Philosophy of Design

PHILOSOPHY OF DESIGN

The engineering design process consists of a collection of choices. With each choice, the designer excludes an infinite number of alternatives. As the design progresses, the collection of unique items selected from this infinite resource must coalesce into a functional unit.

In addition to the functional requirements, the designer may choose to add further selections for extraneous purposes amongst which could be aesthetics. These choices, too, represent a selection of the unique from the infinite.

Although the Laws of Nature place restrictions on which combinations of choices will result in a functioning design, they in no way reduce the infinite nature of the choices available to the designer. Thus grouping together all the variety of designs and products which have become known to man since prehistoric times represents a tiny subset of what might have been - or might yet be.

Much of the skill of the designer lies in understanding the interaction between the Laws of Nature and the collection of choices made. So the designer seeks to draw on the widest panoply of knowledge distilled by mathematics and the analytical sciences.

The final design must then be communicated to others in a manner which will permit its reproduction.

The reliability and utility of the resulting products are the measure of the designer. Consequently, excellence in the engineering design process is the pinnacle of cultural aspiration.

It's also great fun and offers the tantalising prospect of possibly contributing something of lasting benefit to mankind.

Jim Cahill