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Me Kirk, Hi.
I donıt normally participate in these conversations‹Iım a sleeper, Iım not
quite in the same league as you people, but I do have opinion.
This may have little to add to this discourse, but the repeated use of
Analysis/Synthesis disturbs me, always has, ever since I was a little
graduate. Weıre talking problem solving here. Problem, analysis, synthesis,
implementation, verification and its many forms, interpretations theories
and empirical truths.

Itıs not unique to design, buy any means. I know this by experience, I was
once a nurse and we used a similar model for planning care for patients as
it was required, in that case, Problem, plan, implementation, evaluation. It
seems to work at a certain level, though there are other models. See Mayer,
RE 1983, Thinking, Problem Solving and Cognition, 1 edn, W.H. Freeman and
Company, New York.
Kosslyn, SM & Rosenberg, RS 2004, Psychology: The Brain, the Person, the
World, 2 edn, Pearson Education, Inc., Boston.

There are, will be more, itıs a big subject from many a perspective and a
mystery.

What I donıt get is why, still the concept of conjecture is not part of the
lexicon of problem solving; with particular relevance to designing the
artiface. As the graphically orientated, I have a hunch, intuition that
conjecture is a major player in the problem solving process during the
wayfinding from problem (brief) to the final artefact of communication. To
me it seems obvious, but thatıs my interpretation and there are many so
donıt hold it against me, I am entitled to it, itıs the nature of being.

I may not be able to convince you but refer you I can:
Firstly the mega-brain Karl Popper who suggested in his model of problem
solving:
Popper, KM 1996, The Myth of the Framework: In Defence of Science and
Rationality, Routledge, London.
Popper, KM 2000, Conjectures and Refutations: The Growth of Scientific
Knowledge, 1989 edn, Routledge, London, and not to be too biased an
alternative view of the situation by;
Bamford, G 2002, 'From Analysis/Synthesis to Conjecture/Analysis: A Review
of Karl Poppers Influence on Design Methodology in Architecture.' Design
Studies, vol. 23, no. 3, May, 2002, pp. 245-261.
Schenck, P 1991, 'The Role of Drawing in the Graphic Design Process', Design
Studies, vol. 2, no. 3, July 1991, pp. 168-181.
Gedenryd, H 1998, How Designers Work, 1 edn, Lund University of Cognitive
Studies, Lund.

Designers play hunches, guesswork, what-about-this,
what-would-this-look-like, repeatedly‹hell, I should know I am a designer,
and a good one at that, and before you ask, I donıt go in for self
gratifying competitions. I know if Iıve done a good job or a bad job, I am
my own worst enemy‹judge.

Well, thankyou for tuning into this channel.
Kirk...out!
University of South Australia