My Design Philosophy Part 2: Live in the Moment
This is the second of a three part series on my design philosophy.
Design is about being intentional in the moment. This takes desiderata and action.
I believe in creating design that matters. When designing, there are three main choices I have to consider to intentionally make design that is desirable and matters to people. Nelson and Stolterman use the term “desiderata” to describe the, “imperative voice of design” which includes, “all three of the approaches: aesthetics, ethics, and reasons” (2012, p. 107).
Desiderata: Aesthetics
My custom phone case.
The first approach is aesthetics. Aesthetics is concerned with, “what we want” (Nelson & Stolterman, 2012, p. 106). I believe a design’s aesthetics comes from the relationship between its value with meaning. During an in class activity, I had to think of a design and explain why I liked it in terms of its value or meaning. I was originally going to pick my glasses, but I chose my phone case because it went beyond just the function its value provided. When I bought a new phone several years ago, I decided I wasn’t going to buy any regular case on the market. I wanted something more personal and unique since I would carry it around with me literally every day. So, I used Photoshop to design my phone case with references to one of my favorite tv shows, video games, and music artists. Then, I used an online service which makes customizable phone cases. My phone case goes beyond the function it provides (protecting my phone) and instead is connected to who I am because it represents my identity. While value is important in design, to me aesthetics is more concerned with meaning. As Oscar Lemus puts it, “value is often tied to ideas of productivity, where we must produce in order to make something valuable… value is a western concept that seeks to focus less on meaning and being.” Good design is often described as “simple” or “intuitive”, but this perspective feels shallow because it prioritizes value over meaning. By taking away diversity, design loses meaning. This isn’t to say value should be ignored, but rather it’s the unity between the two where design can enrich our lives more. For instance, Nozick proposes, “Meaning can be gained by linking with something of value… The greater the link, the closer, the more forceful, the more intense and extensive it is, the greater the meaning gotten. The tighter the connection with value, the greater the meaning. This tightness of connection means that you are interrelated with the value in a unified way; there is more of an organic unity between you and the value” (2006, p. 168). Design should try to link value and meaning together. Aesthetics means so much more than making things pretty. A design’s beauty comes from the integration of value within the meaning of our lives and our stories.
Desiderata: Ethics
Apple’s new USB-C port adapter.
The second approach deals with ethics. Ethics is concerned with, “what we believe ought to be” (Nelson & Stolterman, 2012, p. 106). As a designer, I feel that in some cases it’s my job to be the moral compass because I am in the best position to stand up and build empathy for the people affected by a design. This can be a hard responsibility, especially since ethical practices are tied to the cultural values held by a company or organization. Oftentimes in business, short term profits are prioritized over doing what’s right and fair. I realized this firsthand during an assignment in which I identified “bad” designs and analyzed why I didn’t like them. Apple’s USB-C ports on their latest computers unfairly require their customers to purchase an adapter if they want to use a regular USB port. This example shows it’s how we use technology that’s more important than what technology is available. The USB-C port is better technology than the standard USB, but the way Apple is transitioning over to them is unfair to consumers. A design shouldn’t trick people, discriminate, or do harm to people and the environment. If a design does do this, it is unethical regardless of the tradeoffs. Instead, design should be honest, accessible, and reliable. I like to follow an ethical code called the platinum rule: treat people how they want to be treated. This helps me see through other people’s point of view, which is essential for ethical design.
Desiderata: Reason
The third approach is reason, or “that which is or needs to be” (Nelson & Stolterman, 2012, p. 106). Design isn’t born from nothing. It has to come from a designer’s reason. Reasoning, “appears as a process of argumentation. He debates with himself or with others; issues come up, competing positions are developed in response to them, and a search is made for their respective pros and cons; ultimately he makes up his mind in favor of some position, frequently after thorough modification of the positions” (Rittel, p. 3). This speaks to what I consider the hardest aspect of design: deciding what to actually do. There are always endless possibilities, tradeoffs, and consequences. How can I decide? As Rittel suggests, it takes argumentation to juggle the complexity and chaos of the world. Sometimes I still struggle with this. I find it hard to know when it’s better to stand my ground or to comply with my teammates. Despite the challenges, I always ask myself why I think a certain way. I’m a meticulous thinker who thrives digging into the details and integrating separate ideas together. By thoroughly navigating design’s figural complexity, I strive to uncover the purpose behind each detail and what it means. Understanding these intentions gives me motivation for design. Sometimes this means letting go of my ideas if I know they are not needed. Other times, it means fighting for designs I believe in. As my judgment and communication skills grow with experience, I can more confidently create designs which fulfill people’s real needs.
Design Takes Action!
Performing a ‘Jam’ on the high bar.
Desiderata guides my approach to designing in the moment, but how do I actually design? It takes action! Design thinking as a mindset is an ironic name because really design happens through doing, or action. A great analogy for this is in sports. I used to be a competitive gymnast, and one time I faced a mental block because I honestly couldn’t understand how to do a certain trick. My coach told me I was thinking about it too much and I needed to just do it. He was right, because sports use a flow and rhythm which can’t be thought of. Similarly, design is a skill which takes training, repetition, and awareness. Each time I attempted a trick in gymnastics, I could learn something new which made me slightly better and better each time. The hardest attempt is always the first one. Trying a trick like a double backflip off the high bar can be scary. Like anything in life, the hardest part in design is just getting started. When I talked to one of my friends about her understanding of design, she often expressed doubt in her ability to create something from scratch, but if she had something to start with she would be fine. I’ve experienced this myself, which is why I always find something to inspire or ground my work in when I start a design. For instance, I had a fairly easy time starting this blog series because it is based on my design philosophy video.
Having epistemic freedom, or unlimited possibilities, can make design seem like an impossible task. It takes a leap of faith. Design happens from a rhythm where, “Illumination occurs, then, when random combinations of ideas, generated unconsciously through processes set in motion by conscious work, are subjected to conscious screening. Only the "fertile" combinations—happily, the aesthetically pleasing ones—are presented to consciousness for further employment in conscious problem-solving” (Schön, 1990, p. 118). Donald Schön realizes that good design happens through a natural process of internal judgment resulting from happy little accidents. Making accidents is necessary for the design process, but they can’t happen unless I take the first step and start trying. Luck is the residue of design. Each attempt and failure -like each trick in gymnastics- takes me closer and closer to where I need to be. Like a detective searching for clues, I don’t always know where something is going in design, but I have to trust my judgment. To me, this makes design so exciting. I treat epistemic freedom with enthusiasm, because design is about going out into the world to uncover new opportunities and form brilliant connections.
References
Nelson, H. & Stolterman, E. (2012). The Design Way – Intentional Change in an Unpredictable World. 2nd Edition. MIT Press.
Nozick, Robert. (2006). The Examined Life: Philosophical Meditations. Simon & Schuster.
Rittel, H. The Reasoning of Designers.
Schön, Donald. (1990). The Design Process. In Howard, V.A. Ed. Varieties of Thinking: Essays from Harvard’s Philosophy of Education Research Center. New York, Routledge.
