<p>hello all,</p>
<p>I am interested in studying how items or everyday things are made for functional and aesthetic purposes, with more emphasis on function. i have this odd obsession in how people organize themselves- i think it’s my inner perfectionist and crazy attention to detail. either way I want to see how things could be made better. Perfected, even, for the use that it is for. I like focusing on small scale things such as bags, or even Planners, to certain furniture. The furthest i would go would be the floor plan of a space or the placement of furniture, but no further (i dislike architecture- the outside of a building isn’t my forte). generally, anything that has an organizational function appeals to me the most, but i have no idea how i could contribute to the creation of these things. </p>
<p>I’ve tried researching the possible jobs / fields which are relevant to what i want to understand, but the term “designer” pops up everywhere. i do not want to be the designer, partially because it is an intimidating role. i think there are roles i’d fit better. I am interested in working with designers to produce better products, but since i don’t fully understand how items are created and sold off to consumers, whatever roles that fits this description i am not aware of.</p>
<p>are there any majors that are actually relevant to my interest?</p>
<p>Based on the interests you mentioned, the majors that come to mind are product design/industrial design; interior design; packaging; furniture design; and, ergonomics.
I’m not sure there’s a way around the design aspect. You would find relevant coursework in schools of design or in schools of human ecology/family & consumer sciences.</p>
<p>Certain aspects of your post, also bring to mind the career of professional organizer. There are professional associations in that field that provide certification, but I’m not sure where you would get the training.</p>
<p>do you think art history has any connection to this? </p>
<p>the reason why i ask is because I’m in a very liberal arts college, and a junior too. I can leave if I discover that it is better to do so, but first I’d have to test my interest in this area…See what work I can actually do, that i’d be willing to learn and practice. I don’t know where to begin.</p>
<p>I think art history is not directly related to many of the interests you described, which as I understand your post, put the emphasis on function more than aesthetics.
Admission to undergrad design programs is competitive and you might need a portfolio, either at the point of admission or after completing some foundational coursework. This requirement probably applies even more so for admission to grad programs.
I would start by searching for programs that might interest you and checking their admission requirements and curricula to see if they capture your various interests. One to start with is the Dept. of Design & Environmental Analysis at Cornell’s College of Human Ecology. [url=<a href=“http://www.human.cornell.edu/dea/academics/graduate/index.cfm]Graduate[/url”>http://www.human.cornell.edu/dea/academics/graduate/index.cfm]Graduate[/url</a>]
Another starting point is to search out books that address the interests you described.</p>