Graphic design is the method of communicating a message visually. There is always underlying communication regardless if the message trying to be conveyed is aesthetically pleasing or not. For arguments sake take this question into account, is photography considered as graphic design or is it merely a resource to be used for design? This depends on whether there is an underlying message to the photograph. If underlying communication is discovered then yes it should be considered as design.

In order for there to be any underlying message or communication through any artistic piece, there must be a process of planning to effectively speak to any audience. If I were giving a speech at a public place and it was my job to persuade the crowd about a particular subject, I would make sure that all my ideas were in order. I would research about the subject, ask questions and learn everything I could about it. I would then plan out everything I was about to say, maybe even open up with some sort of ice breaker. My point is the actual process that went behind this speech is similar to the process of graphic design. There is research, thought and planning. The objective is to effectively communicate, to speak the words of this subject visually, because it has no words of its own to a particular crowd. The steps and journey that we take to get there is the true essence of graphic design.