Design: The Key Concepts

by D.J. Huppatz (Author)

Design is everywhere. It shapes not only our present but also our future. An essential introductory guide, Design: The Key Concepts covers fundamental design concepts: thinking, service, context, interaction, experience, and systems.

Each concept is situated within a broad context, enabling the reader to understand design's contemporary practice and its relationship to issues such as new technology, social and economic development, globalization, and sustainability. Concepts are also explained by use of concise, illustrated case studies of contemporary objects, spaces, systems, and methods such as Uber, the iPhone, Kickstarter and IKEA. Chapter summaries and supporting discussion questions make this an engaging and accessible introduction for students and those new to the field. An annotated bibliography provides direction for further reading.

Review
“Design: The Key Concepts is the first book to set out, with simplicity and clarity, the directions in which design has moved in the early twenty-first century. Rooted in case-studies, it unpacks the complexity of recent developments and will undoubtedly become a 'must read' for design students across the globe.” ―Penny Sparke, Professor of Design History at Kingston University, UK

About the Author
D. J. Huppatz is Senior Lecturer of Architecture and Design at Swinburne University of Technology, Australia.