ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the intricate story of the holy triumvirate of design: the manufacturer (industry), the designer and the end user. Historically, the intellectual weight shifted towards the users with changes in technology (e.g. 3D printing and social media), influencing and reframing the very role of the design in society. As in other chapters, sociocultural context and historical shifts are shown to have influenced this fluid triangle. Contrary to popular belief, we are not all designers, just as not everyone watching Big Brother is a professional anthropologist. Through this chapter, we seek to better understand the historic role the designer has taken in shaping our visual-material world.
