Nonspecific Definitions

via metropolismag.com

Recently, in my classes at KAIST we have discussed fundamental definitions of key terms, like research, knowledge, and of course design. This process is quite interesting and has occasionally led to some really interesting perspectives. However this process has also repeatedly reminded me that we can not make good definitions and clean models for everything, and sometimes it is not worth it to try.

In the Tim Brown article this image comes from he discusses what design thinking is really about and interestingly, in doing so, lets us see a fundamental notion of design... one kind of design.

What he has done is good however it reminds me that I think there is a better model than always trying to know and trying to put things in their place. I think that a lack of understanding and a vagueness of notion allows growth and for areas like design, that can be important.

Today, in a discussion on this matter I claimed that Design is sometimes a little like Religion. If we try to know too much it stops being important and becomes something else. Both have had significant roles in society and human development.

This is of course just one perspective, but I think it might be an interesting one for some kinds of thinking.

What do other people think about this?

Posted via web from Mark Whiting's posterous