It is interesting to think of design in a broad way. Design implies human involvement. Design implies planning. Design implies an expected outcome. Designing experiences involves all aspects that can affect the audience during that experience. I was thinking that Thanksgiving Dinner is an experience that is planned and designed with family in mind. Generally executed by the "mother" of the family, Thanksgiving involves a huge process of planning, adjustment, and multitudes of details to arrange. When you walk in to the traditional house for a big family Thanksgiving, you notice things, but probably fail to notice a lot more. You may or may not bring a side dish or dessert. You may or may not help bring out drinks and hors' d' oeuvres. Each person who helps is contributing to the design "conversation."
I will give a picture of my family Thanksgiving and I would assume that many families have similar experiences with variations based on their families' culture and traditions. The location is the home of the "Mother" of the family. When you walk in the door you are greeted with a sparkling clean house. You can smell the turkey cooking and hear laughter of other family members who have already arrived. The host/hostess has decided where the side dishes should be brought and has organized a way to make sure everything will be heated at the same time for dinner. The host\hostess has organized what the entrees and sides will be, and has arranged who will bring what to the event. Drinks are handed around and available according to the tastes of the family that the host\hostess knows so well. There will usually be music playing. Somewhere a TV will be on. The table will be set with enough places and chairs for all. Dishes will be laid out on a table cloth with candlesticks or other festive arrangements. Little snacks will be out for anyone who isn't afraid of spoiling their appetite. The host\hostess will call everyone together as the turkey gets carved. A table set up for the children will allow adults to have conversations and the kids to be playful. As soon as everyone is seated the huge platters are brought out and passed around until plates are full and everyone eats.
Then the clean up begins. Most people head off to the TV or maybe to play a card game. As many people as can fit in the kitchen are organized into jobs for cleaning. Food is put away and separated for leftovers. Everything is washed and cleared. Later dessert is served to everyone in their respective locations. Eventually everyone rounds up their sleepy kids and their leftovers, gives hugs and kisses and many thanks, and heads out into the cold to drive home for the night. Each and every person full, happy and oblivious to the thoughtful, tedious design that they just experienced. Great design is not noticed as designed. When Thanksgiving Dinner starts to be held at my house I hope I can make it look as effortless as my mother-in-law does.
Thanks to all those designers who make the holidays grand!
http://www.bhg.com/holidays/thanksgiving/planning/
An interesting website to help design the Thanksgiving experience
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