Design and introduction by John Heskett

John Heskett's book "Design: a very short introduction" encompasses a series of information regarding design, its purpose, the circumstances in which it is produced, and various facts concerning its efficiency.

The book's first chapter, "What is design" offers thorough data on the topic of design, providing readers with knowledge that would facilitate assistance in reading and understanding the other chapters. Design brings along creativity and appeal in the places where it is not present. In spite of the fact that technology advanced rapidly in the recent years, it is obvious that people find it tedious when it is not accompanied by design. Design is what makes people like a certain thing, as it is in most cases adapted to their needs, making it more likely for them to prefer a certain something instead of something else with mostly the same characteristics but that has a different design.

Design is present in society ever since the early ages, and in spite of the fact that it altered through time, people have apparently adapted their need for design to the various environments they came across. In their struggle to achieve technological progress, individuals have also expressed their desire for effectiveness, designing in accordance to several theories, each meant to make their lives easier.

From the beginnings of time, mankind has expressed its need for functionality, and only consequent to this did they want to employ design in the process. Chapter 3, "Utility and Significance," shows how form has always followed functionality in the process of evolution. The fact that the form and color of beings in the animal kingdom has adapted in agreement with their needs contributes to making design seem like something that is mainly based on functionality.

Chapter 4, "Objects," proves that objects are much more than it initially appears, as everyone is mainly interested in a particular thing's functionality once he or she interacts directly with it and is no longer influenced by its appearance. Object that were previously meant to have little functionality and that were believed to compensate through their design are presently meant to offer more functionality, whereas design is considered to be less important.

"Communication," Chapter 5, is meant to inform people in regard to the effectiveness of communication, concentrating mainly on two-dimensional media. Depending on the image and text put across by a commercial or a random message, people are influenced to a larger degree in comparison to how they are when they see an object. In spite of the fact that communication is in most cases short lasting, it still succeeds in sending the right message.