Everything is Design. Everything!
Design is one of the most powerful forces in our lives, whether or not we are aware of it. It can also be inspiring, empowering and enlightening” — Alice Rawsthorn, design critic for The International New York Times quotes in her book Design as an attitude.
Design is in our everyday life; from the food, we eat to the packaged goods we buy at the store down to the device you’re using to read this article. Design is what determines how to build a chair so that when people sit on it they can feel comfortable. Design is an understanding of how to make an oven easy and safe to use for cooking.
“Everything is design. Everything!” — Paul Rand
Design plays a significant role in how consumers shop and live their lives today. It is present in everything from driving and following directional traffic signs, to icons that portray a meaning, the stores we shop, our fancy cars, the interior decor in our houses, the clothes we wear, etc. There would be no newspapers, magazines, theme parks (yes, even Disney), or even our daily trips to the mall or the tremendous advancement in tech and internet usage without graphic and web design. There is no denying the importance of design in our everyday lives.
A lot of people today believe that design is very easy and dismiss its importance, but they fail to see how design directly influences us. For instance, brand identity elements like logos are not just for fun or because it is the norm. Logos and other brand identity elements provide a face and recognition for brands and help to position the brand in ways that can directly impact the business — positively or negatively.
Good design is much more than creating a product that looks good. It is about creating a positive experience for users at every touch point and with every interaction.
Design influences what we think, the way we feel, and the decisions we make. When it is exceptionally well done, good design is virtually invisible — we don’t think about the creative effort or thought process that leads up to the final product; we simply know the experience is seamless and enjoyable. However, when we encounter something that is poorly designed, we can usually pinpoint its failings, and we’ll go out of our way to avoid using that product, service, or environment in the future.
According to Alice Rawsthorm, good design should not be confused with art. She firmly believes in an individual’s right to identify their work as they wish, whether as design, art, craft, anthropology, or whatever. However, she finds the old-fashioned assumption that design is somehow inferior to art to be deeply damaging.
In conclusion, design is present in everything — it is on food packaging, soda cans, soccer balls, etc. Cars, railways, and roads are as much ‘designed’ as mobile phones, clothing, and billboards. Houses are designed, just like light switches and doors. Even gravestones are designed. Design is thus ubiquitous, and we tend to notice the thing instead of the look itself. But it is in everything. Design is everything.
We should pay more attention to design in our everyday environment from now on, looking beyond functionality and seeing how the different elements come together to create a seamless experience. We should see more beauty in our day-to-day lives and appreciate how it all comes together.
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Written by John Etokhana | Creative Designer at Korapay
