Let’s start with definitions: As a noun, “a design” is used as either the final 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. Some people simply see it as applied arts.

I don’t think we can build the understanding of design through its definitions if we are really interested about knowing what it actually is. The most interesting part is the fact that our understanding may not stand too long as the design world is spinning so fast, we will be introduced to new experiences, new meanings every day. I think it is pretty much the same as the definition of marketing. If you ask marketers about this, they either come up with a very ambiguous answer or no answer at all.

I believe that design was born because of necessity. Human beings need solutions to their problems. They need solutions that function well and look beautiful at the same time. Early on, people started to insert aesthetic influence into these solution, making them artistically functional, and/or functionally beautiful. But it always comes back to the effectiveness of the solution. So we, designers, often call ourselves problem solvers, although not many remember this while actually laboring at our jobs.
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