How does design communicate with people? Each design has a purpose for its existence, and many designs are a form of expression because they express a message that allows the person to understand it. Take these signs for example. There are different shapes and color of signs located almost everywhere in the world and they’re not just there for display or decoration. These signs have long been a symbol for communication. As a person looks back and forth for signs to look for directions, they are engaging in a form of conversation.
Looking at signs such as those in the image, one can look for directions, or specific rules regarding the area. Arrows, for example, are something we all probably recognize. They give us visual directional instructions, and as we move from one arrow to the next, it takes us closer to our destination. This would be similar to a person who engages in a conversation with someone trying to ask for oral directions. Other signs that are common are the first two signs on the top left of the image. We see these in almost all the restrooms in every country. When we look at signs, we are communicating as we look for guides.
Design is conversation because it can communicate with people without a language barrier. It’s universal and therefore, one doesn’t need to know a specific language to know the meaning of its purpose. Whether they’re signs or something else, design portrays something that can be comprehensible by almost everyone. It is like a silent form of conversation that takes place in a person’s mind. Without the use of words, it can clearly express the ideas or message of what the designer is trying to say to the people. Many designs in society exhibit the idea of "design as a conversation" because either through imagery or words, designers want to convey a message to its audience.
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