BLOG POST

by Poomjai Nacaskul, Ph.D.
Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation (ScII),
Poomjai.N@chula.ac.th
 — 2022.11.04  —

These days, everyone and their grandmother will tell you that Design matters, and that Design Thinking drives all things innovative. But how many of us have taken the time out to think, to ask, to ponder, what exactly do we mean by Design. Well, I have, and this is the definition I’m going with:

Design = Creative Specification of physical/procedural Form to/around
Function intent on fulfilling Primary (Functional Performance/
Economics), Secondary (Extra-functional Enhancement/Aesthetics),
and Tertiary (Indirect Impacts/Sustainability) Objectives.

Not so catchy I’m sure you’re thinking. Indeed it’s quite a bit of a mouthful if I’m being honest. But pls bear with me. I’m going to parse this definition bit by bit, citing examples of so-called “iconic designs” to illustrate the nuance. Oh, and I’ll be referencing www.etymonline.com many, many times.

1. Creative Specification … of … Form … Function

creative (adj.) 1670s, \"having the quality or function of creating,\" from create + -ive. …

create (v.) \"to bring into being,\" early 15c., from Latin creatus, past participle of creare \"to make, bring forth, produce, procreate, beget, cause,\" …

specification (n.) 1610s, \"act of investing with some quality,\" from Medieval Latin specificationem (nominative specificatio), noun of action from past participle stem of Late Latin specificare \"mention particularly,\" from Latin specificus, (see specific).

specific (adj.) 1630s, \"having a special quality,\" from French spécifique and directly from Late Latin specificus \"constituting a kind or sort\" (in Medieval Latin \"specific, particular\"), from Latin species \"kind, sort\" (see species) + -ficus \"making, doing,\" from combining form of facere \"to make.\" … Meaning \"definite, precise\" first recorded 1740.

form (n.) c. 1200, forme, fourme, \"semblance, image, likeness,\" from Old French forme, fourme, \"physical form, appearance; pleasing looks; shape, image; way, manner\" (12c.), from Latin forma \"form, contour, figure, shape; appearance, looks; a fine form, beauty; an outline, a model, pattern, design; sort, kind condition,\" a word of unknown origin. One theory holds that it is from or cognate with Greek morphe \"form, beauty, outward appearance\" (see Morpheus) via Etruscan [Klein]. … From c. 1300 as \"correct or appropriate way of doing something; established procedure; traditional usage; formal etiquette.\" … late 14c. as \"way in which something is done,\" also \"pattern of a manufactured object.\" Used widely from late 14c. in theology and Platonic philosophy with senses \"archetype of a thing or class; Platonic essence of a thing; the formative principle.\" … From 1590s as \"systematic or orderly arrangement;\" …

function (n.) 1530s, \"one\'s proper work or purpose; power of acting in a specific proper way,\" from French fonction (16c.) and directly from Latin functionem (nominative functio) \"a performance, an execution,\" noun of action from funct-, past-participle stem of fungi \"perform, execute, discharge,\" … Use in mathematics probably was begun by Leibnitz (1692). In reference to computer operations, 1947. [www.etymonline.com]

First, I’m going to ask you to just trust me when I say that over and above basic survival and reproduction, just about everything we do as homo sapiens can be phrased in terms of “problem solving”. Finding x and y to solve a system of two linear equations, for example, is clearly a problem one can try to solve, successfully or otherwise, but so is opening a can of baked bean with a bowie knife a problem one can try to solve, successfully or otherwise. In my linear algebra, I tell my students there are three types of problems in life, those “without any solution”, those “with just one correct solution”, and those “with more than just one solution”. In childhood, you were invariably given problems “with just one correct solution”, like finding x and y to solve x + 2y = 7 and x - y = 1 simultaneously. In adulthood, many problems start out as those “without any solution”, like finding x and y to solve x + 2y = 7 and 2x + 4y = 16 simultaneously, and so a compromise has to be found, like asking the second equation to be changed, say, to 2x + 5y = 16. But believe me, most problems in life will be those “with more than just one solution”, like finding x and y to solve x + 2y = 7 and 2x + 4y = 14 simultaneously.

Second, I’m going to ask you to just trust me when I say that “problem solving” can be phrased in terms of “Form and Function”, in particular, to solve a problem is equivalent to “finding the Form to Function”. In finding x and y to solve x + 2y = 7 and 2x + 4y = 14 simultaneously, (x, y) = (1, 3) is the Form whose Function it is to maintain equality “=” between the Left-Hand-Side and the Right-Hand-Side in both equations when said values of x and y are plugged in, but so is (x, y) = (3, 2), as is (x, y) = (5, 1), and (infinitely) many more.

Now, this is where Specification comes in. With such degree of freedom to choose from amongst the (infinitely) many such (x, y) pairs to do the job, we have to “specifically specify” which pair to essentially submit as our final answer. One can do so “randomly”, letting some computer algorithm “flip the coin”, so to speak. Better yet, and this is where homo sapiens’ most energy-hungry organ earns its keep. Invariably, we elect to “specifically specify” the (x, y) pair that is somehow deemed “the best” based on some other consideration(s), that is, we optimise. For example, (x, y) = (1.4, 2.8) solves x + 2y = 7 and 2x + 4y = 14 simultaneously and is “the closest” point to the origin (0, 0). That is, using Mathematica:

In[1]:= FindMinimum[{x² + y², x + 2y == 7},{x, y}]

Out[1]= {9.8,{x -> 1.4, y -> 2.8}}

So here’s the big reveal. The question of Design only arises insofar as we have a problem to solve, said problem has (infinitely) many solutions, and we have to “bring into being” (i.e. the Creative part) the Specification of one particular Form that not can Function (i.e. solve the problem) but does so whilst being judged “the best” based on some Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Objectives (to be defined shortly).

• … physical/procedural …

Of course, in mathematics that which performs the Function of maintain equality “=” between the Left-Hand-Side and the Right-Hand-Side in two linear equations would take the Form of a pair of numbers (x, y).

In real-world problems, however, solutions invariably take physical or procedural Form. A shirt is an example of a physical Form whose Function is to cover a person’s upper torso from elements and solve the nakedness problem. A queue is a procedural Form whose Function is to organise people at grocery check-outs. Shirt-making is subject to Design insofar as covering a person’s upper torso is a problem with (infinitely) many solutions, obviously [Figure 1]. Likewise, queueing is subject to Design insofar as organizing people at grocery check-out is also a problem with (infinitely) many solutions [Figure 2]: one queue? multiple merging queues? first come, first serve? first come, first serve, with express lane for elderly? few items in one queue, many items in another? let the customers duke it out and serve whoever emerges victorious first?

Figure 1: Types of Women’s Shirts [https://www.pinterest.com/pin/614882155366597996]

Figure 2: Queueing Systems [http://timwise.github.io/queue-calculator-slides/#4]

3… Primary (Functional Performance/Economics) … Objectives

In many cases, especially in engineering applications, one does not just want a Form that can Function, but one that optimises on Performance/Economics, e.g. Design a packaging that uses the least materials, maximises protection, minimises space and transportation costs, and so on .

Figure 3: Turning 2-dimensional cardboard into 3-dimensional packaging
[www.pinterest.com/pin/367747125833792228; www.pinterest.com/pin/974184963119800610]

Many moons ago, I was a competitive foil fencer, competing in USA (NCAA events) as an undergraduate and in UK (UAU events) as a graduate student. Like my father before me, my weapon of choice was foil, which is modelled after European rapier popular throughout 16^th and 17^th centuries [1][Figure 4(left)]. Except my grip looks nothing like its spiritual ancestor. Instead, mine was called a “Visconti” pistol grip, [2][Figure 4(right)], a Design which first appear to the public at the 1948 London Summer Olympic Games (albeit on an epee!), Clearly targettng Functional Performance, it helped me and virtually every single competitive foil/epee fencers of modern era to optimise the horizontal thrusting motion used to score points against opponents, the Primary Objective, if you will. Personally, I think it’s a thing of beauty, but am most certain Aesthetics was not what Master of Vercelli, Francesco Visconti, was principally going for!

Figure 4: Rapier Grip (left) vs. “Visconti” Pistol Grip on an Olympic Fencing Foil (right)
[ https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Rapiere-Morges-kitsch.jpg; www.absolutefencinggear.com/83002.html]

There are plenty of iconic Design case studies espousing the “Form follows Function” dictum. Next time you pick up a plastic spoon, note the “ridge” at the back connecting the “handle” part of the fork with the “scoop” part of the spoon [Figure 5]. And while on vacation in Southern France, taking selfies in front of the Pont du Gard (Roman) aqueduct [Figure 6], note the “semicircular” buttress. These Design elements are all coming up with the Form to Function as physical structure to support the load, be it rice or Romans, using the least materials, be it plastic/polymer or stone/concrete.

Figure 5: The ridge at the back of plastic fork is there for strength, not beauty.
[https://shopee.ph/Disposable-plain-spoon-and-fork-i.61298614.1077856068]

Figure 6: The Pont du Gard (Roman) aqueduct
[https://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/civil/bridge5.htm]

4. .… Secondary (Extra-functional Enhancement/Aesthetics) … Objectives

In many cases, especially in fashion industry, having already solved the Function part, Extra-functional Enhancement/Aesthetics take centre stage. When a couple plan their wedding, how well the tuxedo/gown would Function to protect them from elements hardly matter. When picking out hats for the Royal Ascot, sun protection Function certainly takes the back seat [Figure 7].

Figure 7: Just how much sun protection does this hat provide?
[www.thecut.com/2018/06/royal-ascot-best-ridiculous-hats.html]

That is not to say that clothing cannot be purely Functional. But then again, you have to wonder whether so-called purely Functional clothing is more about replacing Aesthetic value with “virtue-signalling” value, i.e. wearing a plain grey T-shirt every time one appears in public apparently says “I’m a techie billionaire (with more important things to think about)” to the fan base, or “wearing school uniform means I am a conformist; I am an individualist/influencer who wears whatever the internet tells me all the individualists/influencers wear this season.” [Figure 8].

Figure 8: T-shirts, “purely functional” or “virtue-signalling”?
[www.uniqlo.com/th/en/contents/feature/masterpiece/DRY-EX_crew_neck_ss_t-shirt;
https://fortune.com/2017/08/04/interview-zuckerberg-shirt]

Note that it is not unusual for Extra-functional Enhancement/Aesthetics, i.e. Secondary Objectives, to take precedence over Functional Performance/Economics, i.e. Primary Objectives. Case in point, Design of an automaker’s badge. Taking the Form of a cast metal in the early days (brass, bronze, or pewter, occasionally with enamel or porcelain facing), mostly ABS plastic today, its Function was/is to brand an automobile with its make, so all it needed to do was to be visually distinctive from other automakers’ badge. Over time, as people came to associate one bade with luxury, another with winning Grand Prix races, the Function of projecting said brand association became all that matter, to the point that physical Form is no longer central to the story, which brings us to the ultimate case of Extra-functional Enhancement/Aesthetics over Functional Performance/Economics, the Design of company/brand logo. While the Design of Chulalongkorn School of Integrated Innovation’s logo, as with most academic institutions, is based on the acronym, ‘Sc’ for School, an ‘I’ for Integrated, and another ‘I’ for Innovation, many iconic logos, especially on consumer products, are strictly icon, and (pardon the pun) many have since become “iconic” in their own right [Figure 9]. But even with acronym-derived logo Design, there is still a great deal of freedom [Figure 10].

Figure 9: Some of these icon-based corporate/brand logos have themselves become “iconic”.
[www.mjrmarketing.com/what-makes-an-iconic-brand]

Figure 10: All three spell out “ScII”, but are dramatically different in term of Design.
[https://mobile.twitter.com/sciichula; Times New Roman font;
www.wolframcloud.com/obj/e71fd4f3-c617-4abd-8d3c-8ed3331e633c]

5. … Tertiary (Indirect Impacts/Sustainability) … Objectives

Finally, Indirect Impacts/Sustainability, which I refer to as Tertiary Objectives is an integral element of good Design that your (BAScii students’) generation can no longer treat as an afterthought. As a matter of fact, I claim that a successful Design, whether success is measured in terms of awards won or sales generated, variably is one that manages to fulfill Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Objectives simultaneously. Indeed, I might go so far as to suggest that we utilise Indirect Impacts/Sustainability essentially to frame, if not to guide outright, the very Creative process aimed to achieve Functional Performance/Economics and Extra-functional Enhancement/Aesthetics.

Figure 11: Sustainable Packaging is a matter of good Design.
[www.pinterest.com/pin/286611963759977204; https://www.pinterest.com/pin/406168460156241815;
https://thedieline.com/blog/2022/5/23/the-best-in-packaging-from-2022-dieline-award]

[1] Vauthier, Guillame (2018), “Study of Various Historical Rapiers: from the End of the 16^th Century to the Beginning of the 17^th Century”, [https://subcaelo.net/ensis/vauthier-rapier/Rapieres_articleVE.pdf].

[2] Kokochashvili, K. & Kokochashvili, S. (2016), “Fencing sport weapon handles (grips), the short chronology and history”, [www.researchgate.net/publication/304328617_Fencing_sport_weapon_handles].