Reasserting the Place of the Subject in Design Theory

This paper addresses the issue of subjectivity in design theory, and argues that issues of subjectivity need to be accorded a more fundamental role in current theories of design. The paper explains how the concept of design thinking has led design theorists away from the products of design to focus instead on the methods and cognitive processes invoked by the act of designing, which point towards a reconceptualization of design as a fundamental mode of human action. The second half of the paper introduces the author’s own research into desirability in design. This approach uses a model of subjectivity based on the psychoanalytic theory of Jacques Lacan to explore the relations between user and object. The ideological inflection of underlying concepts of design research is also noted as a potentially interesting area for future research.