Misconceptions of the Definition of Design

This is my first week's mind map. It's pretty simple, but led me straight into my first topic.

We had an overseas client come and visit our offices in the middle of the week. They were curious about where and how we work and also wanted to discuss further collaboration with 2nd Road in 2007. They brought a recently recruited employee who is going to be actively involved in our program of work. Tony gave a ten minute overview of "Why Design?" and in the middle of it all stated, "Design is philopshy." I thought then he couldn't have been more on the mark.

I have been flitting between various books this week, one called 'How Designers Think' by Bryan Lawson. Lawson open his book by saying that the very first problem we have with design is that "it is given quite specific and different meanings by particular groups of people. Design is both a noun and a verb. It can refer either to the end product or to the process." Lawson provides us with such great insight into why 'Design' is so heavily misunderstood. In a way, maybe we shouldn't be using the word 'Design', and renaming our philosophy as something else.

But 'Design' is such a great word. All encompassing of a philopshy, a process, a doing-thing, such as Lawson defined it. Using it is a double-edged sword, but I believe if we have our own robust definition of design, then the word can be shared among its many definitions and groups of people. So how can we define 'Design' in the context of organisational life?

Broadly, it's a new way of thinking and a new way of doing things. Changing paradigms isn't easy. The sheer effort, commitment, passion, ability to get that reach poses a daunting, but wonderfully challenging task for those who can see it.

Pursuing and seeing this is what Anita Roddick, founder of The Body Shop, would call a "vision." She says in her book, 'Body and Soul' , that "a vision is something you can see and others can't." She as spot on with that, because that's how you feel when you find 'it'- your purpose, passion and meaning to life. That's how I feel about being here, at 2nd Road, helping bridge the two disciplines of Design and Business.