Design vs. Plan — What's the Difference?

A design is a plan or specification for the construction of an object or system or for the implementation of an activity or process, or the result of that plan or specification in the form of a prototype, product or process. The verb to design expresses the process of developing a design.

A plan is typically any diagram or list of steps with details of timing and resources, used to achieve an objective to do something. It is commonly understood as a temporal set of intended actions through which one expects to achieve a goal.

A plan or drawing produced to show the look and function or workings of a building, garment, or other object before it is made

An orderly or step-by-step conception or proposal for accomplishing an objective

A decorative pattern

A proposed or intended course of action

Purpose or planning that exists behind an action, fact, or object

A systematic arrangement of elements or important parts; a configuration or outline

Decide upon the look and functioning of (a building, garment, or other object), by making a detailed drawing of it

A drawing or diagram made to scale showing the structure or arrangement of something.

To conceive or fashion in the mind; invent

In perspective rendering, one of several imaginary planes perpendicular to the line of vision between the viewer and the object being depicted.

To formulate a plan for; devise

A program or policy stipulating a service or benefit

To make a graphic or schematic representation of (something), especially as a plan for its structure

To formulate a scheme or program for the accomplishment, enactment, or attainment of

To create or contrive for a particular purpose or effect

To have as a specific aim or purpose; intend

To have as a goal or purpose; intend

To draw or make a graphic representation of.

To make or execute plans.

To make plans.

To create designs.

A drawing showing technical details of a building, machine, etc., with unwanted details omitted, and often using symbols rather than detailed drawing to represent doors, valves, etc.

A drawing or sketch.

A set of intended actions, usually mutually related, through which one expects to achieve a goal.

A graphic representation, especially a detailed plan for construction or manufacture.

A two-dimensional drawing of a building as seen from above with obscuring or irrelevant details such as roof removed, or of a floor of a building, revealing the internal layout; as distinct from the elevation.

An ornamental pattern.

A method; a way of procedure; a custom.

The purposeful or inventive arrangement of parts or details

A subscription to a service.

A particular plan or method

(transitive) To design (a building, machine, etc.).

The art or practice of designing or making designs

(transitive) To create a plan for.

A reasoned purpose; an intent

(intransitive) To intend.

Deliberate intention

(intransitive) To make a plan.

Often designs A secretive or underhanded plot or scheme

A draught or form; properly, a representation drawn on a plane, as a map or a chart; especially, a top view, as of a machine, or the representation or delineation of a horizontal section of anything, as of a building; a graphic representation; a diagram.

A specification of an object or process, referring to requirements to be satisfied and thus conditions to be met for them to solve a problem.

A scheme devised; a method of action or procedure expressed or described in language; a project; as, the plan of a constitution; the plan of an expedition.

A plan (with more or less detail) for the structure and functions of an artifact, building or system.

A method; a way of procedure; a custom.

A pattern, as an element of a work of art or architecture.

To form a delineation of; to draught; to represent, as by a diagram.

The composition of a work of art.

To scheme; to devise; to contrive; to form in design; as, to plan the conquest of a country.

Intention or plot.

A series of steps to be carried out or goals to be accomplished;

(particularly) Malicious or malevolent intention.

An arrangement scheme;

The shape or appearance given to an object, especially one that is intended to make it more attractive.

Scale drawing of a structure;

The art of designing

Have the will and intention to carry out some action;

(transitive) To plan and carry out (a picture, work of art, construction etc.).

Make plans for something;

To plan (to do something).

Make or work out a plan for; devise;

To assign, appoint (something to someone); to designate.

Make a design of; plan out in systematic, often graphic form;

To mark out and exhibit; to designate; to indicate; to show; to point out; to appoint.

To manifest requirements to be satisfied by an object or process for them to solve a problem.

To draw preliminary outline or main features of; to sketch for a pattern or model; to delineate; to trace out; to draw.

To mark out and exhibit; to designate; to indicate; to show; to point out; to appoint.

To create or produce, as a work of art; to form a plan or scheme of; to form in idea; to invent; to project; to lay out in the mind; as, a man designs an essay, a poem, a statue, or a cathedral.

To intend or purpose; - usually with for before the remote object, but sometimes with to.

To form a design or designs; to plan.

A preliminary sketch; an outline or pattern of the main features of something to be executed, as of a picture, a building, or a decoration; a delineation; a plan.

A plan or scheme formed in the mind of something to be done; preliminary conception; idea intended to be expressed in a visible form or carried into action; intention; purpose; - often used in a bad sense for evil intention or purpose; scheme; plot.

Specifically, intention or purpose as revealed or inferred from the adaptation of means to an end; as, the argument from design.

The realization of an inventive or decorative plan; esp., a work of decorative art considered as a new creation; conception or plan shown in completed work; as, this carved panel is a fine design, or of a fine design.

The invention and conduct of the subject; the disposition of every part, and the general order of the whole.

The act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan);

An arrangement scheme;

Something intended as a guide for making something else;

A decorative or artistic work;

An anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions;

A preliminary sketch indicating the plan for something;

The creation of something in the mind

Make or work out a plan for; devise;

Design something for a specific role or purpose or effect;

Create the design for; create or execute in an artistic or highly skilled manner;

Make a design of; plan out in systematic, often graphic form;

Create designs;

Conceive or fashion in the mind; invent;

Intend or have as a purpose;