People rarely think of the same thing when we say 'design'. From my experience, it's mostly associated with fashion and furniture design. But that's no surprise when you're talking to people living in Denmark, as the Scandinavian heritage of design in both segments is quite strong.
When I looked into the origins of the word myself, the earliest definition of 'design' I could find was dated at the end of the 14th century. Then, design was interpreted as 'to make, shape'. While this meaning has slowly evolved over time, today, I feel that we need to get back to this more inclusive definition.
There are so many design-related branches out there, which makes it more and more difficult to narrow down the true meaning of 'design'. Product design, furniture design, lighting design, interior design, UX design, graphic design, service design... the list goes on. And if we look back in history, it's clear that even some great scientists could be considered as designers today. Every day, I realise how much reach design really has.
Design is so much more than a practice or industry. Design is a mindset. It's about how we approach things, make decisions and solve problems. And these days, we're constantly encouraged to use design-thinking.
Instead of being analytical and logical, we're opening our minds up more and more to creative problem-solving. Approaching problems by reframing them, being mindful of processes, finding answers by talking to other people, and taking actions instead of continuing never-ending discussions.
"Design is so much more than a practice or industry. Design is a mindset."
Design-thinking is shaping our current generation and we should be applying it not just in our working environments but our personal lives too. Bill Burnett and Dave Evans dedicated a book to this approach called ‘Designing your life’. It's a goldmine for working out what you want in your life and exactly how you can get it.
Lastly, I'd like to put forward the idea that all of us are designers. A claim that's perfectly summed up in Thomas Dickson's book ‘Dansk Design’:
"We are all designers, from when we open our eyes in the morning till we lay our head on the pillow again at night. We each make countless choices that contribute to forming our lives, easing our day to day existence and creating our identities. Although we often don’t make this decision consciously, they influence not only ourselves but our surroundings and self-image."
In short, we're all designing our lives, whether we know it or not. The decisions we make, the opportunities we take, the way we dress, furnish our homes, the books we read, the food we cook and the places we go. We design every day.
Whether your definition of design is narrow or board, one thing is for certain. Throughout history, design has clearly shaped our mindsets, made the world a better place and shown that it's an essential part of all of our lives.
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Image: Matthew Henry
