Introduction to Design and Graphic Design

Design as a Verb: In this context, to design means to plan a specific type of product with a particular audience and purpose in mind. This planning stage addresses three primary areas:
- How the product should look.
- How the product should be created.
- How the product should work.
Design as a Noun: When used as a noun, the term refers to the plan itself.

General Presence: Design is a constant presence in daily life. Every item used on a day-to-day basis has been designed with a specific user in mind. Examples include:
- Toothbrushes.
- Cars.
- Advertisements.
- Buildings.
- Jeans.
Specific Planning Tools: Different industries use specific terminology for their designs/plans:
- Blueprints: A specific type of design used as a plan for a building.
- Patterns: A specific design type used as a plan for creating a pair of jeans.

The Role of the User: A designer develops a plan based on the needs of the users, which are the people who will actually utilize or wear the product.
Design Considerations (Jeans Example): Designing a pair of jeans involves planning for a variety of user needs and styles, such as:
- Body type: Curvy, without curves, tall, or petite.
- Style preferences: High-waisted or low-rise.
- Fit: Loose, baggy, or skin-tight.
Primary Goals: Designers generally strive to ensure that a design meets three criteria for the user:
- It is easy to use.
- It is a pleasure to use.
- It is meaningful to the user.
Fundamental Definition: Design is the conscious plan made before creating something to ensure the final product is meaningful to the audience.

Job Market: Searching for "designer" on internet job boards like monster.com or indeed.com reveals a wide variety of specialized roles.
List of Designer Titles:
- Interior designer.
- Graphic designer.
- Video game designer.
- Brand designer.
- Packaging designer.
- Architectural designer.
- UXUI designer.
- Fashion designer.
- Presentation designer.
- Software designer.
- Sales designer.
- Footwear designer.
- Product designers.

The Art of Arrangement: Designers are often considered artists because there is an inherent art to knowing how to plan and then arrange elements in ways that are meaningful.
Skill Requirements: One does not need to be a formal artist to be a good designer.
- Drawing and Sculpting: It is not necessary for a designer to be able to draw more than stick figures or sculpt more than a square block.
- The Effective Designer: Effectiveness in design comes from understanding how different elements within a piece work together to create meaning.

Functional Design: Plans for how a product will work, such as software design.
Tactile Design: Plans for how a product will feel, such as fabric design.
Auditory Design: Plans for how a product will sound, such as sound design.
Visual Design: The act of choosing and arranging visual elements in a way that communicates a specific message to an audience. This field determines specifically how a product will look.
Fashion Design: A specific branch of visual design where designers work with various elements including:
- Fabrics.
- Colors.
- Shapes.
- Patterns.