Function, Aesthetics, and Values: Reframing the Definition of Industrial Design

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Art, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Industrial Design, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Narmak, Iran

3 Associate Prof., University Putra Malaysia (UPM), Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

Abstract

Industrial Design (ID) is currently grappling with a profound 'ontological drift,' as its boundaries expand into intangible service systems and digital territories. While this expansion reflects adaptability, it has triggered an identity crisis, diluting the discipline’s core expertise. This paper conducts a comparative analysis of canonical definitions (1959–2025) to identify critical gaps in current discourse, particularly the 'sustainability gap' and the 'technological reductionism' inherent in AI-driven design. To restore professional coherence, this study proposes a modernized, stabilized definition of ID. It introduces the 'Cybernetic Equalizer Model,' framing the designer not as a mere 'maker of forms' but as a strategic regulator who harmonizes Function, Aesthetics, and Values. By re-anchoring the discipline as a 'Strategic Professional Service,' this framework provides an epistemological stabilizer for design education and practice in the post-disciplinary era, ensuring the profession's relevance against the challenge of generative automation. Crucially, this model operationalizes industrial design as a core driver of organizational strategy, demonstrating how the tactical modulation of product variables directly informs corporate innovation pipelines and mitigates market risks.

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Journal of Design Thinking

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 18 June 2026

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