The enduring core of design
Is there a constant and unchanging essence of design that will outlast the shift to computerized design and help us navigate these changes?
Welcome to A Bicycle for Design, a newsletter that explores how architectural and engineering design is being transformed by software and computers! Today's post is the fifth and final of the introductory series that presents an definition of design that will underpin the ongoing discussion of change.
The first post, Design is... presents a definition of design.
Design versus... clarifies the definition by looking at what design is not.
The Design Family explores similarities and differences across the traditional design disciplines of architecture, fashion design, graphic design and indusrial design.
Three layers of good design presents a framework for asking "What is good design".
Let's review our definition of design and consider how this framing provides us with a fixed point for confidently facing and mastering the changes that computers are imposing.
Design is the process of deciding what to make, as a separate activity from making.
On the one hand, it points to several constants:
we still want to make things - there is no doubt that we need more housing and more civic infrastructure!
there is still a benefit to splitting craft into design and construction as separate activities
On the other hand, this framing is silent about
how we make decisions,
who is involved in the decision-making,
how the decisions are communicated, or
the speed at which decisions are made.
Embracing change from a confident position
If a designer sees themselves as 'someone who creates drawings and writes specifications', they will have significant upheaval as the these activities change or dissappear. Understanding quality design as making good decisions and communicating them clearly gives us the psycological safety to explore and embrace technologies that will fundamentally change the day-to-day work that we do.
Design decisions still need to be taken - but we have myriad new tools to help us make better deicisions: visualization tools, engineering simulation tools, data management tools for exploring many options.
Designs still need to be communicated - but the shift to BIM allows us to communicate with clarity and precision.
Designs still need to be built - but new machines and processes are available that make the process safer, faster and better.
At its root, "design thinking" is simply being considerate about what we make, and not simply making the same thing we did last time, or the first thing that comes to mind. No amount of technology will change the need for considerate design, nor will it automatically create good design (by any definition of good!).
I would love to have you join me as A Bicycle for Design continues to unpack and explore the changes and fixed points as software eats the AEC industry!