a point where the solution seems inevitable: you know, you think 'of course it's that way, why would it be any other way?' It looks so obvious, but that sense of inevitability in the solution is really hard to achieve.
  • Jonathan Ive, Designer of the iMac, iBook and iPod, in iconeye 004 (July/August 2003)

From Wikiquote under the GNU Free Documentation License.
Mon Mar 1 12:37:03 2010