all things design
Welcome to the initial design blog entry at Napack Design. We plan on making this a weekly discourse into the creative design world that will hopefully be entertaining and informative with a little provocative thrown in for good measure. Sometimes the words will be ours and other times we will coerce family, friends, and acquaintances to grace this page with their thoughts. We hope you enjoy it!
27 October 2009
What is Design?
As I sit here thinking about what to write, I find myself overwhelmed by the enormity of the subject – design. It’s such a simple word that rolls off the tongue with fluidity and a grace that almost defines itself. But, what really is design?
Wikipedia defines design as,”the planning that lays the basis for the making of every object or system”. Now, that is a broad definition. It goes on to further explain that design can be used as a noun or a verb. As a noun, it signifies "the final solution or plan or the result of implementing that plan in the form of the final product of a design process". As a verb, to design refers to the process of "originating and developing a plan for a product, structure, system or component with intention". It doesn’t take much to realize that we are talking about almost everything!
From the moment you turn off your alarm clock to start your day you are living in a designed world. The toothbrush you use has the latest angled design intended to reach those hard to get areas. The shower head is designed to provide you with water in seventeen different soothing configurations. The faucets are sleek and smooth, another tribute to design. Even the teapot on the stove is designed to look good while allowing you to pour scalding water into another well designed device, your cup. And, let’s not forget the many breakfast cereals out there designed to appeal to the youth in your household, no matter what the nutritional value.
You could make the statement that everything you come into contact with daily has been designed with a specific intention. That intention is usually to sell or promote something. The better the design, the easier and faster that thing will be sold or promoted. A badly designed product will languish. It has taken a while for the marketplace to realize the importance of good design, but, now you find most companies realize that if what they sell or promote is designed well, they will be more successful.
‘Til next time, take care.
Bob
