Communication by Design – (Mis)Understanding the Purpose

Sa？etak Researchers from different fields of marketing, communication and management often see the role of design at the end of the process. However, design should be managed and involved in the decisionmaking process from the beginning, the same as other important components of any business. The main purpose of design is communication, whether it is visual communication design, product design or service design. No matter how complex, design should first send a message that is clear and understandable, whether it is a package or a product, a signage in public space or a website. The topic of this paper is (visual) communication design. The need for good communication design is greater than ever, because our everyday life depends on images and their interpretation, particularly with the fast development of communication technologies. Bad communication design can cause serious communication problems, pollute our environment, or even devalue the public space. However, strong personal presence is not desirable and necessary in communication designers’ work, as their main purpose and responsibility is to deliver the message from their clients to the target audience