Design as conversation

               What is design? What is conversation?  In my effort of capture these elusive terms and hold them down long enough to have a look inside, I have found that they are similar in both function (what they do)  and purpose (why they do it).  Let’s begin with a look at the function of conversation. Conversation is used as a means of sharing information. Weather is it "casual conversation" about the weather, conversation during an interview where you are sharing your strengths and qualifications, or a deep existential conversation where you are using abstract thought to get to the core of what makes us tic. All we are really doing is sharing info. So, why we constantly exchange info?  The answer really depends on the type of conversation and the individual motives of the people engaged in it. For example, Bill is talking to Mary about the strange weather. Bill's purpose is to look smart so Mary will want to go out with him. Mary is engaging in this conversation simply because she feels like silence between two people in an elevator is awkward.  This shows the same conversation has two different purposes working simultaneously.   Now let’s juxtapose this with the function and purpose of design.  According to David Lauer's book Design Basics design functions to organize something visually. This applies to the entire realm of two and three dimensional human production. This too works as a way of sharing info visually rather than using spoken word. In Steve Chambers Math Rules! Poster we see how his design communicates the idea of bringing numbers to life by personifying the numbers in the image of a man. You almost don’t even need the heading to get the message.  Just like the purpose of conversation, design may be driven by many different reasons from aesthetics, to ease of use, to monetary gain depending on the type of design and the people engaged in it.  Because of the fundamental similarities in the nature of design and conversation, we also see the same characteristics of a good conversation are found in good design.  Such characteristics include clarity, so that your audience can understand what you are trying to say.  In conversation this is done with a well-developed vocabulary, in design our vocab. has more to do with expressing ourselves well within a certain medium.   Another key to good conversation/ design is brevity. When a conversation rambles on, the mind shuts off and the eyes start to wander in search of something more interesting. The same happens when a design has so much flare that it overshadows its own point. The eyes of the viewer start wandering around forgetting what it was we were looking at in the first place.  Lastly, I would say that both good design and good conversation must be informed. In other words know what you are talking about before you say it and know your market, medium, and limitations before you design it.