An open question to “prove” design values — “What is not designed?
My favorite response when someone questions the value of design,
“Tell me something that is not designed.”
This question usually catches them off guard, leaving them unsure of how to respond. The truth is, everything we see and touch has been designed by creative minds who bring ideas into the material world.
It’s a shame that a large percentage of society still doesn’t understand what the heck we do, even though they use digital products every single day.
Design is Oxygen Materialized.
I mean it. Design already has a long history of establishing our values in every aspect of everyone’s life, whether you realize it or not.
It’s time to leverage reverse thinking and show what the world would look like without the contributions of creatives.
It’s almost laughable that they don’t see the value of design. Some may say, " Oh, it’s our job to educate them.”
Yes, but what’s missing is that people need to be open to receiving.
Inconsiderate usability and overwhelming visuals turn users away from your products — unless they’re forced to use them. But why should they have to struggle with bad design?
Let’s look at some cool-looking chopstick designs.
Have you ever wondered why they aren’t thicker or shaped like spoons?
Critical Thinking Moment
How did designers decide on the length and shape of chopsticks? What factors influenced these decisions?
Every Design Decision Has a Purpose
But the question remains: are people interested enough to listen to us? The good news is, understanding design is easier than a spiritual awakening.
The bad news? The audience needs to actually care about understanding, not just interrupting with their opinions.
Think back to school — did you ever truly care about a subject you had no interest in, even when the teacher tried their best to make it engaging?
Design: Where Intuition Meets Psychology
Designers have a unique ability to craft emotions, blending intuition with psychology. We create designs that resonate on a deeper level, shaping experiences and influencing behavior.
This powerful blend takes design beyond just looks — it’s what defines our impact in the real world.
Crafting emotions is our secret weapon.
Designs Can Save Lives!
“Koreans did originally use wooden chopsticks. However, metal chopsticks were found in the tomb of King Muryeong of Baekje, who died in year 523.”
Consider this: Koreans originally used wooden chopsticks, but later adopted metal ones. Why? Metal chopsticks could change color if food was poisoned, and they became more efficient to produce.
Source: Click here
Next: Transform UX with AI and Chatbot Innovation
As AI continues to advance, we’re moving closer to a programming-free future. This shift will empower creatives to bring products and services to life without relying solely on developers.
However, this also poses a challenge for engineers and many non-designers: they must grasp the basics of design principles to create positive experiences and evoke the right emotions in users.
Curious about how this is evolving? Check out my LinkedIn post on how I created a Figma plugin demo with ChatGPT.
Design isn’t the problem — it’s the lack of understanding.
Design shapes our interactions and emotions every day from chopsticks to AI.
Design is how we experience the world.
The real challenge isn’t with design itself, but with the gap in recognizing its value.
Thank you for reading. 🙏🏼
