Portfolio Winter 2012 Design 1 heidi. WHAT IS TEXTURE? WHAT IS SIZE? Using the Elements Design by definition is planned. Design is created to be useful. How do we know what will be useful? By thinking about the ele- ments of design and how each element contributes to the deliv- ery of the message. The elements give us as designers guidelines when creating our work. They can remind us what’s missing or how we can use some- thing more effectively and they give us a way to talk about our work with others.