Design is... (10)

Personal Design Theory
GDES 440

Joe De Gregorio
Personal Design Theory
Design is an idea about creating something in a creative way, for a purpose. Design comes in many forms. It can be designing a new can opener, or a new pattern on a plate. When we think about design we cannot forget computer-generated design. Computers have become so technologically advanced that there are many techniques that have been perfected. What used to be done by hand can now be done faster and with more precision on the computer. Every aspect of design should be admired for what it is, even the hand painted pattern on the plate. By taking a close look at some of the history of design these ideas will become clearer and easier to understand.
Once upon a time the craftsmen used to make up their own minds about what they wanted to create and how they wanted to create it. However, once industrialization started these craftsmen created products that were primarily used for merchandising. Therefore, the product had to be more carefully planned ahead of time. This careful planning and designing of the product was done by a so-called designer. This idea of the designer planning the product first began at the end of the eighteenth century. (http://www.infobritain.co.uk/History Of Design.htm). An example of this development is James Hargreaves’ invention of the spinning jenny, which is a machine with sixteen spindles thereby speeding up the spinning process. This product had to be designed and planned, and then produced. In cases like this, a separate group of people was responsible for designing the product and another group for producing and selling the product. With this idea it was thought that planned changes in design would improve sales. Many other changes and developments took place as people started to improve and change the product in the textile industry, which prompted more sales. It was due to the designers’ planning and creating processes that this increase in sales came about. “Indeed the new industrial society was driven by aspiration, which was in turn driven by the style of the moment and designers who created it.” (http://www.infobritain.co.uk/History Of Design.htm).
Design can be broken up into categories, which also means that types of designers would be of one type or the other. The first type would be the planner that makes a product that would work or continue to redesign it to make it work better. This type of designer is mainly concerned with the function of the product. Then there is the second type of planner who makes things look good and gives the product a visual identity. This type of designer’s goal is to make the product look attractive and up-to-date. A good example of these two types of design thoughts is the auto industry, specifically the Ford company. Henry Ford, the founder, came up with a good car line which worked and people were happy with. However, the design remained the same for about 20 years. Ford himself believed that it did not matter if cars looked identical as long as they were mechanically functioning right. In the late 1800s and early 1900s industries, such as the car industry, did not pay too much attention having a variety of looks to a product or changing the visual appearance of a product. However, due to the Depression of the 1920s and the growing number of competitors, such as General Motors in the car industry, companies had to start thinking about looks and style. (http://www.infobritain.co.uk/History Of Design.htm). General Motors was coming up with new ideas about how cars should look. To keep up with trend and to keep in the competitive market Ford had to change its ways and now look at not only the mechanics of the car but also how the car looks.

A good general statement would be that the visual appearance and the function of a product are equally valuable. But the question is – if you have both, does mass production lessen the visually creative design of the product? How much creativity is there if mass production creates one type of design over and over again? Even if a second or third line of design is created, mass production still limits the creativity of the visual appearance of the products. I feel this is a drawback for mass production. On the other hand, mass production has its advantages. These products can be produced in a less expensive way because so many of the same kind are being made. After industrialization began, it was the thought that nice things that were well made were not just for the wealthy. This is another advantage for mass production. There were those who disagreed with this because in their eyes mass production did not cater to the individual’s creative side. An individual named William Morris was one of the founders of the Arts and Crafts movement, which in his opinion, would help with this problem.(http://www.infobritain.co.uk/History Of Design.htm). In this movement craftsmen made their handmade objects in their own traditional ways but then it was evident that the original problem came into play again – hand-made products were only affordable by the wealthy because they were too expensive to produce. Therefore, mass production has many advantages as for as making products more affordable and available for most people. As far as creativity is concerned, due to the advances in technology more room has been made for both creativity and practicality which can go hand-in-hand. Computers, televisions, radios, machinery, cars and so on all have components of both aspects of design – the form and the function. As far as creativity shown by people who do paintings, create pieces of pottery, make sculptures, fashion-design and the list can go on, they are the designers who express their creativity in their own unique fashion. These are not the people interested in mass productions. Each object they create is from their inner self and most of the time, these creations are one-of-a-kind creations that are unique in their own way.
How does the graphic designer fit into this picture? The graphic designer has opportunities to be creative in each job that is taken on. Whether it is for a magazine ad, a billboard or a package it is up to the designer to grab the attention of the viewer and communicate the message. One may argue that, at times, the client will curb the creative talents of the graphic designer by putting demands on what he or she wants to see in the end product. This is where compromise would ideally come into effect and the designer would submit suggestions and creative ideas to the client and an agreement would be reached.
The graphic designer has great opportunities of taking advantage of the milestone advances that have taken place in technology especially in recent years. For example, computer programs such as InDesign and Photoshop make it possible for the graphic artist to design very distinct campaign ads, attractive magazine ads, stunning packages, captivating magazine ads and so on. According to Wucius Wong, the author of Principles of Form and Design, “the advent of the computer has not only revolutionized our ways of information processing, but also provided new methods for design creation” (Wong, 1993: 14). Things that used to be done by hand, can now be done by computer, and even more techniques can be used to enhance design through the invention of the computer. There are now more opportunities to explore a variety of techniques and visual effects with the use of modern computer programs. For the graphic designer, the computer is a valuable tool because it is a highly advanced and sophisticated equipment that has functions that a designer would not be able to do manually. Functions that would greatly enhance the visual effects that the graphic designer is working with would not be possible without the use of the computer.
In the book entitled Information Design Desk Reference by Christine Sevilla, the author discusses the concept of how people learn. She states that it is not possible to describe every way that people learn but it is possible to give an overall thought about this process. In her opinion, Robert M. Gagné’s “instructional events” outline the best way for presenting information in order for the learning process to take place (Sevilla, 2002: 11). For the purpose of this assignment I will describe the first four. First, the presenter should grab the attention of the viewer by igniting interest. Second, the presenter needs to tell the viewer what they will learn. Third, the viewer needs to relate to something they already know or recall something they have already learned. Fourthly, the content needs to be presented. (Sevilla, 2002: 11). When you stop and think, isn’t this the job of an effective graphic designer? First of all, through his design, the graphic designer has to “wow” or captivate the attention of the viewer. Then he has to communicate the message through the ad, billboard, package and so on. Through the message the graphic designer will stir up feelings, ideas, facts etc. in the viewer. Finally, the full message, together with visual design is looked at by the viewer as a whole. Sevilla sums it up very clearly when she interprets Gagné’s model of learning. She states that “the way you present a topic or concept will define how your audience absorbs it” (Sevilla, 2002: 12).
How does one go about capturing the attention of the viewer? This question can be answered if we question ourselves about what good design is. It may look like a simple question but does not always have an easy or correct answer. According to Terence Conran, author of the book Design: Intelligence Made Visible, good design is something “that is immediately visible: something that has not been intelligently designed will not work properly. It will be uncomfortable to use. It will be badly made, look depressing and be poor value for money. And what’s more, it if does not give you pleasure, it is bad design. You would be stupid to want bad design. Good design is intelligence made visible.” (Conran. 2007: 10). In other words, we go back to Gagné’s first “instructional event” which is that the presenter has to grab the attention of the viewer. In Conran’s words design has to be “immediately visible”. Also, linking Conran’s idea of design to the Ford company. The car manufacturer had to make a car that was functional and visibly appealing and up to date. Good design has to have good function. It has to look good and it has to be worth its value. This can only happen if it is well thought out and planned. By doing this, good design is intelligent design.
Design encompasses many aspects of our lives ranging from simple things like arranging a vase with flowers, to setting a table and even your own signature. People who create simple tools such as a stapler or heavy duty machinery like a tractor are all designers. From the simplest of designs they all need to be thought out. This brings us back to the point that good designs that are well-thought out work well and are practical for the consumer. A good design has value for its dollar, so once again it is pleasing to the consumer. Finally, good design is visually or artistically appealing to the consumer. People like to see things that look good. In the opinion of Conran, “if the design has some innovatory qualities then,…it becomes an even better design.” (Conran. 2007: 10). To expand on this idea, whenever a designer comes up with another idea to improve either the function or the look of the original product, it becomes a better design. It is this way that everything that we use in our lives has developed throughout the years. People continue to think of ways to improve products to make things easier, faster and also to make things look better.
In order for designers to be innovative and creative it is essential that they research and plan their design or product. We must remember that a well-thought out design is an intelligent design. The designer needs the information to know how to develop his product. He needs to know the history, the material involved, where he wants the idea to go. In other words he wants to know the future. Which way is he heading? This would also involve knowing the market audience and knowing what the people want. It is essential that the designer can foresee how the improvement of his product will help improve people’s lives. In the eyes of Conran good design is” the capacity to see a new solution to an existing problem…[and] it’s this tension between finding effective innovations and achieving lasting values that…gives the designer so much of his creative energy.” (Conran. 2007: 11).
For me, designing something is about creating something. Whether it is to make a plan or to show the look of a building, or an article of clothing or to decorate a vase with lines and shapes, the designer is creating. The designer always has a purpose in mind. A graphic designer creating an ad wants to attract the attention of the target market in a creative way. The designer of a building wants to make it so it is attractive, useful and meets architectural standards. The designer creating a simple toy wants it to be liked by children. Regardless of what is being designed, the key word is creativity. However, along with creativity, the designer sets off with a purpose in mind. In addition, the design must not only be creative, but also serve a function and the final outcome must satisfy the designer as well as the audience. Woven through this process from beginning to end is the creativity of the designer, since this is what is going to make it work or not.
The future of design is very promising. Due to the great developments in technology, products and services are improving, making them either easier to use or faster. Because of improved technology our world is changing. Designers are constantly changing or improving the functions or looks of products. They are constantly trying to keep up with the needs of the people and helping to improve their lives. In addition, if something created looks good to the viewer and brought some kind of satisfaction it has served its purpose.
To conclude, the opening statement “Design is an idea about creating something in a creative way, for a purpose” sums up my overall opinion of what design is. The research has provided good background information to back up this thought. It has also given me direction on further developing my ideas and processes in my work. Each job I undertake involves an idea and process. To get to the final product, I need to think of ways to make it creative. I need to think of the purpose of my finished product. Most of all, I need to be satisfied with my finished product.

Resources
Bayley, S., Conran, T. (2007). Design: Intelligence Made Visible. New York: Firefly Books.
Sevilla, Christine (2002). Information Design Desk Reference. United States: Axzo Press.
Wong, Wucius (1993). Principles of Form and Design. Toronto: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
http://www.infobritain.co.uk/History Of Design.htm

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