Purposeful Design… or how to design without losing sight of the problem

So, I work on what satisfies me the most: design. But I have also suffered at times because of my profession, especially when working with clients.

We all know that even if we specialise in projects we enjoy, economic pressure sometimes leads us to compromise our principles and accept jobs that provide more security.

On the client’s side (many people only go to the dentist when the pain becomes unbearable), there may be a sense of urgency that leads to decisions that may not be optimal. We can please our clients, but deep down, there is an emptiness within the designer.

That emptiness is what a designer feels when they deeply understand the problem, acquired through design research. However, this knowledge is sometimes overlooked, and the designer is forced to solve a problem that either doesn’t exist or isn’t well-defined.

Over time, my profession has evolved into what I would describe as strategic design. This is because it’s no longer just about creating a visual outcome but following a design methodology based on knowledge, communication, and creation. 

Knowledge is the most important aspect and forms the foundation for everything that follows. That’s why we invest a lot of time in research and gaining insights, and the results can always challenge the initial client brief. They should. It’s similar to visiting a doctor: you arrive with symptoms and leave with a diagnosis you may or may not like.

This has led me to contemplate the ideal way to work on projects based on a design methodology. I have concluded that the ideal projects for this methodology are those without a specific owner.

When the owner, or rather the client, is the world or society itself, there are no budget restrictions (another topic) and no preconceived solutions based on needs unrelated to the problem.

There is an investment to be made: our work and our time, in which we can choose when and how to invest.

The disconnection between a problem and the paying client grants freedom to respect the methodological design processes and achieve optimal results based on knowledge, ideas, and creation.

With this in mind, “fundament” was born in 2019, an association that works on projects we initiate ourselves, without seeking profit but with great pleasure. The return on investment results from our work, which is presented to society in the public domain. In this way, we work on projects that have meaning and social impact, something that is sometimes lacking in our daily lives.

Here is the link to the “fundament” association’s website: www.fundament.es