Perspectives on design terminology. A book for all those who work in design, study design, are interested in design or want to understand more about design. More than 100 international authors have written essays for this book, offering, regardless of cultural differences, suggestions for overarching essential categories of design and, thus, for a fundamental way of talking about design. Includes terminology from both recent and traditional design discourses. A practical book for study or browsing. Michael Erlhoff & Tim Marshall (Hrsg./ eds.) (2007): Wörterbuch Design / Design Dictionary BIRD / Birkhäuser available in German or English  

If one wants to avoid ideology, a theory of design must be formulated in an open way: contradictory, provisionally, provocatively, boundlessly. Michael Erlhoff: Theorie des Designs (2013) Wilhelm Fink German Get a copy  

Using Instead of Owning – A fundamental essay on the relationship between user and product, in particular focusing on use rather than ownership and the resulting changes in the perception of artefacts and processes, as well as conclusions referring to potential services and different distribution structures. Highly topical, even 20 years after the book’s first publication!

Design has become one of the most popular fields of study. For very good reasons because, everywhere, people are beginning to understand the degree to which design shapes our everyday life, creates experiences and communicates new knowledge. Ruedi Baur’s and Michael Erlhoff’s fundamental introduction to the variety and quality of design studies includes information on the topicality and complexity of design, on the subjects taught, on the necessary qualifications and prerequisites, on where to study design and much more.

Design can be found everywhere, in both public and private spaces and therefore we have to ask ourselves whether the differentiation between public and private is still useful in describing the world today. The authors presented in this book – including, among others, Bazon Brock, Gesche Joost, Uta Brandes, and Luigi Blau – reflect on this question and provide a wide array of insights into this issue.

A book about studying design, about the many different professional roles and aspects, about opportunities and risks and about challenges and ways to tackle them. A book for all those who are interested in design, who are studying, or want to study, design and also for those who hire or work with designers. An honest and optimistic book.