‘Design Science’ vs ‘The Science of Design’
I came across The Design Science Foundation books on repeated visits to Design Sight 21_21 in Tokyo. The intersection between design and science is important - but there are a few terms floating around which can be confusing - I’d like to clarify.
1. ‘The Science of Design’ and ‘Design as a Science’
What it’s about: Understanding how we can methodically use design. It analyzes design processes through structured research.
Why it’s useful: Makes creative problem solving efficient and effective.
Learn more: If you want to see the types of outputs of ‘Design as a Science’, read the work of Kees Dorst. He is a design professor who has studied the topic in depth, and also produced many practical and digestible guides to actually apply the ‘methodical’ practice of design. I highly recommend to read his book 'Notes on Design’ as an entry point. For more formal, comprehensive, academic type reading - you could checkout The Routledge Companion to Design Research which has Design as a Science at it’s core. Some other names can be found in my article which mentions some designers that influenced my thinking at design school.
2. ‘Design Science’ (as viewed by The Design Science Foundation)
What it’s about: Examining the elements of science, to improve and spark ideas for design.
For example, when you fold a piece of paper, you create microscopic shrinkage. These make a flat piece of paper now bias towards a certain direction and you get origami. If you create microscopic shrinkage in fabrics, you can get it to automatically fold into a 3D form as well depending on the direction of the weave - the famous fashion designer Issey Miyake used these principles to innovate in the field of making clothing. Studying the behavior of materials can lead to innovative design in many fields - for instance, wood will shrink more in one direction than the other as it dries, carpenters use this to design without the need for nails. Understanding the stress tolerances can lead to interesting applications.
Not only is there an opportunity to find new applications for scientific laboratory discoveries, but there’s also a need for scientific discoveries to consider it’s impact on people and society. Encouraging scientists and designers to collaborate is important. The DLX Design Lab run by Tokyo University focuses on bridging this critical gap (a good model other academic institutes could adopt).
Why it’s useful: Connects scientific inquiry with design and social concerns. Increases the potential for science to be converted into practical and tangible applications that benefit society in more ways. Helps use science in a responsible way that considers daily life, peace, the environment, and society.
Learn more: The Design Science Foundation aims to raise awareness of this topic, but you can also find it in many places where people just have not given it a term yet.
Pleat research by Issey Miyake
The Design Science Foundation books with examples on Design Science
A short note about ‘Biomimicry’
What it’s about: Getting inspiration from nature. It’s the study and application nature’s designs, systems, and processes to solve other problems. It looks to biological models for innovation. For example, velcro was inspired by burdock burrs - small, spiky seed pods that stick to clothing and animal fur. Or, shark skin has microscopic, diamond-shaped ridges that prevent bacteria from attaching - it’s structure is inspiring the design of hospital surfaces.
Why it’s useful:
Creates sustainable and efficient design solutions.
Reduces waste and improves energy efficiency by learning from natural processes.
Learns from very complicated systems that are designed to be resilient, self-sustaining, or highly adaptive.