can design strengthen bonds with our families, friends and neighbors? And how can good design improve our

quality of life? Design is a type of communication. It's about the way an object or idea speaks to its audience. But

good design not only gets its message across--it also engages us in a conversation. The voices in this issue's pages

have taught us that there's no set of rules that govern what constitutes "good design." Form doesn't have to follow

function, function doesn't have to follow form--in fact, there shouldn't be any following at all, only leading.