Design is the planning that lays the basis for the making of every object or
system. It can be used both as a noun and as a verb and, in a broader way, it
means applied arts and engineering (See design disciplines below). As a verb,
"to design" refers to the process of originating and developing a plan for a
product, structure, system, or component with intention[1]. As a noun, "a
design" is used for either the final (solution) plan (e.g. proposal, drawing,
model, description) or the result of implementing that plan in the form of the
final product of a design process[2]. This classification aside, in its broadest
sense no other limitations exist and the final product can be anything from
clothing to graphical user interfaces to skyscrapers. Even virtual concepts such
as corporate identity and cultural traditions such as celebration of certain
holidays[3] are sometimes designed. More recently, processes (in general) have
also been treated as products of design, giving new meaning to the term process
design.
The person designing is called a designer, which is also a term used for people
who work professionally in one of the various design areas, usually also
specifying which area is being dealt with (such as a fashion designer, concept
designer or web designer). Designing often requires a designer to consider the
aesthetic, functional, and many other aspects of an object or a process, which
usually requires considerable research, thought, modeling, interactive
adjustment, and re-design. With such a broad definition, there is no universal
language or unifying institution for designers of all disciplines. This allows
for many differing philosophies and approaches toward the subject. However,
serious study of design demands increased focus on the design process[4][5].