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What is Design Then?

Designing for Human Behaviour: The Intersection of Empathy, Understanding, and Problem-Solving

Design is often misunderstood as merely the act of creating something visually appealing, but its true essence goes much deeper. At its core, design is about solving problems, understanding why they exist, who they affect, and how they can be addressed in ways that align with human behaviour. By immersing in empathy and asking the right questions, designers can craft solutions tailored to real needs and natural responses. Unlike art, which poses questions, design provides answers, balancing creativity and practicality to deliver outcomes that improve how we interact with spaces, objects, and systems.



As we established in the previous article (What Is The Role of a Designer exactly?), design is not a stage of a project. It’s the beginning, the middle, and the end, and some would argue that there is never any end. The exact meaning of the word "design," however, depends on the context and can mean different things. There are many forms of design, but every type exists to solve problems. To solve problems, you must first see them, and to see them, you need to collect all the data. That’s when real problem-solving, and thus real design, starts. It's neither art nor science but a careful blend of the two.



“Design is a solution to a problem. Art is a question to a problem.” 

John Maeda



Unlike art, design doesn’t need to be original. Designers are not inventors, they are problem solvers. For every problem, there are often many tried and tested solutions, whether inside or outside your design category. Design can be styled for broader or lesser visual appeal, and this holds true for furniture, architecture, a space, an object, and user interfaces.



So how does one go about problem solving?



It starts with understanding the problem first. Why does the problem exist, and is it worthy of a solution? Can it be solved with existing solutions, or does it require a new approach? The answer lies partly in empathy, immersing oneself deeply enough, long enough, and sincerely enough into the problem to understand the true responsibility and opportunity at hand. A problem can only be solved when one starts asking the right questions. New approaches should only be implemented if you are 100% convinced that existing ones won't work.



With this understanding, one must also be mindful that human behaviour is difficult to change. The best design solutions are found in designing for how humans behave naturally in a specific context. Designing for human behaviour is, therefore, almost always better than designing for behavioural change.





What does designing for human behaviour mean?

 More in the next Article...
 

Design is often misunderstood as merely the act of creating something visually appealing, but its true essence goes much deeper. At its core, design is about solving problems, understanding why they exist, who they affect, and how they can be addressed in ways that align with human behaviour. By immersing in empathy and asking the right questions, designers can craft solutions tailored to real needs and natural responses. Unlike art, which poses questions, design provides answers, balancing creativity and practicality to deliver outcomes that improve how we interact with spaces, objects, and systems.


As we established in the previous article (What Is The Role of a Designer exactly?), design is not a stage of a project. It’s the beginning, the middle, and the end, and some would argue that there is never any end. The exact meaning of the word "design," however, depends on the context and can mean different things. There are many forms of design, but every type exists to solve problems. To solve problems, you must first see them, and to see them, you need to collect all the data. That’s when real problem-solving, and thus real design, starts. It's neither art nor science but a careful blend of the two.


“Design is a solution to a problem. Art is a question to a problem.”

John Maeda


Unlike art, design doesn’t need to be original. Designers are not inventors, they are problem solvers. For every problem, there are often many tried and tested solutions, whether inside or outside your design category. Design can be styled for broader or lesser visual appeal, and this holds true for furniture, architecture, a space, an object, and user interfaces.


So how does one go about problem solving?


It starts with understanding the problem first. Why does the problem exist, and is it worthy of a solution? Can it be solved with existing solutions, or does it require a new approach? The answer lies partly in empathy, immersing oneself deeply enough, long enough, and sincerely enough into the problem to understand the true responsibility and opportunity at hand. A problem can only be solved when one starts asking the right questions. New approaches should only be implemented if you are 100% convinced that existing ones won't work.


With this understanding, one must also be mindful that human behaviour is difficult to change. The best design solutions are found in designing for how humans behave naturally in a specific context. Designing for human behaviour is, therefore, almost always better than designing for behavioural change.



What does designing for human behaviour mean?

More in the next Article...

 

Information Reference Index:

The Role of Empathy in Design Thinking

John Maeda on Design as Problem-Solving

Design and Human Behaviour: Research Insights

The Design of Everyday Things

Empathy-Driven Design Solutions


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