According to Papanek Design is an essential component of all human activity. He states that we do it every day- the act of planning, creating patters for a foreseeable outcome. The design process involves creating meaning from chaos. He is quick to note that not everything that possesses the order we ascribe to them are design, but design should have some conscious intention. The design must also be meaningful and the mode by which a design achieves its purpose is its function. Design involves the creating of aesthetically pleasing work which is an inherent part of the function.
The dynamic relationships and actions that make up the function complex include; method, use, need, Telesis, association and aesthetics.
Method- a designer should use materials and tools in an economical manner. The best practice is to make honest use of material without having to pass a particular material as that which it is not.
Use- designs need to be created in such a manner that they can be used for their intended purposes. For example, there is no need for streamlining a cup at no moment will the cup need to be flying across the room at high speed. It is intended to hold liquid.
Need- do not neglect the genuine needs of the user. The focus should be on the target market and their demands (Papanek 32).
Telesis- the design must fit with the general socioeconomic order and reflect the conditions and times that have given rise to it. Telesis involves the utilization of natural processes in a purposeful manner (Papanek 34).
Association- this is the conditioned response of the user such as the traditional and cultural norms. What psychological or subconscious meaning do the products hold?
Aesthetics- This is making the design pleasing to look at as well as efficiently functional (Papanek 38).
Work Cited
Papanek, Victor. Design for The Real World. London: Thames & Hudson, 1985. Print.
