Design is viewed as being of fundamental importance to the production of goods in an innovation economy.  It is inherent to the form, functionality and interface of products and services.  It is a vital step in transforming ideas into practical and commercial realities, and plays a critical role in shaping the underlying competitiveness across a range of industry sectors. It is also vital in the creation of environments for private or public use, such as gardens, parks and nature reserves.

A functional design is a design which is applied to a good and which has features which are necessitated by the function which the article is to perform.  In patent law, a functional design thus affords protection for features of pattern, shape or configuration which are necessitated by the function which the article is intended to perform, such as cogs, cams, levers, rolled metal sections, or the like.

Aesthetic design is the process of making utilitarian objects more beautiful. Clothes, parks, and cool-looking automobiles are designed; paintings and sculpture are art. There is, however, considerable grey area; architecture, for instance, falls somewhere in between, depending on the nature of the undertaking. In addition, purely aesthetic objects can be said to have, at the very least, entertainment value, which can be considered useful.

An aesthetic design is a design which is applied to a good and which has features which appeal to and are judged solely by the eye, irrespective of the aesthetic quality thereof. An aesthetic design does not extend to features of the article which are necessitated solely by the function which the article is intended to perform, or to a method or principle of construction.

An aesthetic design thus protects the appearance of an article (its shape, configuration, pattern or ornamentation) but excludes those features of this appearance which are dictated solely by function. By way of example, articles which are suitable subject- matter for protection by way of aesthetic designs, are articles such as furniture, textiles, moulded articles, bottle shapes, lamp shades, door handles, clothes hangers, and so on.

William Morris (1834-1896) illustrates that abilities of artist and desginer may be expressed in the skills of one individual. He was among the most creative artists Britain has ever produced. His accomplishments are extraordinary in their range and depth. He was a revolutionary interior designer and book printer, a staunch socialist, a famous and prolific poet, a weaver, embroiderer, dyer, calligrapher, translator, businessman, and architectural preservationist.

He established the internationally successful firm Morris & Company, for which he mastered the design and mass production of stained glass, wallpaper, printed and woven textiles, carpet, and tapestry. The astonishing range and depth of his achievements make him a unique figure in the history of design.

He expanded our definition of art by changing the way we look at and live with the everyday objects that surround us. Morris fashioned new forms and styles by delving deep into the art and culture of the past, building a modern art on medieval foundations. His artistic practices further led him to political activism and an idealistic vision of the future. Morris's art, his ideals, and his lifework paved the way for generations of artists who followed him in his pursuit of what he called "the beauty of life."