The Contextual Nature of Design and Everyday Things

The Contextual Nature of Design and Everyday Things focuses on the history of industrial design beginning in the 18th century in principally in Europe and the United States but does so with a thematic twist. Instead of revealing the world of everyday things in a chronological manner as many books do, The Contextual Nature of Design and Everyday Things does so by way of different themes. This direction is taken for one principal reason: design never occurs out of context. In other words, the design of everyday things is a reflection of place, people and process. It cannot be otherwise. Consequently, these broader issues become the themes for the exploration of everyday things.

There are ten themes in all. These are:

• World View of Design, which examines the very broad picture of industrial design as an everyday activity undertaken by everyone and throughout the world;
• Design and the Natural World, which explores the interdependence between the Natural World and the Artificial World;
• Design and Economics, which delves into industrial design as a force of both macro- and micro-economics;
• Design and Technology, which looks at the evolution of materials and processes and their impact on industrial design;
• Design and Transportation, which reviews the role that industrial design has played in the development of transportation, especially rail, road and air;
• Design and Communication, which situates the place of industrial design in communication, both human communication and technical innovations in communication;
• Design and Education, which covers the development of the teaching and training of industrial designers;
• Design and Material Culture, which considers several case studies in industrial design as contemporary examples of material culture;
• Design and Politics, which positions industrial design as an integral part – albeit indirect – of one political system or another; and
• Design and Society, in which the fruits of industrial design can be perceived as mirrors or reflections of societal values.

The Contextual Nature of Design and Everyday Things is an ideal book for face-to-face courses in industrial design history as well as those offered as hybrid and online.