Design Studies Special Issue on Philsophy of Design

Per Galle, guest editor

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Galle, Per. 2002. "Philosophy of design: an editorial introduction."
Design Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, 211-218

Abstract: The field of research currently emerging under the name of
'philosophy of design' is presented. Drawing on my experience from
editing the present special issue on the philosophy of design, I
address two questions which I raise on behalf of the reader: what the
philosophy of design is about, and what its use may be.

Key words: philosophy of design; design research; design practice;
design education; engineering design;

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Bucciarelli, Louis L. 2002. "Between thought and object in
engineering design." Design Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, 219-231

Abstract: If one accepts that engineering design is the business of a
collective or team and that different participants, with different
competencies, responsibilities and interest 'see' the object of
design differently, then the question arises: how do they harmonize
their claims and proposals throughout the course of design? For that
matter, how does any one participant, working alone, exercising his
or her expertise, transform ideas of function into plans which
ultimately fix the form and structure of the product? We explore the
possibility of extending the scope of language to include artifacts
of process - sketches, bits and pieces of hardware - to see how they
might serve to bridge thought and object.

Key words: philosophy of design; engineering design; design
knowledge; teamwork;

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Besteliu, Ion, and Kees Doevendans. 2002. "Planning, design and the
post-modernity of cities." Design Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, 233-244.

Abstract: This essay draws on the concept of 'weak thought' from the
writings of the philosopher Gianni Vattimo, and connects it to a
weakening of the certitudes of modern urban design and planning.
According to Vattimo, modernity does not abruptly end; rather its
grounding tenets such as universalised 'reason', 'progress' or
'overcoming', lose their strength, and the construction of the world
based on absolute values is replaced by a grounding without absolute
ground. A weakened ontology is taken up for its relevance to changing
ways of thinking in post-modern design and planning. In other words
can this perspective lead to conceptual change?

Key words: philosophy of design; aesthetics; architectural design;
built environment; planning;

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Bamford, Greg. 2002. "From analysis/synthesis to conjecture/analysis:
a review of Karl Popper's influence on design methodology in
architecture." Design Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, 245-261.

Abstract The two principal models of design in methodological circles
in architecture-analysis/synthesis and conjecture/analysis-have their
roots in philosophy of science, in different conceptions of
scientific method. This paper explores the philosophical origins of
these models and the reasons for rejecting analysis/synthesis in
favour of conjecture/analysis, the latter being derived from Karl
Popper's view of scientific method. I discuss a fundamental problem
with Popper's view, however, and indicate a framework for
conjecture/analysis to avoid this problem.

Key words: Philosophy of design; Design process;

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Coyne, Richard, Hoon Park and Dorian Wiszniewski. 2002. "Design
devices: digital drawing and the pursuit of difference." Design
Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, 263-286.

Abstract: We examine the uses of a prototypic device, in research and
in design, for incorporating manual sketching into computer
environments. We move from empirical and evolutionary conceptions of
the role of such devices to the phenomenology of disclosure,
attending to the revealing, generative, catalytic, metaphoric,
signalling and provocative characteristics introduced by such
devices. The discussion takes us through a series of steps that each
amplifies the role of philosophical concepts of negation and
difference in understanding the device.

Key words: philosophy of design; computer supported design; design
theory; epistemology; research methods;

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Kroes, Peter. 2002. "Design methodology and the nature of technical
artefacts." Design Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, 287-302.

Abstract: Design methodology aims at the improvement of design
processes. In contrast to the methodology of science, it is strongly
process oriented and takes a normative point of view. The paper
argues that, despite its process orientation, design methodology
cannot avoid addressing questions concerning the nature of the
products being designed for two reasons. The first is that the design
process and the design product are so intimately related to each
other that an understanding of the nature of the design process
requires insight into the nature of the kind of product designed, and
vice versa. Second, in order to justify its normative stance towards
design processes, design methodology will have to consider the issue
of the quality of the product being designed. To support these
claims, the nature of technical artefacts, considered to be the
outcome of a design process, will be examined. It will be argued that
they have a dual nature: they are physical objects on the one hand,
and intentional objects on the other. Some of the consequences of
this dual nature of technical artefacts for the research agenda of
design methodology will be explored.

Key words: design methodology; philosophy of design; design process;
design studies; human factors;

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Houkes, Wybo, Pieter E. Vermaas, Kees Dorst and Marc J. de Vries.
2002. "Design and use as plans: an action-theoretical account."
Design Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, 303-320.

Abstract: In this paper, we present an action-theoretical account of
use and design. Central to this account is the notion of a user plan,
which leads us to distinguish a cycle of plan design from one of
artefact design. We comment on the nature and scope of our account
from the perspective of design methodology in general, and we show
that it can be employed to analyse the shortcomings of one design
method in particular, namely quality function deployment. Finally, we
examine some consequences for a philosophy of artefacts and their
functions.

Key words: philosophy of design; communication; product design;
reasoning; user behaviour;

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Trott, Elizabeth. 2002. "Permanence, change and standards of
excellence in design." Design Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, 321-331.

Abstract: This paper explores the relation between metaphysical
commitments and the evaluation of design projects. The dialectical
relation of permanence and change needs to be incorporated into
current design more frequently. Any project which lacks a clear
metaphysical status makes the challenge to address permanence and
change more difficult. Metaphysical uncertainty also results in (a)
evaluations that have no clear criteria of success and (b) a shift in
the language of evaluation from objective criteria towards
expressions of personal taste. The paper contains some examples and a
case study of new courthouses in the USA.

Key words: philosophy of design; evaluation; case study;
architectural design; conceptual design;

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Baljon, Cornelis J. 2002. "History of history and canons of design."
Design Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, 333-343.

Abstract: A question that deserves an honorable place among the
concerns of design philosophy is how the study of history informs
current design. A conception of history as merely a designer's
pattern book is as inadequate as that of history as the empirical
dimension of design theory. History, not theory, for most designers
is the primary frame of reference. And so it should be. Theory, it
will be argued, more positively affects current design through
history than the other way around. Conceptualization of values that
guide or ought to guide historic explorations is crucially important.
In conjunction with history of design history it is capable of
rendering canons of design more transparent, and hence manageable.

Key words: philosophy of design; design history; design theory;
design education; architectural design;

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Love, Terence. 2002. "Constructing a coherent cross-disciplinary body
of theory about designing and designs: some philosophical issues."
Design Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, 345-361.

Abstract: This paper explores some of the philosophical problems
associated with building a unified and coherent cross-disciplinary
body of knowledge and theory associated with designing and designs.
The paper identifies issues that a cross-disciplinary unified body of
knowledge would be expected to address. It describes general criteria
for improving the definitions of concepts and theories, and outlines
relationships and boundaries between design research and other
disciplines for nine areas of theory. The paper closes by proposing
definitions of core concepts in research and theory-making relating
to designing and designs, and draws attention to the practical
political difficulties in building a more coherent body of knowledge
in this area.

Key words: philosophy of design; design theory; epistemology;
interdisciplinarity; science of design;

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