define: design
and, speaking of definitions…
is there another word responsible for so much confusion as ‘design’.
every time I use that word I have to spend another three sentences defining exactly what I mean by design… because there are so many different types of designing, and everyone has a different default setting.
I give you:
- visual design (surface design, branding, etc. designers in charge of gorgeousness)
- motion design (Visual designers specialising in things that move, animation, video etc.)
- interface design (designing elements on a page that users interact with… e.g. forms, applications etc)
- conceptual design (aka. strategic design, ‘the big idea’)
- user experience design (related to but more than interface design)
- information design (designing content, sometimes used to describe information architecture… I think, incorrectly)
- interaction design (v. closely related to interface design, but more focus on the ‘interactive’… unsurprisingly)
- instructional design (used largely in eLearning land, actually v. similar to conceptual design, but focussed specifically in imparting and measuring learning)
That’s just a quick list. I’m sure you have more.
I propose never to use the term ‘design’ in isolation ever again. From here on, I vow to always use it with a descriptor that ensures me meaning is entirely clear.
Well, as clear as possible.
Who’s with me?
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