The manifold currents and tendencies of design are reflected in the very use of the concept of "design," up to and including sometimes rather diffuse definitions of the word. A number of these interpretations will be introduced at the outset of this essay.From a historical perspective, it is popular to regard Leonardo da Vinci as the first designer. In addition to his scientific studies on anatomy, optics, and mechanics, he performed pioneering work in the elementary science of mechanical engineering, producing a "Book of Patterns of Machine Elements." The concept of design da Vinci applied to practical objects, machines, and apparatus was thus more technically than creatively oriented. Nevertheless, it decisively influenced the idea of design: the designer as an inventor.