Conclusion
172
It can be a surprise to some to learn that design can be as much about philosophy and personal perspective as it can be about determining the right size bolt to use. Sometimes these philosophical debates about where design sits are polemic with fi erce advocates on one side or the other, but more often the issues are cloudy. Seeing through the mist can be an important part of a designer’s life and through this clarity and their design work they can have an infl uence on world affairs. Taking a perspective and being able to look into the future are just two of the many core skills that this book has highlighted as being important to designers. Others have included being imaginative and creative, being analytical and logical, capable of research and problem-solving, being observant, empathetic, knowledgeable, communicative and so on. The list might seem endless. It would be rare, however, to fi nd a designer who is brilliant at all of these things, or indeed one who needs to be brilliant at all of these things. Different designers may have particular strengths in different areas and this may be down to genes, training or the type of occupation, and the demands of an individual craftsman may be very different to a designer of components in a large multinational company. However, this variety does mean that designers might always be drawing on the experiences and lessons they have learnt in life in more ways perhaps than any other profession. It also means that they can always learn more, improving areas of strength and developing areas of weakness. For those with an opinion, a thirst to face challenges, and a desire to learn and develop, then there can be no better profession to choose than that of product design.
u Furniture by
Straight Line Designs Probably the only thing common to Straight Line Design’s products is that there are few straight lines! Work leans towards the unusual and whimsical with a heavy emphasis on crafted individual consumer requirements.
Conclusion