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Many times design is referred to as “Problem Solving”, sometimes by seasoned designers. But how true is such an expression? While this is often a metaphorical expression meant to point out the main focus of design as functionality and meeting specific needs, such an oversimplification overlooks aspects of process, strategy and methods whose individual direct results are not the actual solutions to specific  problems, but are iteratively interconnected in a loop of “design thinking”.

Communication Design is a hybrid of design and information, which concerns itself with transmission of information between media such as electronic media, printed media, presentations or crafted media and people. The communication design approach seeks to integrate the message with the aesthetics in media, as well as develop channels for delivering the message to the target audience.

User experience design (UX-design) is a design methodology comprising of integrated processes that seek to generate positive emotions among product or system users by enhancing their satisfaction through improving the accessibility, usability and friendliness in the user/product (or system) interaction. The sole objective of UX design is to offer a great experience to the users.

“Ergonomics is an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely” – Merriam Webster. It forms a central aspect of the human-centered design approach, and it seeks to design products, systems, or processes with an account of their interaction with the people who use them.

Sustainability is the ability to remain in a predefined state of things indefinitely. In a broad sense, sustainable actions seek to adopt methods that do not lead to depletion of, or strain on resources in the pursuit of satisfying present needs to a level that threatens the well-being of future users of the same resource. Sustainable design can thus be defined as a design philosophy that seeks to comply with the principles of social, economic, and ecological sustainability.

Iconic designs are products that have ‘timeless user appeal’. They are all – time classics with an enormous touch of excellence and high standards. Iconic products are easily recognizable and elicit diverse emotional reactions. They could evoke nostalgia, ‘wow’ factor and great admiration.

The longevity of the iconic designs is a proof of superior characteristics and quality, unfading demand and blatant defiance to obsolescence. These brands have not attained their status by exclusively relying on heavy marketing but rather their universal appeal to consumers as a result of their superior features that has made them stand out. Marketing is only done to reinforce the status and protect market share from rivals staging aggressive market campaigns. There are several brands that have achieved the status of “Iconic” design (by merit) like; Coca-Cola, Nike, IKEA, APPLE and many others.