Summarize of Section 2: Chapter 4

This chapter consisted of two parts. It talked about the importance of design to our society and a portfolio of ideas to help us develop design.
Everything around us has been designed. Design is a whole-minded aptitude. It is a combination of utility(L-Directed Thinking) and significance(R-Directed Thinking). Design in its simplest form is the activity of creating solutions and it is something that everyone does every day to some extent.
This chapter talked about schools, such as CHAD, that teach Architecture and Design. They have students attending more and seem to be very successful. It talked about how the design of hospitals affect the recovery of patients, and our our automobile industry has made design an important part of the automobile. It even talked about the election and failed design for the voting ballots.
The second part of the chapter contained a Portfolio for Design. It made the following suggestions:
1. Keep A Design Journal- When you see a great design, make a note of it. (Include the design of experiences, too)
2. Channel Your Annoyance- Choose an item that annoys you, think of ways to improve it, and send your idea/sketch to the manufacturer.
3. Read Design Magazines- There are eight must-read magazines listed.
4. Be Like Karin- He is a world famous designer. He has a fifty-point guide to life and design.
5. Become a Design Detective- Look for design trends, notice what constitutes the spaces that feel good to you, try to determine if they appeal on the emotional level or in a physical way.
6. Participate in the Third Industrial Revolution- Design something yourself.
7. Visit a Design Museum- Ten museums are listed.
8. CRAP-ify Your Design- For effective design there are four elements you need to use.
Contrast
Repetition
Alignment
Proximity
9. Put It on a Table- Find an object that is special to you, and place it on the table. Explore questions about the object such as how it makes you feel and why you are connected to it.
10. Be Choosy- This ended the chapter and I want to quote the author because I love what he says here. "Choose things in your life that will endure, that are a pleasure to use........Choose things because they delight you, not because they impress others. And never let things be more important than your family, friends, and your own spirit."