ABSTRACT
This chapter describes some general characteristics about the components that make up the ontological reality of design: the user, the object, and the designer. Among these three entities, there are, of course, relationships fundamental within the system: the relations between the object and the user, between the user and the designer, and between the designer and the object. Within all the knowledge that the designer must have, that which refers to the user is the most important. Besides knowing the user, it is also important that the designer knows the fundamental aspects of the object, such as materials, production or construction processes, background, references, prototypes, previous models, etc. Given the complexity of the design reality, an appropriate strategy is to develop research projects focused on one of its elements and to consider its impact on others. The world view of the researcher regarding design as a discipline will also impact on the investigative process.
