Original Essay Proposal

Essay Proposal. Due Tues 18th March.

The other day I was being told how useless designers were, how studying design was a waste of time and how pointless a design degree is. In that today’s age designers don’t do anything, objects are made by machines of engineers and the designer just draws the pretty picture, adds a couple of meaningful words and a price tag. First I was offended but it got me thinking! Can you name five useful products/objects made by a designer in the last 2 years? What does the designer do? How can you explain this to others?
What is the importance of the designer? Do we talk in another language and design pointless objects? Or have some of the most useful and beautiful products come from designers. Do we follow intense principles and objectives? Or do we just have a different outlook, understanding and passion for the products and environment around us. I want to clarify this and understand it from different perspectives.

In my essay I propose to look at the idea behind design and the importance of the designer. Not to find a quick fix definition of designing or of the designer but to investigate the past, (the industrial revolution) where did it start, where did it change? Discover the processes applied through time, find the purpose, admire the diversity, and respect the individuality.
Also looking at the place of the designer in today’s world culture. How much does it vary from country to country. Are designers treated differently in these different environments. What are the social, cultural and philosophical aspects of the industry and how has it changed or changing? Is design less significant now than it was in the past or has this professional practice just received a new approach and focus, changing it to fit the new age and technology.
Is design now more about appealing to potential clients? Does it lack in symbolic meaning, is it due to demand and quantity not quality.
I think researching into these questions and statements will bring different aspects and conclusions of a huge topic to my essay which could also make people consider design in other ways and forms and find a new respect for it.

The word design comes from Latin, De + Signare which means to make sense of, to distinguish, to make significant, to designate a relation to other things, owners, users or gods.
This could be a main focus for my essay, the idea of design is to make sense of, design makes sense, every person has a sense of design. Using this definition from the origins in the past to define a new, present, ever changing profession which has made a mark on the world we live in.
This topic interests me and I would like to find out more so if I’m ever told designers are useless again I can justify why they are not, understand why people think they are and maybe change their mind set and give them a new outlook.