We produce objects, technologies and spaces; they are fluctuating, fluid and impulsive as their influence expand and amplify in our life. But, where did design come from and where is it heading? Design has always contained the idea of labor, belonging, and technology. It is fundamental needs of production, yet very complex; it is formed by our collective cultural production. There are conventional practices we have undergone and innovative effort we are longing for. Moreover, there are forces of social, political, and economic that shape the design process. In this layer of complexity, what is a role of designer? Designer is an arbitrator who often negotiates those pressure and frames critical questions. 

Under the umbrella of our cultural production, it is very critical to acknowledge how convention, innovation, and forces coexist. These factors should be neither valued differently nor measured one’s value by others. However designer as a rational negotiator, we constantly argue and mediate their concerns due to the fact that we cannot ignore our tradition and we cannot give up on our desire for future either. 
Then, how convention, invention and force are positioning themselves in our culture of production? To awaken the notion of this interwoven system, can this ever be visible?

In search of defining how the three different pursuits are coexisting, it is crucial to visualize their relationship for better understanding. The conventional practice is a solid system, which creates a framework in production. Traditional and vernacular values are establishing the foundation. In contrast, the innovation effort is a soft system, which is very flexible. We do not necessarily notice its existence, but it is everywhere. Even though they have different characteristic, both are from one culture. And, there are pressures of social, political, economic, environmental, which force our culture to generate diversity. This illustrates that design activity is a synergetic interaction of convention and invention and it is also a negotiated procedure.