Core concepts of designing and how we might name them

Fundamental questions of what it is to design, and doing so creatively , are revisited and analyzed in depth. The aim is to develop well-founded insights and core concepts of value for the disciplines of design. Using these insights and concepts to clarify current terminological confusion is a related aim. Drawing on ideas from analytic philosophy, a novel method of incremental conceptual analysis is used to propose new answers to the questions of what it is to design (creatively), in the form of concept definitions . Combined with terminology theory, these definitions are used to propose a systematic design-specific terminology as a tool for design discourse where precision is important. By way of conclusion, debate about these findings is encouraged, and possible applications in design teaching and practice are briefly indicated. Research applications in ethics, epistemology, and methodology of design are also suggested.