Designers create order out of chaos, but
design is not science – we need more than science in our quest to manipulate
our environment. My mechanical
engineering education was a theoretical, calculus based presentation of
concepts. Much time was spent in
deriving equations and quantitative analyses.
When I worked as a product engineer, I found that this knowledge didn’t
serve me well. I couldn’t analyze
something I hadn’t designed. Even after
concepts are agreed upon, the detailed design of a part requires many decisions
that allow it to be lighter, stronger, cooler or whatever the design goals
are. You had to put your best guess up
for analysis. The multiple design
decisions on an objects’ thickness, radius, roughness etc. are based on having
an intuitive feel for how solids, liquids and gases behave.
Typically design methodology calls for a
sequence of events, which in their simplest form are the clear definition of
design requirements, development of concepts, and finally engineering the final
design and manufacturing approach.
However, many more ambiguous factors get introduced into the design
process. Because design is done by
humans and typically for human use, a long list of factors are introduced into
the development of designs, ranging from the sociological forces of group
identity and organizational behavior to an organization’s politics, individual
egos and ethics. Aesthetics assert a
subliminal force even on the most non-consumer design. Moreover, technical and business issues arise
to provide design direction, such as ergonomics, performance, longevity,
capital costs and profitability.
Regulatory forces such as safety standards often provide some baseline
for starting a design while corporate attitudes toward environmental
sustainability and manufacturing preferences can suggest design approaches.
Traditionally design requires technical
skills and experience to ensure that the product or system works in the way it
is intended. Therefore, product design
is often left to the engineers. However,
intangible forces become integrated into the design and direct the final
appearance of the design. The sometimes
subliminal forces can be brought to light through an interdisciplinary study
such as occurs in the industrial design discipline. Although industrial design
has technical aspects, the discipline carefully considers aesthetics, social,
cultural and organizational forces -- the non-technical affairs that make a
product fun and relevant. I think all
good designs have surprise and playfulness.
We all have the capability to engage many disciplines in pursuit of
excellence in creating products.
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