Don Norman May 17, 2016 The Future of Design. A fork in the road 1 THE FUTURE OF DESIGN: WHEN YOU COME TO A FORK IN THE ROAD, TAKE IT DONALD A. NORMAN * Design started out as a craft, primarily focusing upon the creation of beautiful objects to become a powerful force in industry. Today, design has gone far beyond its simple origins as a craft to develop powerful new ways for people to interact with the world, emphasizing experience, not technology. Moreover, it has evolved into a way of thinking, of problem discovery, and of enhancing the lives of individuals, the experience of the workforce, and even the health of the planet. Are these new developments compatible with the craft traditions of the old? Is this a fork in the road, with some continuing the craft tradition of enhancing the emotional experiences of our products and others taking the other path, moving design thinking into all endeavors, but far removed from the history and mainstream practice of today. What is the future of design? We are at a fork: Which path should we take? Design as a Craft Design as a skilled craft creates useful and beautiful items. The field of Industrial Design helps industry produce commercial products. In schools and universities across the world, considerable time is spent on mastering the craft skills of drawing, construction, materials, manufacturing, and finishing. Indeed, in many schools, there is little time spent outside of these crafts: little time on social issues, philosophy, world events, or general literature. Little or no training in the fundamental STEM components of Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics. To me, these gaps are strange. Design is the interface between technology and people, yet there is little study of either. No deep appreciation of people or the social sciences, no deep understanding of science, mathematics, or engineering – the essential backbones of technology. The training is that of a craftsperson, mentored by skilled craftspeople. It is design, design, and design. The result is brilliant crafts capable of making the many pleasurable objects we use today in our homes, schools, and workplaces. This is all very excellent, but with the 21 st century’s increasing sophistication of the technologies for home, business, education, and entertainment, the skills of the craft no longer suffice. As long as designers remain craftspeople, they can add value, but they cannot take the lead. Engineers and business people decide what is to be done: designers help enable the results, but they are seldom the leaders. Design as a craft is an admirable profession, but one that is limited in both aspiration and capability. The world of technology is undergoing rapid change driven by the fundamental advances in the science and technology of computation, sensors, communication, and displays along with a growing understanding of the large social and environmental impact of modern technology. Natural resources are being depleted, the environment suffers from heavy, unhealthy pollution in many * Don Norman. Design Lab, University of California, San Diego. Designlab.ucsd.edu. dnorman@ucsd.edu. Chapter prepared for the tenth anniversary of the University of the Republic of San Marino’s offering the degree of Bachelor in Design. The book is tentatively titled Design X. 10 years of design at San Marino with a look at the next 100.