INFORMATION DESIGN IS THE DESIGN OF INFORMATION.
If this definition appears to be too simple to be saying anything, it is best to
consider it as a riddle. The solution to the riddle is that the word design in it is also
designed. (Here we already have an example that shows the power of the new
approach. As we shall see next, this single act of concept design changes the
meaning of our definition all the way from tautological to controversial.)1.1Designing design
Design is defined as “the alternative to tradition” (see Figure 1). This definition is
explained as follows: Evolution and creation are the two ways in which any
functional whole can originate. Tradition and design are respectively evolution and
creation in culture. In a tradition, the culture as a whole and all its elements such as
values, customs, language, objects, lifestyle and information formats evolve slowly
and spontaneously in a manner similar to the evolution of organisms and
ecosystems. Design, on the other hand, is conscious creation