Design theory starts with asking: what is design?

For a blogging site with a topic as broad and far-reaching as ‘design theory’, what does one write in their first post? Coming from an analytic frame of mind, I naturally want to start at the foundation and then build a body of knowledge upon a set of key principles – that is, using deductive reasoning.

Taking this approach, what is the foundation for design theory? In my view, the foundation is determining the scope or domain of ‘design theory’ or, in other words, moving towards an answer to the question “what is design?”

Critics may argue that this is the one question that is best left unanswered for the topic of design theory, since stipulating a definition at the outset ends the discussion (thus rendering this blog moot).
I disagree. In fact, I think the opposite is true. Stipulating a definition doesn’t end the debate, it starts the debate. It gives you something to ponder, discuss, praise or criticize. It also provides this blog the beginning of some common language and domain of discussion. This domain may shift as discussion moves along, but at least we have something to start with.

So, “what is design?” This question is just as fraught with linguistic and theoretical difficulties as the age-old philosophical question “what is art?”, but for a myriad of reasons there is only a fraction of the literature. This is unfortunate because design practice and theory is far from a state of clarity. As with art, the word design has many uses and many definitions which range from the specific (‘to mark out’) to the abstract (‘to plan’). Also, as with art, there is little consensus about which definition is ‘best’ or ‘correct.’ This confusion poses problems for the teaching of design and for the sharing of knowledge about design. In fact, the ambiguity is so great, some argue that one cannot even call ‘design’ a discipline.

It is my hope, through this blog and my future research, we can generate a much needed debate about the foundations of design (as a discipline) and how this impacts the teaching and practice of design. In my opinion, as long as the design discipline remains as ambiguous as it is today, it will continue to be misunderstood in the academic and business world.

In posts to come I will explore various definitions of design.  Later, I will elaborate on how the ambiguity of the word ‘design’ plays out in the everyday life of a designer.