Design is more than just knowing the rules.

There is no easy or straightforward way to teach design. And for this reason, even in this age of science, design is still mainly an apprentice profession. Science may be a required element, but good judgement is critical, and this can only come with considerable experience and practical effort. Whereas science can be learned in a structured approach, design can only be learned by watching other designers... and asking questions... and receiving critiques.

Realizing this, many schools of engineering and design incorporate internships into their programs. The intern (while slogging through some gawd-awful project) learns the rules of good design practice by working with those already in the profession.

The rules learned are oftentimes written in a manual or rule book, complete with scientific equations. But the essence -- the intent -- is not derived from science so much as from the experiences of success and failure ...burned up circuits ...nasty end-user complaints ...and lawsuits. Rather than some high state of theory, the rule book merely reflects the present state of affairs.

There was a time in baseball when "plugging" (making an out by hitting a runner with the thrown ball) was a part of the mainstream game. But because of the potential for injury and the simple aesthetic inelegance of the practice it was abolished many years ago, and the rule was rewritten so that now the runner is only out if struck by a batted ball.

All baseball players know this rule, but I doubt that any of the professionals learned this by reading the rule book while running between first and second base. The rule book for baseball does not teach the player how to play any more than a set of design standards teaches the designer how to design.

The ability -- whether in baseball or in design -- is learned in practice from those who already know how to play the game -- those who know that the rule book is just a book, and those who understand from experience when the manual needs to be revised to reflect changing reality.

Design is more than just knowing the rules.

Ken Ramsley