Agency Dictionary
Design
noun
In Portuguese: Design
DesignWhat does “Design” mean?
The intentional process of conceiving and planning visual, functional or experiential solutions. It ranges from graphic creation to interaction, service and product design.
Etymology
From Middle French desseign, "purpose, plan", and the verb desseigner, from Italian disegnare, "to mark out, to draw", from Latin designare, "to mark out, to point out", formed of de- and signare, "to mark", from signum, "sign". In English the word first named a plan or an intention; the sense of the art of planning the form of objects, images and messages grew out of that one.
Usage note
Design is both a noun and a verb. As a noun it names the activity, the plan and the result, so the context has to show which one is meant.
Synonyms
- planning
- conception
Often confused with
- drawing
- A drawing is a picture made with lines, or the art of making it; a design is the plan of an object, a graphic piece or an experience, and may involve no drawing by hand at all.
Word family
- designer
- designate
- designation
- redesign
Rhymes with
- line
- fine
- mine
- shine
Concept
Source editions
Where this entry comes from in the Agency editorial.
Words of the same theme
- Buttonnoun
- A physical or graphical control element that triggers an immediate action or command when pressed or clicked. In software interfaces, buttons communicate system affordances through visual boundaries and labels.
- Superfluousadjective
- Exceeding what is sufficient, necessary, or useful.
- Typographynoun
- The art and technique of arranging type to make written language legible, readable, and visually appealing. It encompasses typeface selection, point size, line spacing, tracking, and spatial kerning.
- Screennoun
- A flat physical display surface on an electronic device that projects visual images, interfaces, and text to a viewer. It serves as the primary visual output medium for modern personal computers and mobile phones.
- wireframenoun
- A skeletal visual guide that outlines the basic structure, hierarchy, and functionality of a user interface.
- Rendernoun
- A finished two-dimensional image or video generated from a three-dimensional mathematical scene by computer software. It synthesizes geometric coordinates, lighting algorithms, textures, and shading into final pixels.
- pain pointnoun
- A specific problem, difficulty or frustration that a person experiences when using a product or a service, and that design or marketing sets out to solve.
- briefingnoun
- A concise set of instructions or background information provided to guide a project or creative assignment.
Also from these editions: terms
- Equationnoun
- A complex statement or problem involving balancing multiple interdependent factors, variables, or meanings.
- Mazenoun
- A complex network of interconnected paths, passages, or obstacles designed to puzzle and challenge navigation.
- Discursiveadjective
- Proceeding by reasoned argument or sequential exposition rather than by immediate visual intuition.
- vocationnoun
- A strong innate inclination or sense of purpose toward a particular career, craft, or calling.
- Synchronicitynoun
- The simultaneous occurrence of events that appear meaningfully related yet lack a direct causal connection.
- Decompositionnoun
- The natural biological or chemical process of decay, breakdown, or disintegration into constituent elements.
- recipientnoun
- The person who receives something. In communication, the one to whom a message is addressed and who interprets it, as opposed to the sender who composes it.
- iconnoun
- A simplified image that represents a thing by resembling it. In semiotics, a sign that signifies through likeness; in digital interfaces, a small picture that stands for an object or a function.
- Stigmanoun
- A mark of social disgrace, shame, or prejudice associated with a particular circumstance, trait, or behavior.
- symbolismnoun
- The use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities, and the set of meanings that a form, an image or an object carries beyond its literal sense.
- Desaturationnoun
- The progressive loss or removal of chromatic intensity, rendering a color closer to a neutral gray.
- Regenerativeadjective
- Relating to or capable of renewing, restoring, or reforming biological vitality and structural equilibrium.
Also from these editions: concepts
- Dot ReadingDot reading is a non-linear mode of processing visual information where the viewer explores elements across a surface in any self-directed sequence. It contrasts with…
- Technical ImageA technical image is a visual representation produced through scientific or mechanical apparatuses such as photography, cinema, and digital screens. It reorganizes human…
- Line ReadingLine reading is a sequential method of decoding written language following a structured, step-by-step typographical progression. It directs the reader along an…
- Raster GraphicsRaster graphics are digital images formed by a grid of individual colored squares known as pixels. Each pixel contains specific color values that together assemble a…
- Vector GraphicsVector graphics are digital visual assets constructed from mathematical formulas defining points, lines, curves, and geometric shapes. Because they rely on geometric…
- Lateral ThinkingLateral thinking is a deliberate creative problem-solving method that generates novel ideas by looking at scenarios from unorthodox angles and escaping traditional linear…
- Surface ThinkingSurface thinking is a cognitive orientation shaped by the consumption of visual surfaces and technical images rather than discursive written arguments. It processes…
- Deviant PixelThe deviant pixel is the allegory at the center of the Agency editorial Design.1: one pixel that rebels, detaches from a photograph of an anemone to pursue its own…
- Line ThinkingLine thinking is a structured cognitive approach that organizes information and arguments into a continuous, sequential progression. It requires the mind to validate each…
- Vertical ThinkingVertical thinking is a sequential, analytical cognitive approach that moves step-by-step toward a single logically validated solution based on established data and…
- Form-Content DistinctionThe form-content distinction is an analytical method that separates the physical structure or appearance of an artifact from the symbolic meaning it conveys. This…
- Vesica PiscisThe Vesica Piscis is a sacred geometric figure formed by the intersection of two congruent circles whose centers each sit on the circumference of the other. Historically…