What happens when you explore general internet-accessible definitions of a designer? You find many terms to describe the varied scopes of work and design approaches (‘… plans the look or workings of something’).
In contrast, what happens when you search for the term in WHS legislation and regulations? Who is a designer?
Refer to s.295 of the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (QLD).
A designer is a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) whose profession, trade or business involves them in:
- preparing sketches, plans or drawings for a structure, including variations to a plan or changes to a structure
- making decisions for incorporation into a design that may affect the health or safety of people who construct, use or carry out other activities in relation to the structure.
Surely, we must consider all the types of design other than “structural design” that influence the human experience and impact on sustainability in a natural world? E.g., work design, service design, user experience, environmental design, instructional design, web design, software design, user interface, business architecture, information architecture, sound design, lighting design, game design, eco-design, ergonomics design, human-centred design, universal design, and so on.
Thought for the day…
What kind of designer are you?
