When the principles of design place a greater emphasis on optimizing efficiency over nurturing craftsmanship, a notable shift occurs toward industrialization.

The Garden of Earthly Delights, Hieronymus Bosch.

During this transformative phase; the age of creative machines where AI is more and more performing tasks that were once the sole domain of designers, now our unwavering commitment and abundant resources are purposefully directed toward the fulfillment of manufacturing demands.

We are prioritizing efficiency aiming to streamline production processes and harness the potential of modern technology to support economic metrics with the utmost effectiveness.

Efficiency can be a sound business strategy if you manufacture commodity products such as pencils, nail clippers, shoe laces, or cars. By creating a satisfactory template model and reproducing thousands of copies, you can save money and gain an economic advantage.

It’s a little different, however, when you’re producing something intended to be a uniquely individual, or collaborative experience that has direct effects on societies and influences human behavior. In that case, optimizing efficiency over craftsmanship can have bad results.

This is not surprising this has happened to design when clients demand reduced prices with quick turnarounds, when investors demand high returns regardless of circumstances or consequences, and when “good enough” is the standard unit of quality, it is inevitable that craftsmanship will take a back seat.

“Designers are laboring under defective job descriptions and a limiting framing of the field. As a result, the outcomes we claim to be able to accomplish through design — business success by way of understanding and serving real human needs — aren’t happening as much as they should or could.”

— Thinking in Triplicate

Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo da Vinci

Craftsmanship

Craftsmanship is the art of producing high-quality work through dedicated effort, skillful techniques, and meticulous attention to detail. In a creative context, it refers to the ability to use one’s imagination and talent to create something unique and valuable.

However, companies often overlook the importance of design and craftsmanship in favor of mass production and cost-effectiveness. This results in a significant decline in the quality of products and services, which can ultimately harm the consumer’s experience.

“Design conveys a sense of craft, a sense of dedication to best practices, and the intentional effort behind serving those who use the end state. Product conveys capital. It conveys an object to be sold. It conveys a unit to be moved, to generate upward momentum on a share price.”

— Small jobs, small dreams

The growth model of the 20th century required that designers and companies achieve economies of scale. But in the 21st century, with social challenges increasingly disrupting world markets, this changed the focus of the design processes. We needed to understand how to build eco-conscious design practices and engage with communities that have problems to leverage existing creativity and experience.