Design labels: words that divide and unite us

News - 29 April 2024 - Communication

As designers, how do we explain what we do? There's a wide range of design labels to choose from. And it makes sense. Labels are a way for us as designers to indicate what we do, how we do it and what we value. What if we had a framework which allows us to explain every aspect of our design practice? IDE researchers Pieter Jan Stappers, Froukje Sleeswijk Visser and Annemiek van Boeijen developed such a framework.

What does this multitude of design labels tell you about the design profession?

As designers, we live in a dynamic field, with many people working on similar things, often with approaches that have subtle differences from each other. And that's just fine. Only it can lead to some ambiguity if you don't explain these differences properly.

Why did you design this framework?

You notice that professional designers often start by explaining their goals, values and outcomes. Researchers put more emphasis on methods and domain. And most people don't fill in all the elements, which is also just fine.

But we see that many designers struggle to explain exactly what they do. And then they are quick to wave pretty flags. But that doesn't cover the full picture, only the people you interact with on a daily basis understand that. This framework can help tell a bit with this. And it becomes even easier if you know your audience and their expectations.

What is the reaction of the designers to whom you present this framework?

Almost everyone finds it useful as a trigger to explain something more. A bit like the Double Diamond, which helps to explain that there are multiple steps, that intermediate results are expected, and that your topic may well become broader or narrower.

But it is also sometimes mistakenly seen as a roadmap. For example, the framework does not show iterations. But you can easily give some more context, and point out aspects where you need to pay a bit more attention to for example, or where you are still open to further interpretation.

Why is there a need for this framework just now?

Because we are in a new wave of design innovation. Think AI, beyond human design, regenerative design. This means a lot of new flags. This cannot be avoided, and it is ok. But this framework helps to explain one or two aspects of your design flag, so that people can understand your flag a bit better.

What do you hope to achieve with the framework?

We hope for a bit less slogans, and a bit more substance. And for more interactions, because a project can often sail under several flags. So if you want name several flags, but focus on telling what you do, and don't guess that the label tells the full story.