Hi Gunnar,
What I like about your perspective and the earlier posts, is that it makes
me think more about extended definition before getting to the simpler
version.
So an extended definition of design (history of the term and how it has
evolved, decisions concerning why seemingly related terms are excluded,
synonyms, examples, necessary characteristics, the breadth of its use) seems
particularly tricky -- as this thread reveals, because necessary
characteristics have to be expanded for many smaller disciplines within the
larger discipline before shared characteristics can be synthesized. I think
that Johann gets a nice handle on some necessary characteristics, and Karen
has an interesting take on the breadth of use. David Kaufer (1996) also has
some interesting ideas in "Rhetoric and the Arts of Design" in which he
argues that creating persuasive text is a design art.
Still, I'd love to see some smart master's student take on the problem of
fully extending the definition, and then crafting a way of thinking about it
in 25 words or less which Daniel rightly encourages us to do.
I'd also challenge that student to see if practice really can't be defined.
Best,
Susan
Kaufer, D. S., Butler, B.S., (1996) Rhetoric and the arts of design. Mahwah,
N.J.: Erlbaum Associates.
On 6/13/08 7:58 AM, "Swanson, Gunnar" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> I find it particularly troublesome when any group tries to define its field as
> an honorific. Is design always innovative? If we [design] something that is
> not innovative, have we done something that is not design? How about
> thoughtful, constructive, strategic. . .
>
> It would be interesting to try it from the other side: What is it that people
> think of as design that is NOT design?
>
> Gunnar
> ----------
> Gunnar Swanson Design Office
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> at East Carolina University:
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>
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Susan M. Hagan Ph.D., MDes
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
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