Design Philosophy

I believe that design is a cross-disciplinary activity that focuses on enabling human interaction in a useful and engaging way.

Because human interaction is an inherently dynamic force (ever-changing and emotional), design needs to embrace dynamic perspectives, re-defining itself as necessary. It can be (at different times and in different situations) a product, a service, a form of communication, a form of collaboration, an identity, a project, a discourse, research, theory, and many other things.

I believe that design is medium, and media, agnostic at the conceptual (theoretical) level. More contextual forms of design (web design, graphic design, and industrial design) are undertaken by adapting design principles to the predefined set of constraints prescribed by the medium, or media, being worked in.

I believe that there is a need for more critical discourse in the field of design as a whole. There is a need to elevate our discipline from that of a craft to a profession. We can do this in a number of ways:

• By engaging in a critique of design, designers and design processes to help us understand our field, our influences and our community.
• By participating in design research activities that help us understand how people use design, and how the things we create impact our society.
• By supporting cross-disciplinary research activities, in collaboration with other fields, to help us better understand the physical, mental and emotional makeup of humans.

I believe that a design process (any design process) acquires a magnitude of strength through its ability to be flexible and adaptable.

• A design process should be iterative and experimental.
• The ability to accept when something is not working, and having the willingness to throw it out and try something new, is an honorable trait.