Carnegie Mellon's School of Design's Definition of Design

"Design is the process of taking something from its existing state and moving it to a preferred state." 
This applies to new artifacts, whose existing state is undefined, and previously created artifacts, whose state stands to be improved."  wikipedia

This definition of design resonates well with me. Unlike other definitions of design, this definition is broad and therefore applicable to diverse activities. The language of the definition provides me with a clear visual of the meaning which in turn better informs my understanding of the word design.

At a simplistic level the definition of design can be explained as: to take something and make it better and or to take nothing and make it something.

What have I been Designing

I am designing a program for English-as-a-mother-tongue children between the ages of 5 -12, who are being educated in French or learning French as a second language and live in a non-French speaking country.

This design solution address the following issues:

• Most of these children have only one primary ecosystem to experience their second language - their school.
• Outside of school they speak English. What's missing is an alternative and fun environment to speak French

These limitation slows down their learning of the foreign language. They experience the language primarily as an academic exercise resulting in lower motivational impulses which decelerates learning.
This program is designed to allow children to experience learning their second language in a fun, non-academic, "edutainment" environment.