Hello World: Where Design Meets Life

There were no more than fifteen recognized dog breeds in Britain in 1815, but now there are over four hundred, and one hundred and fifty of them have official pedigree societies.

Design is a complex, often elusive phenomenon that has changed dramatically over time by adopting different guises, meanings and objectives in different contexts, but its elemental role is to act as an agent of change, which can help us to make sense of what is happening around us, and to turn it to our advantage.

It is thanks to the process of analysis, visualization, planning and execution, which we call design,

What is referred to as ‘design’ in one situation may be called ‘styling’ in another, or ‘engineering’, ‘programming’, ‘art direction’ or ‘corporate strategy’.

‘It clarifies the structure of the product. And more: the product speaks – in a sense. Optimally, the product is self-explanatory.’

Predictably, design has often ended up being misinterpreted or dismissed as a styling ruse. Unfair and clichéd though such stereotypes are, they have been remarkably effective in distorting perceptions of design by obscuring its constructive qualities. The danger is that by doing so, they may be preventing design from being given the chance to prov... See more

Whenever human beings sought to change their way of life or their surroundings, by barricading a prehistoric cave against predators or modifying the head of a spear, they acted as designers, but did so instinctively.

Traditional book covers come into this category. Of course they must protect the pages of the book, but if that is all they do, they will not qualify as good design. A really well-designed jacket should also sum up what the book promises to deliver so compellingly that we cannot resist reading it.

The genetic manipulation of the dog is a tragic example of what can happen when a sequence of changes is misconceived and poorly planned, rather than being designed efficiently.