The Nature of Design

The inspiration for innovation can come from myriad sources. The author explores how bionics and bio-design have been critical to his trend-setting products. Strategies can range from the mimicry of nature to conceptual abstractions. In one of his projects, a woodpecker provoked a fresh look at the design of an ice axe. In another, the exterior shells of lobsters and other crustaceans suggested a layered polymer design for the coverings of ruggedized cell phones. Few ideas are truly revolutionary; surprise lies most often in redefinition. Design is no longer just about making things. It's about conceptualizing them, envisioning them. It's about the packaging and conveyance of knowledge. In order to weigh real alternatives, we must examine and embrace a multiplicity of meanings. Put another way, the challenge for the designer is dematerialization, finding ways to disburden the environment while servicing business and industry - whose goal is efficiency for the sake of profitability.