… “Design Is Not Art”: One hears this assertion often in all kinds of forms, from casual conversation to museum exhibitions like the recent “Design Is Not Art” show at the National Design Museum. Thus, for the nondesigner, understanding the field of design is often a daunting task as it requires understanding what “art” is — or least, what is “not art.”
As a result, we see today that “design” has become a convenient buzzword, especially in the business world, to describe the process of creating objects and experiences that consumers will flock to, drawn by the power of design. But what exactly is this power?
In this series of columns, I will lay out the philosophy of design that I’ve developed at MIT in a way that, I hope, sheds light on design for the business community.” …