journal entry 6; june 30, 2008

Design...

–verb (used with object)

1.	to prepare the preliminary sketch or the plans for (a work to be executed), esp. to plan the form and structure of: to design a new bridge.

2.	to plan and fashion artistically or skillfully.

3.	to intend for a definite purpose: a scholarship designed for foreign students.

4.	to form or conceive in the mind; contrive; plan: The prisoner designed an intricate escape.

5.	to assign in thought or intention; purpose: He designed to be a doctor.

6.	Obsolete. to mark out, as by a sign; indicate.

–verb (used without object)

7.	to make drawings, preliminary sketches, or plans.

8.	to plan and fashion the form and structure of an object, work of art, decorative scheme, etc.

–noun

9.	an outline, sketch, or plan, as of the form and structure of a work of art, an edifice, or a machine to be executed or constructed.

10.	organization or structure of formal elements in a work of art; composition.

11.	the combination of details or features of a picture, building, etc.; the pattern or motif of artistic work: the design on a bracelet.

12.	the art of designing: a school of design.

13.	a plan or project: a design for a new process.

14.	a plot or intrigue, esp. an underhand, deceitful, or treacherous one: His political rivals formulated a design to unseat him.

15.	designs, a hostile or aggressive project or scheme having evil or selfish motives: He had designs on his partner's stock.

16.	intention; purpose; end.

17.	adaptation of means to a preconceived end.

In GREEN text are the definitions to which I connect the most in regards to this class, as well as the process of learning. Because I believe, as Norman says, design is a process. My process has had it's ups and downs, and I've lost my footholds a few times, but overall I feel very close to the top of the mountain I'm climbing, and it's called EDIT 6190. I'm hanging on to my best foothold yet though. I found it after falling a few hundred meters due to reaching for a grip and foothold that was perhaps beyond my grasp, but I wanted to experience the larger steps at that point. It was all part of the process. I might have reached beyond my grip and fell back a bit, but I had to do that to experience the process, for I might not have known next time. This process, that we call design, should (and will) change and morph as we go through it. The architect in me may nudge me while I try something organic and reach for that foothold I know I can't reach, but the architect is also an artist knowing what limits to allow herself to reach beyond and try.

References:
1. design - Definitions from Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved June 30, 2008, from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/design.
2. Norman, D. 2004. Emotional design: Presentation made at the 2004 O'Reilly Emerging Technology conference. [podcast] Available: http://www.itconversations.com/shows/detail69.html
2. 2. Gal, S. (1996). Footholds for design. In Winograd, T. (Ed.), Bringing Design to Software (pp. 215-227). New York: Addison-Wesley. [PDF]

To Do:

• Prepare a 40x40 image for Dr. Orey
• Make a desk tent
• email Audrea with feedback for her site, upon request.
• finish captions for a video on page about children and sleep