Every design decision has to be justified in some way. We need to know why we want to do this, rather than that. Design is a social institution, it concerns itself with applying the requisite technology and know-how to the production of a social space that answers our aspirations. Each design decision needs to be justified against an idea of what is desired and each desire is justified against experience, or, when that is available, scientific evidence. Any designer, to come to a refined view of what might be a good idea, needs to develop their frame of reference and be able to justify their choices sensibly. For this purpose the essay has proved itself a wonderful medium.

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