Design means....what?

"Don" wrote in news:CPyHe.1557$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net:

[ snip ]

**One of these days I'm going to kick the word *design* around in here > and see what I can stir up. > It seems to be a word that is abused alot anymore, to the point of > being somewhat meaningless. > Sort of like the words architecture and architectural. > Seems everybody in the whole world can use those 2 words for any > reason at all, except the very people that do precisely that. > Yes, its a mixed, jumbled up, f***ed up world except for Lola. > El-Oh-El-Ay, Lola.

OK, I'm commandeering part of Don's post re: another topic, because I think this could be interesting.

What *do* people mean by "design"?

Since I yammer about it , I guess I'll start ;) .

As an interested layperson/outsider and 3D dabbler, I see architectural design as two things.

One is the overall look of a structure. As in, when one is looking at it from the street, simply "Oh, I really like the way that looks".

Another his the process of gathering information (intended use of a structure or collection of structures, site, climate, client wishes/desires/needs) and, in conjunction with one's personal aesthetic, coming up with an idea for arranging the space and the structure, and selecting cladding, roofing, and even landscaping, in a way that makes the best use of, is as harmonious as possible with, all of the considerations.

((There is also wrestling with permit boards and the local Taste Police to get approval to actually build the thing, but that seems (form what I can tell) to usually be comprimise and adaptation, rather than design...))

Anyone else? There has got to be more to it than that ;) !

- Kris