Just as there are parallels between Design and Evolutionary Biology, there are also clear distinctions. Natural Selection just like the concepts of Physics is an axiom. It is true universally. If we ever find life on another planet, we can be sure that those organisms have evolved into very different forms than Earth but following this axiom. (please refer to our previous post: "On Consistency")

When an object is built purely for function, we call it well-engineered not well-designed. The way we see Design is a combination of Logic and Style. Logic provides functionality and from Style emerges the form. The Style is not based on rules like Logic and hence Design is subjective.

There were so many ways the iPhone could have looked but it looked that particular way for two reasons: It was consistent with Apple’s Design Philosophy: Empathy, Focus & Impute and more importantly the target market of Apple approved this Philosophy by buying the product in millions. When a Philosophy is justified by its target audience, it as a well-Resonated Philosophy.

A pioneer of modern architecture, Le Corbusier in our terms, had a unique Design Philosophy. He wrote a book called “Towards a New Architecture” in 1923 which is well respected by all architects. He was also consistent with it just as you would expect of any legendary professional and radically changed architecture practice.

But, in one of his projects on housing for factory workers, the inhabitants took matters into their own hands. The architecture style that Corbusier loved was too bland and monotonous for them. With no regard to Corbusier’s design, the workers added pitched roofs, small windows, wallpapers, gnomes & fences in the garden. This example proves that:

“Even if a great Design Philosophy is Consistently employed, it must Resonate with its Users”.

For each person, what style of design they expect is unique. But intrinsically, all people can identify what they like without any training. If you wish to build anything, you should start by understanding the design of your liking. Then identify the architect who resonates that style (resonation works both ways). Proceed only after assessing their previous work to find consistency.