The Relevant Hypothesis.

We all believe that thinking is an individual and solitary executive function, which is entirely independent of others, and it could be considered as such if we refer to the activity itself, as it is related to the relationship between our own brain and mind. Nevertheless, when we think about anything external or internal to ourselves, we unconsciously refer to our social and cultural background, the one in which we developed and experienced since birth. Designers do rely on their own ideas while “thinking” about the realisation of a project, though their ideas are still interpretations of already existing and influential concepts, historically settled in the evolution of the discipline and part of an ongoing and constant cultural development. In addition, regarding the concretization of the thought, as in its codified transposition (thus forms, signs, logotypes, colours, spaces and times) the designer uses a computer and a software that were already the fulfilment of someone else’s idea. Finally, once the project is realized, both ideas and thoughts, on which the design was built, will become part of a wider shared cultural and social knowledge that will affect others’ ideas in different times and places. Consequently, the action of designing, even if experienced without the presence of others, still involves the mind of many and this phenomenon is not restricted to design. In fact, we can consider the development of human thoughts as the processing of previous significant ones, which have influenced history, and those that are affecting our contemporary period, finally adding our personal interpretation to them. Therefore, the question is: “When, how and why a concept-design is relevant to reality, as it represents something that could be potentially significant to everyone’s reality or, at least, to some?” The aim of this paper is to highlight some Relevant Hypothesis, thanks to which it is possible to justify and legitimate the intervention of a designer’s concept-design, with the purpose of offering elements defining the discipline of design itself, from artisanship, bricolage, or self-production. The Relevant Hypothesis, established since the beginning by the designer, before creating the concept-design, which reflects the outcome of his/her personal understanding of the world and relationship with customers, may become a valuable methodological help through which it will be possible to enlighten his/her intentions in the project.