Designing Designing

"Designing Designing" is a groundbreaking book on design that challenges the traditional product- and progress-oriented focus by insisting that the world now coming into being requires designing to be understood as a response to the whole of life. It is unique in modern design thinking in its exploration of what writing on designing might be, combining essays, interviews, reflections, performances, plays, poems, chance procedures, photographs, collages, and quotes to create a book that is not simply about designing but is itself an instance of the ideas and processes explored within it.

Format: Hardback
Length: 440 pages
Publication date: 25 February 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Designing, a groundbreaking work on design, has left an indelible mark on the field. Originally published in 1984 and reprinted in 1991 with this revised title and cover, the book emerged as the culmination of ten years of introspection, self-critique, and exploration in the realm of writing on design. In this profound exploration, Jones offers a scathing self-critique of his own work on "methods," as well as a critical examination of the broader methods and objectives of advanced industrial societies. He challenges the traditional focus on design as merely a means to produce products and advance progress, arguing that the world emerging requires a deeper understanding of design as a response to the entirety of life.

What sets Designing apart in contemporary design thinking is its innovative exploration of the potential of writing on design. Jones employs a diverse range of literary forms, including essays, interviews, reflections, performances, plays, poems, chance procedures, photographs, collages, and quotes, to create a book that transcends mere description and becomes an embodiment of the ideas and processes it explores. Through his experimental approach, Jones seeks to create a work that is not just about designing but is itself an instance of the very concepts and processes it investigates.

This extraordinary book has had a profound impact on design discourse and continues to inspire designers and thinkers alike. Its visionary approach challenges the boundaries of traditional design thinking and encourages a more holistic and interdisciplinary understanding of the field. Designing remains a testament to the power of words and the ability of design to shape the world around us.

Weight: 818g
Dimension: 236 x 164 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350071971