Expressions…

Design as a discipline is too vast and rapidly evolving. The way a design takes shape, differs greatly at times as the domain in question changes. It might seem that design is adaptive or generic. The above statement is ironical in a way, but it’s not in any way wrong. A short study of design history can provide a good idea, so as to, how the discipline came into being and further evolved to expand in domain to the present state.

The Fluid Nature of Design
The very nature of design, seems fluid. Reason being, the near-universal applicability of the ‘values’ design nurtures. What these values are, is another discussion altogether. It is these values that lets us apply design to problems of varied nature and still leaves us discussing so as to what design is. This is interesting so as to what it suggests “design exists in conjunction”. This property is one of the greatest factor for the apparent conflicts when people( not necessarily designers) exchange their views on design.

Personally, the definition of Design constantly keeps evolving for a designer. As he learns through experience, the designer tends to either simplify or complicate it, believing that one day he  can capture this world in one single sentence. For me it has evolved from

a problem solving process

to

an aimed synthesis, which pays heed to the nature of concept in question

Design process initiates whenever a question arises [call it a need or mere curiosity], followed by the understanding of how a designer can intervene. The latter part is what, we as designers need to know. Our intervention is limited to the mediums and tools we choose to employ. This is what makes design a field like many others.

So is design just solving a problem? or finding answer to a question? Is it only about finding 1+1=2?

It’s  not only about getting that “2″, but to see where and how it fits. A solution has to be transformed into a “design solution”. At times, a design solution is the presented solution; at times, it is supposed to fit in between a bigger structure and is not the final outcome itself.

Duality
The word “design” is used in the context of the process and the output both. Design is the output(noun), which is designed(verb - the process). To get design as an outcome, an understanding of design as a process is required; i.e., to get design as a solution, design as an act is a necessity.

To approach a Design, there can be numerous ways. To be able to design a solution in a multitude of non-overlapping domains, requires an arsenal of possible ways to approach the same. Generally, no one approach gives a complete picture of how the complete solution will come out to be. There has to be a mix and match in varying proportion, suiting the need of the hour.

This, primarily, is an archive of what i have experienced, learnt and explored about design, when i was at Department of Design (DoD), IIT Guwahati.

The key lies, not always in finding answers, but to ask the right question. Path ahead is a journey, seldom blight.