Title: Unravelling design intelligence: from semiotics to aesthetics

Authors: Mario Alberto Morales Domínguez

Addresses: Department of Design Theory and Processes, UAM – Cuajimalpa, Vasco de Quiroga 4871, Cuajimalpa de Morelos, 05348, Mexico

Abstract: Design thinking has stressed that there is a particular type of design intelligence. This paper has the objective of developing a theory of this kind of design intelligence, taking into account its grounding in semiotics but moving the discussion toward aesthetics: the argument is that, if design intelligence has any originality, it is due to its connections with art. First, there is a historical account of the way in which design inherited a rationalism framed by semiotic debates. Then, following the recent focus on iconological studies, we defend that the design intelligence has more to do with the logic of visual culture than that of signs. Hence, we propose that it is possible to retrace design intelligence grounding it on artistic sensibility and imagination.

Keywords: design thinking; artistic sensibility; visual culture; iconology; imagination.

DOI: 10.1504/JDR.2022.130482

Journal of Design Research, 2022 Vol.20 No.3, pp.230 - 242

Received: 15 Aug 2021
Accepted: 24 Dec 2021
Published online: 21 Apr 2023 *

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