Design as production-oriented problem-solving
Design is commonly understood from a production-oriented perspective, where clients select designers based on a desired outcome—a logo, a shoe, or an app—that designers then create. This approach views design primarily as a means to deliver tangible, predefined products, emphasizing the end result over the broader process.
Design as a tool for collaboration and sense-making
Beyond production, design also plays a crucial role in facilitating collaboration and sense-making. In this orientation, design becomes central to constructing representations, synthesizing complex information and supporting informed decision-making. Here, designers help stakeholders navigate ambiguity and gain clarity, positioning design as a collaborative process that fosters collective understanding and guides strategic choices.
Design as a generative process of discovery
Design can also be seen as a generative process focused on exploration and discovery. In this orientation, designers are tasked with opening new avenues of inquiry, often going beyond predefined outcomes to uncover creative possibilities. This approach emphasizes design’s role in envisioning and shaping potential futures, encouraging fresh perspectives and sparking insights that drive discovery.
Core practices in the design process
At its core, design involves identifying problems or opportunities within a system or context and then reframing and probing into those challenges to generate new insights and perspectives. This requires designers to engage in sensemaking, the process of understanding complex information and situations to grasp the underlying dynamics and relationships at play.
Designers also engage in reframing, a process of shifting perspectives and changing how problems are viewed to uncover innovative solutions. This involves questioning assumptions, challenging existing paradigms and exploring new possibilities to create solutions that are both functional and impactful.
Experimentation and iteration as tools for refining solutions
In navigating complex systems, designers rely on probing—experimenting with different solutions and approaches to test hypotheses and gather feedback. This involves using various tools and techniques, such as prototyping and testing, to refine and iterate on insights and solutions until they are both grounded and meaningful. As Bruce Mau noted, “For most of us, design is invisible. Until it fails.”
Authentic design as socially conscious creation
An act of authentic design often involves a socially and critically conscious process. This begins with a critical moment when designers recognize dissatisfaction with the current state of the world, motivating them to co-create projects with those most affected by the problems they are addressing. In this way, design holds a significant role in shaping how we coexist, carrying a duty to communicate and embody the concept of “living together” (or vivre ensemble in French).
Open-ended inquiry and iterative critique
Designers are valued for their pursuit of open-ended inquiry and exploration of potential within the material context. They are known for their restlessness and dissatisfaction with established answers, often pursuing iterative projection and critique to push ideas further and question existing assumptions.
Defining design as intentional creation
Design can be defined as the intentional act of proposing something new or better for the world. This proposal may take the form of a product, service or experience and may aim to solve a specific problem, fulfill a particular need, or elicit a particular aesthetic or emotional response.
The role of intention in design
Designers approach their work with clear intention, aiming to create something with a specific purpose or function for a targeted user or community that elicits a meaningful response. This intentionality distinguishes design from other forms of creative expression, such as art, which often focus more on personal exploration than on specific problem-solving.
NOTE
This definition of design seeks to acknowledge the deep influence of Creative Problem Solving (CPS) on Design. CPS has introduced structured methods that guide designers through complex, open-ended challenges, enhancing three core areas in design: problem framing, ideation, and iterative development.
In problem framing, CPS encourages designers to question assumptions and explore broader contexts, helping uncover deeper needs and opportunities. For ideation, CPS promotes divergent thinking to generate a wide range of solutions, often using techniques like brainstorming and mind mapping, which are fundamental in design thinking. Finally, CPS supports an iterative approach in design, where prototypes are refined through continuous feedback and testing, aligning with design’s focus on adaptability and user-centered improvement.
References
[1] Que sais-je? le Design, épilogue d’Alain Findeli
[2] Suzan C. Stewart, On care and education