1. What do designers
do?
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

2. An Over Simplification
• Designers create and provide creative solutions to
creative problems through the use of a systematic
process.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

3. Three Disciplines
• In the Department of Industrial, Interior, and Visual
Communication Design at The Ohio State University, we
focus on three (obvious) disciplines:
• Industrial Design (Product Design?)
• Interior Space Design (Interior Architecture?)
• Visual Communication Design (Graphic Design?)
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

4. Industrial Design
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

5. Industrial Designers
Society of America
• “Industrial design is the professional service of creating
and developing concepts and specifications that
optimize the function, value and appearance of products
and systems for the mutual benefit of both user and
manufacturer.”
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

6. What do they design?
Consumer Products
• Appliances
• Personal Hygiene
• Tools
• Sporting Goods
Transportation Vehicles
• Planes, trains, automobiles, buses, watercraft.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

7. What do they design?
Consumer Electronics
• Stereo and video equipment.
• Computers and peripherals.
Medical
• Diagnostic equipment.
• Treatment equipment.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

8. What do they design?
Exhibits & Displays
• Trade shows and exhibitions.
Furniture
• Office, home, institutional.
• Seating.
Footware
•Athletic.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

9. Primary
Considerations
• Creation of new products vs. re-evaluation of existing
products.
• Creating the look and feel of a product to communicate
the intended uses and functions.
• Selection of materials and processes to realize the
functioning product.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

10. Interior Space Design
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

11. American Society of
Interior Designers
• “Interior design is the total creative solution for a
programmed interior. It encompasses the conceptual
planning, aesthetic and technical solutions applied to
achieve the desired result. A ‘programmed interior’ is for
a specific intended purpose or use of the built
environment.”
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

12. First some
clarification.
Architects
• concerned more with load bearing structure, thinking
about the macro level and contextual, outside in
aspects. Less of the human element.
Interior Decorators
• create environments highly specialized and tailored to
a specific user. Generally concerned with Residential
applications.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

13. First some
clarification.
Interior Space Designers
• draw upon many areas of expertise to create complex,
functional, public environments that address the needs
of large groups of users.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

14. What do they design?
Governmental & Institutional
• Entertainment Venues.
• Corporate Offices.
• Libraries, Banks, Museums, etc...
Retail & Commercial
• Brand Stores
• Point-of-Purchase Displays
• Trade show & Exhibition Displays
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

15. What do they design?
Hospitality
• Restaurants
• Hotels
Healthcare Facilities
• Hospitals
• Clinics
• Doctors Offices
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

16. Primary
Considerations
• Improving the quality of life in these spaces.
• Enhance the function and quality of interior spaces.
• Increase productivity.
• Protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

17. Visual Communication
Design
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

18. American Institute of
Graphic Arts (AIGA)
• “The disciplines represented in the profession range from
book and type design through the traditional
communication design disciplines to the newer
disciplines of interaction design, experience design and
motion graphics.”
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

19. What do they design?
Print
• Corporate Identities, Logos, Letterheads, Business
Cards, Annual Reports, Brochures, Posters, etc...
• Package Design
• Layout Design for Books, Magazines, and other printed
media.
• Photography & Illustration.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

20. What do they design?
Environmental Graphics
• Way-finding & Signage
• Super Graphics
Multimedia
• Web Design
• Animation and Time Based Media
• Interactive Media such as DVDs or Flash.
Typography and Type Design. (not just print)
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

21. Primary
Considerations
• Inform, Educate, Persuade, and Entertain.
• Translating a specific message from a client to a specific
audience using the visual language.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

22. VC for every designer.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

23. Symbolism
Symbol
• An abstracted message
that is more open to
interpretation
• Culturally learned
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

24. Symbolism
Icon
• Realistic representation of
an object
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

25. Symbolism
Metaphor
• Parallel created to make a
concept easier to grasp
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

26. Typography
Manipulating letterforms and text to conform to a visual
hierarchy.
• Weights & Typefaces (bold, italic, font, etc...)
• Kerning
• Leading
• Grids, Columns, Groupings, etc...
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

27. Typography
Serif vs. Sans Serif
• Serif is easier for the reader in a large body of
text.
Tends to communicate a more traditional
aesthetic.
• Sans serif is quicker to scan for short headlines or
signs.
Tends to communicate a more modern aesthetic.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

28. Photography vs.
Illustration
Photography
• An image recorded by a
camera which contains
great accuracy and fidelity
of detail.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

29. Photography vs.
Illustration
Illustration
• To clarify by use of
examples or creative
representation.
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University

30. Visual Synthesis
• The combining of separate
visual elements or ideas to
form a coherent whole
Design 200: Introduction to Design Department of Design
The Ohio State University