Design Education in the Information Age

Abstract

The evolution of design From their invention in the Industrial Revolution, modern means for product development, production, and distribution have evolved into a very sophisticated system for supplying wants and needs. As national economies continue to develop around the world, the reach of industrial productivity continues to spread worldwide, with increasing benefits for all. The evolution of the production process and design's role in it traces an interesting record. In the early years of the Industrial Revolution, practically the only requirement for business success was the ability to produce products in quantity. Entrepreneurs who were able to invent products that could be standardized and mass produced had a distinct advantage over the craftsman/artisan. Inventive entrepreneuring as a business advantage, however, swiftly diminished in importance as the Industrial Revolution came into full operation. It was replaced by a new competitive advantage: manufacturing expertise. Production efficiency meant lower prices and a competitive sales position. The new expertise ushered in the golden age of manufacturing, with assembly-line technology and true massproduction techniques. As the evolution continued, manufacturing expertise was naturally disseminated among companies, and the competitive advantage shifted again, this time to marketing and sales expertise. The marketing/sales difference spoke to individual segments of the market and introduced diversified product lines with variations in features for the buying public's different budgets. Within two decades, this advantage, too, was dissipated as skills to employ sound marketing strategies were assimilated,