A design is a blueprint or specifications for the construction of a structure or an object or for the effective performance of an act or procedure, or even the resultant of that blueprint or specifications in the form of some manufactured object or process. The verb to design normally denotes the process of designing. A design is also used in engineering terms to mean an original design, one that has been changed from an original design by some original designer team to one that complies with the specific requirements of some other industry or society. In a way it could be considered as a kind of evolution of the technological design or progression.
Many people and firms adopt the inside-out approach to design. They start from the initial specification or blueprint and look outward and not only towards the end result but also the requirements of the society or the current processes. An example of this kind of design approach is the use of integrated machinery inside a machine shop. This means that the machine tools are designed inside the machine shop itself and so the process becomes a non-conceptualized one and the tools are made either in a completely machinary manner or by means of a combination of different mechanical components.
All design processes have two phases namely the conceptual phase and the configuration phase. The conceptual phase is very important and it is the stage where designers come up with some broad sketches or designs. The configuration phase is concerned with some more specific aspects of the design process like the size, shape, power, speed, weight and other essential measurements. There are various design approaches and all are important for any successful project.