Design is the process of defining the architecture, components, interfaces and other characteristics of a system or part of it. The result of the design is the project – an integral set of models, properties or characteristics described in a form suitable for the implementation of the system. Design, along with requirements analysis, is part of a large stage in the system life cycle called system definition. The results of this stage are input to the implementation stage.
Computer-aided design is a type of software, an automated system that implements information technology for performing design functions.