What is "Design"

       I do not believe that there is a single definition for design that is able to cover all of the aspects and all of the different ways that it is used. In order to make a definition of my own I am going to start by finding some already existing definitions in an attempt to make one that will incorporate all of them into one.
As given on Wikipedia:

• The creation of a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system
• Direct construction of an object
• A specification of an object, manifested by an agent, intended to accomplish goals, in a particular environment, using a set of primitive components, satisfying a set of requirements, subject to constraints     

As given by Merriam-Webster:

• To plan or make decisions about something to be made
• To plan or make for a specific use or purpose
• To think of or plan something in your mind

If I were to think of how to describe "design" in my own words, it would be: 

• Anything that has been planned by a person or group of people in order to create something that does not yet exist whether it is an artist painting, a seamstress making clothes, or an engineer created a new invention or way to do something. As a verb, my definition for design would be relatively the same except including "to plan out or create something" instead of  "Anything....something".

     The idea of design has many different domains that are fall into its category. My favorites are Engineering Design and Graphic Design. Apart from that, I am not a very big fan of  Experimental Design or Retail Design. There are also other Design Domains including, but not limited to, Interior Design, Architectural Design, and Consumer Product Design. 
        As for my design background I've designed:

• Several Art projects such as paintings, sculptures, and fabrics
• Word-working projects such as tables, chairs, and other things you might find in a "Man-Cave"
• Structural designs including sheds,garages, and portions of houses
• Theoretical designs for post-disaster shelters
• A theoretical design for a new refrigerant and HVAC system to make cars greener 
• My ongoing design of the Rube Goldberg Machine that several of my posts are about

Throughout all of these times and different designs, the process was generally the same with all of them. Initially I had a general idea of what I needed to do and knew what my requirements and constraints were so I would start to brainstorm and try to picture things in my head. Next I would draw a very vague picture of what I thought so I could start determining dimensions or new aspects that I would incorporate. After I completed the process of planning the design on paper I focused of the types of materials that I would use. As I began to form actual models or "prototypes" of the designs I continuously tested different aspects and measurements to make sure I was still on the right track*. After as many "try and fail" attempts as needed I would find the final way that I would create whatever it was and then make my final design.

   *With the structural designs there was not too much room for prototypes or second attempts. There was a much larger focus on meticulously planning out the structural designs since if a design did not work then it could cause a very dangerous situations.

Wikipedia source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design
Merriam-Webster source:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/design