As I continue to explore other people's work, i've found myself constantly asking the question: "Why do I like this more, even though it's exactly the same thing?".

I could be looking at two products or services that solve exactly the same problem in exactly the same way, but I always like one more than the other. It got me thinking, has the idea of designers being artists been neutered? Are we just inherently problem solvers now?

If we are, and we peg several designers with exactly the same level of expertise and knowledge against each other, does that mean we should be expecting the same output? If they do produce exactly the same output, does that mean I should like all outputs equally the same?

I don't know. I do know that there is some hidden 'why' that always gravitates me towards liking one solution over the other. Perhaps that's where the disconnect between artists and designers has always been, and perhaps we should reopen the discussion that designers are not artists.