Design as Conversation

On the first day of Design 1 class we were asked to write down terms that describe a conversation. I wrote down laughter. What I realize now, that I did not before, is that one would want laughter in their conversation, but it is not necessarily the main requirement for one. I think it is a system of inputs and outputs. As a student of interior design, I've come to find out that if and when I enter the profession, I must be open to the needs of the customer. Of course, my job entails the ability to contribute to their ideas, but it is a malleable idea that can be manipulated in a way that must and always please the client. This can be compared to the performance by Lady Gaga and Yoko Ono performing “The Sun is Down”. It is a song in a form of a conversation and each line recited by Yoko Ono and Lady Gaga contribute to the fluidity of the conversation—they are both on the same page. We find this in other areas of music. Popularly, R Kelly, an R&B artist has done a series of songs in the form of a conversation called “Trapped in the Closet”. We find conversations everywhere. In design, a conversation must be about complementarity of ideas. It should be as Lady Gaga and Yoko One—is on the same page. It should lack repetition, negativity, and a plethora of unrelated ideas. As designers, we must learn to work within the limits that the clients give us. If we are able to create that and more, then we are golden.