how do u design?

Everyone designs.
The teacher
arranging desks
for a discussion.
The entrepreneur
planning a business.
The team
building a rocket.
3

4
Their results differ.
So do their goals.
So do the scales of their projects
and the media they use.
Even their actions
appear quite different.
What’s similar
is that they are designing.
What’s similar
are the processes
they follow.

5
Our processes
determine the quality
of our products.
If we wish to improve our products,
we must improve our processes;
we must continually redesign
not just our products
but also the way we design.
That’s why we study the design process.
To know what we do
and how we do it.
To understand it
and improve it.
To become better designers.

6
Introduction
In this book, I have collected over one-hundred descriptions
of design and development processes, from architecture,
industrial design, mechanical engineering, quality
management, and software development. They range from
short mnemonic devices, such as the 4Ds (define, design,
develop, deploy), to elaborate schemes, such as Archer’s
9-phase, 229-step “systematic method for designers.”
Some are synonyms for the same process; others represent
differing approaches to design.
By presenting these examples, I hope to foster debate about
design and development processes.
How do we design?
Why do we do it that way?
How do we describe what we do?
Why do we talk about it that way?
How do we do better?
Asking these questions has practical goals:
- reducing risk (increasing the probability of success)
- setting expectations (reducing uncertainty and fear)
- increasing repeatability (enabling improvement)
Examing process may not benefit everyone. For an individual
designer—imagine someone working alone on a poster—
focusing on process may hinder more than it helps. But
teaching new designers or working with teams on large
projects requires us to reflect on our process. Success
depends on:
- defining roles and processes in advance
- documenting what we actually did
- identifying and fixing broken processes
Ad hoc development processes are not efficient and not
repeatable. They constantly must be reinvented making
improvement nearly impossible. At a small scale, the costs
may not matter, but large organizations cannot sustain them.
From this discussion, more subtle questions also arise:
How do we minimize risk while also maximizing creativity?
When must we use a heavy-weight process?
And when will a light-weight process suffice?
What is the place of interaction design within the larger
software development process?
What is the place of the software development process
within the larger business formation processes?
What does it mean to conceive of business formation as a
design process?

7
Origins
The oldest development process model I’ve seen dates
from about 1920 and describes how to develop a
battleship for the Royal Navy. Discussions about design
and development processes began in earnest shortly after
the second world war. They grew out of military research
and development efforts in at least three fields, operations
research, cybernetics, and large-scale engineering project
management.
Pre-war efforts to make radar an effective part of the British
air-defense system led to operations research, which
then matured into an academic discipline. Development
of automatic piloting devices and fire-control systems for
aiming large guns led to servo-mechanisms and computing
devices, anticipating the emergence of cybernetics, one of
the roots of artificial intelligence. Large engineering projects
undertaken during the war and later cold-war projects, such
as the Atlas and Titan missile projects, demanded new
techniques to deal with increased scale and complexity.
The excitement of these new disciplines and the success of
these huge engineering projects captivated many people.
From operations research, cybernetics, and large-scale
engineering project management, academic designers
imported both methods and philosophy in what became
known as the design methods movement (1962-1972). Work
in the UK, at Ulm in Germany, and MIT and Berkeley in the
US sought to rationalize and systemize the design process.
Several designers attempted to codify the design process
and present it as a scientific method.
Somewhat parallel efforts occurred in the business world.
Stafford Beer and others applied systems thinking and
especially operations research to business problems.
During the 1950s, W. Edward Deming examined business
processes. His work led to the quality management
movement, which became popular in Japan and something
of a fad in the US in the 1980s. Its principles became
standard operating procedures in much of the business
world, becoming enshrined in ISO and six-sigma standards.
In the software world, interest in the development process
dates back at least to the IBM System 360, released in 1964.
In 1975, Fred Brooks, manager of OS/360, published The
Mythical Man Month, his “belated answer to [IBM Chairman]
Tom Watson’s probing question as to why programming is so
hard to manage.”
Today, software developers are still actively discussing
the question. Consultants seek to differentiate themselves
with proprietary processes. Software tools makers seek
standards around which they can build tools—a new twist on
codifying the design process.
Curious ties exists between the design methods world and
the software development world. One of the founders of
the design methods movement, Christopher Alexander,
co-wrote A Pattern Language. Alexander’s work on design
patterns in architecture contributed to thinking on design
patterns in software. In the 1970s, another important figure
in the movement, Horst Rittel, developed IBIS (Issues-Based
Information System) to support the design process. Rittel’s
research into IBIS is a precursor of today’s work on design
rationale.
But for the most part, designers, business managers, and
software developers appear to be unaware of practices and
thinking about process in the other disciplines. Even within
their own fields, many are unaware of much prior art.
The fields overlap, but so far as I know, no one has
attempted to bring together work from these three areas.
One of my goals is to cast each of these activities as design,
to show how their processes are similar, and to encourage
sharing of ideas between the disciplines.

8
Measure twice
Cut once
Lab study
Pilot plant
Full-scale plant
Research
Development
Manufacturing
Sales
Ready
Aim
Fire

9
Contents
The carpenter’s adage,
the captain’s command,
the chemical engineer’s “scale-up” process,
the corporation’s departments—
the four phrases on the previous page—
have something in common.
Each is a sequence of steps.
Each is a process focused on achieving a goal.
Each suggests iteration and convergence.
Each is an analog of the design process.
This book presents many other descriptions of design and
development processes. I call these descriptions design
process models, distinguishing the description from the
activity it describes. I also combine design and development
into one category, because the distinction is without a
difference.
This collection is not exhaustive. Even so, organizing it
presents a challenge. At the end of the book are indices
organized by title, date, and author. In the body of the book
are threads but no strong narrative. I have paired models
where I see a connection. These pairings—and the entire
structure—are idiosyncratic. Thus, the book is more a
reference work than a primer.
11 Introducing process
19 Analysis versus synthesis
29 Academic models
61 Consultant models
67 Software development
82 Complex linear models
115 Cyclic models
132 Complete list of models
136 Chronological list
140 Author list

10
Design process
after Tim Brennan (~1990)
At an off-site for Apple Computer’s Creative Services de-
partment, Tim Brennan began a presentation of his group’s
work by showing this model. “Here’s how we work,” he said.
“Somebody calls up with a project; we do some stuff; and
the money follows.”
Brennan captures important aspects of the process:
- the potential for play
- its similarity to a “random walk”
- the importance of iteration
- its irreducible “black-box” nature

Introducing process
What is a process?
Where does it begin?
Where does it end?
How much detail is enough?
We begin with simple models
of the design process
and look at how they might be expanded
into useful frameworks.
11

12
Process archetype
A process must have input and output. Garbage in; garbage
out. (Good in; good out?) In between, something may hap-
pen—the process—a transformation. Sometimes, the trans-
formation is reducible to a mathematical function. Think
of using Photoshop’s curves function to lighten a photo.
One risk in using this framework is that it neatens a messy
world. It may promote an illusion of linearity and mecha-
nism—of cause and effect.

13
On the infinite expandability of process models
Processes have a fractal quality. You can zoom in or out,
increasing or decreasing abstraction or specificity. You can
add more detail—dividing phases into steps and steps into
sub-steps, almost infinitely. Processes rarely have fixed
beginnings or endings. You can almost always add steps
upstream or downstream.
An important step in managing any process is document-
ing it. That truism implies a process merely needs recording.
But documenting a process is like taking a photograph. The
author chooses where to point the camera—where to begin
mapping the process, where to end, what to put in, what to
leave out, how much detail to include.

14
Design process archetype: Analysis, Synthesis
after Koberg and Bagnall (1972)
of design, two basic stages are necessary. First, we break
the situation or whole problem into parts for examination
(Analysis) and Second, we reassemble the situation based
on our understanding of improvements discovered in our
study (Synthesis).”
“When comparing many different problem-solving approach-
es it becomes necessary to search for their basic abstrac-
tions or common-denominators,” write Koberg and Bagnall.
“If you’ll try it yourself, we’re sure that the two “basic” stages
of analysis and synthesis will emerge; i.e., when consciously
solving problems or when creatively involved in the activity

15
Problem, Solution
after JJ Foreman (1967)
Foreman, like Koberg and Bagnall, casts design as problem-
solving. This stance is typical of the ﬁrst generation of the
design methods movement. Foreman introduces the idea of
needs. He also begins to sub-divide the process.

16
Expanding the two-step process
after Don Koberg and Jim Bagnall (1972)
In their classic book, The Universal Traveler, Koberg and Ba-
gnall (who taught in the College of Environmental Design at
Cal Poly in San Luis Obisbo) expand the archtypal two-step
process to three, then five, and finally to seven steps.
They note “that ‘out of Analysis’ we derive an understanding
or concept that is then followed as a guideline in the rebuild-
ing or Synthesis stage.” Within the book’s “problem-solving”
frame, definition becomes problem definition, and they never
follow up on the idea of definition as concept or parti.
The synthesis phase becomes “ideate, select, implement,”
while the analysis phase remains intact. Finally, they add a
new phase at the beginning and another at the end.

17
Matching process to project complexity
after Jay Doblin (1987)
In his article, “A Short, Grandiose Theory of Design,”
Doblin presents a similar series of expanding processes.
Dobin’s notion of direct and indirect design echos Alexan-
der’s (1962) model of unselfconscious and self-conscious
design. Doblin’s third and fourth processes correspond to
Alexander’s third type of design, mediated design (my title).
(For more on Alexander’s model, see the next page.)

18
Unself-conscious and self-conscious design
after Christopher Alexander (1962)
In Notes on the Synthesis of Form, Alexander (1962)
described three situations in which designing may take
place. In the ﬁrst, a craftsman works directly and unself-
consciously through “a complex two-directional interaction
between the context C1 and the form F1, in the world itself.”
In the second, designing is separate from making. Form is
shaped “by a conceptual picture of the context which
the designer has learned and invented, on the one hand,
and ideas and diagrams and drawings which stand for
forms, on the other.” In the third, the designer also works
self-consciously, this time abstracting and formalizing
representations of the problem and solution so that he and
others may inspect and modify them.

Analysis
synthesis
evaluation
In 1962, Jones proposed this procedure
as a basic framework for design processes.
But what relationship do the steps have?
Are they discrete?
Sequential?
Overlapping?
This section compares several models.
While attention often focuses
on the analysis-synthesis dichotomy,
we might also consider other dichotomies:
serialist versus holist
linear versus lateral
top-down versus bottom-up
agile versus heavy-weight
pliant versus rigid
19

20
Oscillation
We may view the design process as an oscillation of the
designer’s attention between analysis and synthesis. Do
wave-length and amplitude remain constant? Do they vary
over time? What are the beginning and ending conditions?

21
Programming and designing
after William M. Pena and Steven A. Parshall (1969)
This model comes from architecture, where programming
refers not to computers but to a phase of planning that
precedes design of a building. Pena and Parshall quote Web-
ster, “[Programming is] a process leading to the statement of
an architectural problem and the requirements to be met in
offering a solution.” They describe programming as “problem
seeking” and design as “problem solving.”
They note, “Programming IS analysis. Design IS synthesis.”
Pena and Parshall recommend “a distinct separation of pro-
gramming and design.” “The separation of the two is impera-
tive and prevents trial-and-error design alternatives.”

22
Diverge / Converge vs Narrow / Expand
We may just as easily describe the process by reversing
the sequence (narrowing down, expanding out). Analyzing
a problem leads to agreement—to deﬁnition—a convergent
process. At that point, hopefully, the “miracle” of transfor-
mation occurs in which the solution concept arises. Then,
the designer elaborates that concept in greater and greater
detail—a divergent process.
Later, we see this question arise again in the section on
spiral models. Some (Souza) converge on a solution. Others
(Boehm) diverge from a center, suggesting the accumulation
of detail. (See pages 122-125.)
Often designers describe themselves as creating many
options (diverging) and then narrowing down their options
(converging). Alexander (1962) and other designers have
described analysis as a process of breaking a problem into
pieces—of “decomposing” it. Synthesis follows as re-or-
dering the pieces based on dependencies, solving each
sub-piece, and ﬁnally knitting all the pieces back together—
“recombining” the pieces. This decomposition-recombination
process also diverges and then converges.

23
Decomposition / recombination
after VDI 2221 (from Cross 1990)
VDI 2221 mirrors Alexander’s decomposition-recombination
process. Cross wrote, “The VDI Guideline follows a general
systemic procedure of ﬁrst analyzing and understanding the
problem as fully as possible, then breaking this into sub-
problems, ﬁnding suitable sub-solutions and combining
these into an overall solution.”
“This kind of procedure has been criticized in the design
world because it seems to be based on a problem-focused,
rather than a solution-focused approach. It therefore runs
counter to the designer’s traditional ways of thinking.” (For
another view of VDI 2221, see page 32.)

24
Dynamics of divergence and convergence
after Bela H. Banathy (1996)
Banathy’s model illustrates the iterative nature of the design
process, repeating the process of divergence and conver-
gence, analysis and sysnthesis.
In Banathy’s view, “We first diverge as we consider a number
of inquiry boundaries, a number of major design options, and
sets of core values and core ideas. Then we converge,
as we make choices and create an image of the future
system. The same type of divergence-convergence operates
in the design solution space. For each of the substantive
design domains (core definition, specifications, functions,
enabling systems, systemic environment) we first diverge
as we create a number of alternatives for each, and then
converge as we evaluate the alternatives and select the most
promising and most desirable alternative.”

25
Overall, the design process must converge
after Nigel Cross (2000)
Cross notes, “Normally, the overall aim of a design strategy
will be to converge on a ﬁnal, evaluated and detailed design
proposal, but within the process of reaching that ﬁnal design
there will be times when it will be appropriate and necessary
to diverge, to widen the search or to seek new ideas and
starting points.
The overall process is therefore convergent, but it will contain
periods of deliberate divergence.”
Banathy’s and Cross’s models suggest cycles and are similar
to the iterative process of Marcus and Maver (see page 45)
and to the spirals of Boehm and others (see pages 122-125).

26
Gradual shift of focus from analysis to synthesis
after Bill Newkirk (1981)
Bill Newkirk first taught me that synthesis begins at the
very beginning of a design project. Koberg and Bagnall
(1972) suggested that both analysis and synthesis continue
throughout a project. Designers may begin by focusing on
analysis and gradually shift their focus to synthesis.
Lawson (1990) notes, “Most of the maps of the design
process which we have looked at seem to resemble more
closely the non-designer, scientist approach than that of the
architects: first analysis then synthesis. For the designers it
seems, analysis, or understanding the problem is much more
integrated with synthesis, or generating a solution.” He re-
ports studies by Eastman (1970) and Akin (1986) confirming
this view. “Akin actually found that his designers were con-
stantly both generating new goals and redefining constraints.
Thus, for Akin, analysis is a part of all phases of design and
synthesis is found very early in the process.”

27
Problem to solution: sequence, parallel process or loop?
Pena and Parshall (1969), Briggs and Havlick (1976), and
others, particularly in the early phases of the design methods
movement, described problem solving as a sequential activ-
ity. In this model, we must define a problem before we can
solve it.
On the other hand, most people agree that a solution is
inherent in a problem. Having defined a problem, we’ve
defined or at least outlined the solution. Rittel and Webber
(1973) note, “The information needed to understand the
problem depends upon one’s idea for solving it.” (Italics are
theirs.) “Problem understanding and problem resolution are
concomitant to each other.” Attempting to solve a problem
(prototyping) may even improve our understanding of a prob-
lem—and thus change our definition.

28
Walking process
after Lawson (1980)
Bryan Lawson offered this map “with apologies to those
design methodologists who like maps!” He notes that many
models of the design process are “theoretical and prescrip-
tive” rather than descriptions of actual behavior.

Academic models
Many teachers in the design ﬁelds,
engineering, and architecture
have developed models
of the design process
to help their students learn to design.
29

30
generation of a concept by the designer, usually after some
initial exploration of the ill-defined problem space.”
Cross’s model includes communication as a final stage.
Archer (1963) may have been the first to include communi-
cation as an explicit stage in a design process model. (See
page 98.)
Writing from an engineering perspective, Cross developed
this “simple descriptive model of the design process, based
on the essential activities that the designer performs. The
end-point of the process is the communication of a design,
ready for manufacture. Prior to this, the design proposal is
subject to evaluation against the goals, constraints and crite-
ria of the design brief. The proposal itself arises from the
Four stage design process

31
Engineering design process
after Michael J. French (1985)
French also wrote from an engineering perspective. He sug-
gested, “The analysis of the problem is a small but important
part of the overall process. The output is a statement of the
problem, and this can have three elements:
- a statement of the design problem proper
- limitations placed up the solution,
e.g. codes of practice, statutory requirements, customers’
standards, date of completions
- the criterion of excellence to be worked to.”
The conceptual design phase “takes the statement of the
problem and generates broad solutions to it in the form of
schemes. It is the phase that makes the greatest demands
on the designer, and where there is the most scope for strik-
ing improvements. It is the phase where engineering science,
practical knowledge, production methods and commercial
aspects need to be brought together . . .”
In the third phase, “schemes are worked up in greater detail
and, if there is more than one, a ﬁnal choice between them
is made. The end product is usually a set of general ar-
rangement drawings. There is (or should be) a great deal of
feedback from this phase to the conceptual design phase.
In the detailing phase, “a very large number of small but es-
sential points remain to be decided.”

32
VDI stands for Verein Deutscher Ingenieure, the professional
engineering society of Germany. Their guideline 2221 sug-
gests, “The design process, as part of product creation, is
subdivided into general working stages, making the design
approach transparent, rational and independent of a speciﬁc
branch of industry.”
The full process contains much more detail than the diagram
below shows. In practice, the process is less linear than the
diagram implies. “It is important to note that the stages do
not necessarily follow rigidly one after the other. They are
often carried out iteratively, returning to preceding ones, thus
achieving a step-by-step optimization.”
System approach to the design of technical systems and products
after Verein Deutscher Ingenieure (1987)

33
Design process
after Gerhard Pahl and Wolfgang Beitz (1984)
Cross recommends this model as “reasonably comprehen-
sive” but not obscuring “the general structure of the design
process by swamping it in the ﬁne detail of the numerous
tasks and activities that are necessary in all practical design
work.” He seems to refer to Archer’s “Systematic method for
designers”. (See page 98.)

34
Communication involves describing “one or more potential
solutions to people inside or outside the design team.”
Lawson is critical, “it is hardly a map at all. . . . In short, all
this map does is to tell us that designers have to gather
information about a problem, study it, devise a solution and
draw it, though not necessarily in that order.”
Lawson presents this model from the RIBA (Royal Institute of
British Architects) practice and management handbook. Ac-
cording to the handbook, assimilation is “The accumulation
and ordering of general information speciﬁcally related to the
problem in hand.” General study is “The investigation of the
nature of the problem. The investigation of possible solutions
or means of solution.” Development is “reﬁnement of one
or more of the tentative solutions isolated during phase 2.”
Architect’s plan of work (schematic)
after the RIBA Handbook (1965)

35
Architect’s plan of work, (detailed)
The handbook also contains another, more detailed plan of
work occupying 27 pages. The 12 main stages are described
below. Lawson criticizes this model as “a description not of
the process but of the products of that process. . . . It’s also
worth noting that the stages in the Plan of Work are closely
related to the stages of fee payment in the Conditions of
Engagement for Architects. So the Plan of Work may also
seen as part of a business transaction; it tells the client what
he will get, and the architect what he must do rather than
how it is done. In the detailed description of each section
the Plan of Work also describes what each member of the
design team (quantity surveyor, engineers etc) will do, and
how he will relate to the architect; with the architect clearly
portrayed as the manager and leader of this team. This
further reveals the Plan of Work to be part of the architectural
profession’s propaganda exercise to stake a claim as leader
of the multi-disciplinary building design team.”

36
Problem solving process
after George Polya (1945)
In 1945, George Polya wrote How to Solve It, an excellent
little book for students and teachers of mathematics. In it, he
describes a process for solving math problems, though one
might apply his process more generally.
Many in the design methods movement seem to have been
familiar with Polya’s book. Bruce Archer (1963-1964) men-
tions Polya in his booklet, Systemic method for designers.
Likewise, Maldonado and Bonsiepe (1964) also mention
Polya in their article “Science and Design.”
Thus Polya seems to have inﬂuenced the teaching of archi-
tecture, as may be seen in the “scientiﬁc problem solving
process” described on the following page.

37
They write, “the role of the environmental designer is to solve
human environmental problems by the creation and imple-
mentation of optimal physical form. . . . The scientific method
is the central process. [We have] borrowed the scientific
method from the traditional sciences and adapted it for the
development of optimal solutions. Termed the scientific
problem solving design process, it has been utilized to insure
an analytic, systematic, and precise approach to the solution
of man’s environmental malfunctions.”
Briggs and Havlick used this model for teaching design to
undergraduates at the University of Colorado’s College of
Environmental Design. The college’s name implies links to
environmental design faculties at Berkeley, San Luis Obispo,
and Ulm and thus to the design methods movement. Briggs
and Havlick shared the early movement’s desire to cast
design as a science.
Scientific problem solving process
after Cal Briggs and Spencer W. Havlick (1976)

38
THEOC, a model of the scientiﬁc method
THEOC is an acronym for theory, hypothesis, experiment,
observation, conclusion — an easy way to remember an
outline of the scientiﬁc method. It approximates the process
with these steps:
- within a framework of a Theory
- generate a Hypothesis about a phenomenon
- run an Experiment to test the hypothesis
- Observe and record the results
- form a conclusion based on the relation of the observations
to the hypothesis.
- repeat as necessary

39
Claudia L’Amoreaux contributed the models below compar-
ing Maturana’s view of scientific explanation with his view of
the scientific method. L’Amoreaux points out that “Maturana
shows you not only don’t need objectivity to do science, you
can’t be objective. While the traditional pose of scientific
objectivity may be fine in some areas, we cannot understand
perception and the nervous system within that framework.”
Nor can we understand design that way.
Maturana writes, “scientific explanations are not valid in
themselves, they are generative mechanisms accepted as
valid as long as the criterion of validation in which
they are embedded is fulfilled.”
“What do we explain?
We explain our experiences. . . .”
“What do we explain?
We explain our experiences
with the coherences of our experiences.
We explain our living with the coherences of our living.
Explanations are not so in themselves;
explanations are interpersonal relations.”
Criteria of Validation of Scientific Explanations (CVSE)
after Humberto Maturana (1987)

40
According to the Buckminster Fuller Institute, Fuller began
formulating his theory of a comprehensive anticipatory de-
sign science as early as 1927. In 1950, he outlined a course,
which he taught at MIT in 1956 as part of the Creative Engi-
neering Laboratory. Students included engineers, industrial
designers, materials scientists, and chemists, representing
research and development corporations from across
the country.
The assertion that design is a science was most power-
fully articulated by Carnegie vv Herbert Simon (1969) in The
Sciences of the Artiﬁcial. Simon’s view is no longer fashion-
able. Most academic designers remain within Schools of Art.
Some, such as Banathy (1996), suggest design is a third way
of knowing distinct from the humanities and the sciences.
Comprehensive anticipatory design science
after Buckminster Fuller (1950?)

41
Design process and practice
after Richard Buchannan (1997)
Buchannan has a PhD in rhetoric and has taught design
for many years—also at Carnegie Mellon. Below, he pro-
vides a practical model for students. Note the repetition of
research, scenario building, and visualization in the three
middle phases.

42
Lawson, an architect, compares the creative process to the
design process. “The period of ‘first insight’ (Kneller 1965)
simply involves the recognition that a problem exists and a
commitment is made to solving it. This period may itself last
for many hours, days or even years. The formulation of the
problem may often be a critical phase in design situations.
As we have seen, design problems are rarely initially entirely
clear and much effort has to be expended in understanding
them thoroughly.
The next phase of ‘preparation’ involves much conscious
effort to develop an idea for solving the problem. (MacKinnon
1976) As with our maps of the design process it is recog-
nized that there may be much coming and going between
these first two phases as the problem is reformulated or even
completely redefined.
Yet all these writers emphasize here that this period of prepa-
ration involves deliberate hard work and is then frequently
followed by a period of ‘incubation’ which involves no appar-
ent effort, but which is often terminated by the emergence of
an idea (‘illumination’).
Some authors (MacKinnon 1976) explain this as unconscious
cerebration during the incubation period. The thinker is
unwittingly reorganizing and re-examining all his previous de-
liberate thoughts. Other writers suggest that by withdrawing
from the problem the thinker is then able to return with fresh
attitudes and approaches which may prove more productive
than continuing his initial thought development.
Once the idea has emerged all writers agree upon a final
period of conscious verification in which the outline idea is
tested and developed.”
Creative process
after Bryan Lawson (1980)

43
Primary generator
after Jane Darke (1978)
Lawson (1990) reports on Darke’s ﬁnding that at least some
architects begin the design process with a simple idea or
“primary generator”. “Thus, a very simple idea is used to nar-
row down the range of possible solutions, and the designer
is then able rapidly to construct and analyze a scheme. Here
again, we see this very close, perhaps inseparable, relation
between analysis and synthesis.”
Lawson suggests Darke’s model was anticipated by Hiller
et al (1972). Lawson summarizes Darke’s model, “In plain
language, ﬁrst decide what you think might be an important
aspect of the problem, develop a crude design on this basis
and examine it to see what else you can discover about the
problem.” Note the similarity to “hacking” in software devel-
opment.

44
Based on Darke’s research, Lawson suggests a looping
relationship between brief and analysis. One of the architects
Darke interviewed described the process, “. . . a brief comes
about through essentially an ongoing relationship between
what is possible in architecture and what you want to do,
and everything you do modifies your idea of what is possible
. . . you can’t start with a brief and [then] design, you have to
start designing and briefing simultaneously, because these
two activities are completely interrelated.” (For another take
on this idea, see page 26.) Lawson points out that this may
be one reason “clients often seem to find it easier to commu-
nicate their wishes by reacting to and criticizing a proposed
design, than by trying to draw up an abstract comprehensive
performance specification.”
Design process

45
Design process
after Thomas A. Marcus (1969) and Thomas W Maver (1970)
Typically, in design process models evaluation follows
analysis and synthesis. Marcus and Maver substitute deci-
sion, casting the design process as a series of decisions.
They layer these decisions in three levels, outline proposals,
scheme design, and detail design. This iterative structure is
similar to that proposed by Banathy (1996) and Cross (2000).
(See pages 24 and 25.) It’s also similar to Boehm’s spiral.
(See page 122.) The three-level, four-step structure of this
model anticipates the structure of the AIGA model on the
next spread.

47
Process of designing solutions
after Clement Mok and Keith Yamashita (2003)
American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) president Clement
Mok enlisted Keith Yamashita to help the organization help
graphic designers explain what they do. Mok and Yamashita
produced a cheery little book describing a 12-step process
in which designers are “catalysts” for change.
The book casts design in terms of problem solving,
yet it also promises innovation.

48
Case study, using the AIGA process in Iraq
by Nathan Felde
AIGA has tried to use its 12-step model as a structure for
organizing case studies. Nathan Felde provided an example.

49
What the AIGA didn’t tell you
by Nathan Felde
Felde also offered an alternative version of the 12-step
process, acknowledging aspects of the AIGA’s function
(and that of other professional organizations) which few
bring up in public.

51
Design, build, test
after Alice Agogino (1 of 3)
This model is the first in a series of three developed by
Alice Agogino for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at
California Institute of Technology. Agogino is a professor of
mechanical engineering at UC Berkeley.
In the first step, Agogino presents a variation on the
classic goal-action feedback loop. (See page 117.)
Of course, design-build-test is also analogous to define-
prototype-evaluate. (See facing page.)

52
Design, build, test
In the second step, Agogino places the original design-build-
test process in the context of a larger project.

53
Design, build, test
In the last step, Agogio adds feedback loops with early tests
of models in order to “ﬁnd errors faster.”

54
Mechanical engineering design process
after students at UC Berkeley Institute of Design (BID)
Agogino sometimes asks her students to diagram the design
process—an interesting way to begin to understand how stu-
dents (and others) understand things. Below is an example
from one of her classes.

55
New product development process
after Steven D. Eppinger and Karl T. Ulrich (1995)
Alice Agogino introduced me to Eppinger and Ulrich’s model
of the product development process. It provides a useful
outline, but does not capture the “messy” iteration typical of
much product development work.

57
Design process
after John Chris Jones (1970)
Along with Christopher Alexander and Bruce Archer, John
Chris Jones was one of the pioneers of the design methods
movement. Jones ﬁrst published Design Methods in 1970.
He included several models of design and the design pro-
cess. I have included three in this section.
Jones used the model below for classifying and selecting
design methods. Designers might use one or more meth-
ods to move from one step to another. Jones notes that
the steps decrease in generality and increase in certainty.
Jones also provides a scale for describing the applicable
range of a method. (See the left side of the diagram.) We
may also apply his scale to the scope of problem being un-
dertaken. In this way, Jones’s scale is similar to the models
of design scope described by Doblin and Alexander. (See
pages 17-18.)

58
Value analysis
Jones described value analysis as a design method, one
aimed “to increase the rate at which designing and manufac-
turing organizations learn to reduce the cost of a product.”
He saw it as applying to the design of an element within a
larger system. Yet his value analysis process (as he dia-
grammed it) is itself a sort of design process—albeit with a
special emphasis on cost. This example of a design process-
nested within a design process nicely illustrates the recursive
nature of designing.

59
Man-machine system designing
Jones also described man-machine system designing as a
design method, one aimed “to achieve internal compatibility
between the human and machine components of a system,
and external compatibility between the system and the envi-
ronment in which it operates.”
This method, too, is a sort of design process. Jones notes
“the diagram should not be taken to imply a linear sequence
of stages. The speciﬁcations in each box can be attended to
in any order and will require many cross-references before
they are complete.” He suggests deliberately reversing “the
traditional sequence of machine-ﬁrst-people-second” design.
He proposes beginning with training procedures, working out
the man-machine interface, and then designing the machine
to support the desired training and interface.

60
Eight phases of a project
Sometimes presented as six phases of a project
People have passed variations of this project parody around
for years. Lawson sites an example seen on a wall of the
Greater London Council Architects Department in 1978.
More recently, Harold Kerzner offered the variation below.
One reason these parodies are popular may be that they
contain a large measure of truth.

Consultant models
A few consultancies publish their processes.
Some ﬁrms see their processes
as a competitive advantage
and thus keep them proprietary.
Some ﬁrms operate without processes,
but who would admit such a thing?
61

62
4D software process
and variations
Define Design Develop Deploy
Define Design Develop Deploy Debrief Imirage
Define Design Develop Deploy Dedicate Bonns
Define Design Develop Deploy Do Business Q4-2
Define Design Develop Deploy Enhance Satoria
Define Design Develop Deploy Maintain Chris Brauer
Diagnose Define Design Develop Deploy Muirmedia
Discover Define Design Develop Deploy D5tech et al.
Discover Define Design Develop Deploy Defend Dillon Group
Discover Define Design Develop Deploy Denouement Cris Ippolite
Engagement Discovery Define Design Develop Deploy Team 1
Plan Define Design Develop Deploy Conclude Proxicom
Analyze Define Design Develop Deploy Assess Maintain Hbirbals
Define Design Develop Test Deploy Manage Borland
Inform Define Detail Design Develop Deploy Phoenix Pop
The 4D software process, (define, design, develop, deploy)
gained wide popularity among consultants developing web-
sites during the internet boom. One company, Information
Systems of Florida (SF) claims to have trademarked the
four steps. The phrase is useful as a mnemonic device,
but the wide range of variations suggests something is
missing, for example, feedback and iteration. Author and
date unknown.

63
IT consulting process overview
after Mindtree Consulting
Mindtree places the 4D process in a larger context, linking
each step to deliverables and related processes. The pairing
of process steps and deliverables in a matrix is an important
and recurring framework or archetype.

64
Other models
Studio Archetype, 1998
Definition Concept Creation Implementation
Cheskin, 2004
Discover Identify Validate Articulate
Frog, 2004
Product Lifecycle Phases
Conceptual Design Detailed Design Procurement/Production Operations/Support
Product Design
Project Definition Product Definition Product Development Product Engineering Production
Brand & Space Process
Investigation Concept Development Concept Refinement/Validation Implementation
Digital Media Process
Investigation Exploration Definition Implementation Integration/Testing Launch
This page presents a sampling of design process models
from leading consultancies. They resemble the 4D model.
On the facing page is IDEO’s design process as described
in Business Week. IDEO is a large (by design standards)
multidisciplinary design consultancy.

66
As proposed by the project sponsor As speciﬁed in the project request
As designed by the senior analyst As produced by the programmers
As installed at the user’s site What the user wanted

Software
development
models
Development processes
remain a topic of heated discussion
in the software development world.
This section provides an overview
of some of the prominent models.
67

68
Waterfall lifecycle
after Philippe Kruchten (2004)
The essence of the “waterfall” approach is getting one stage
“right” before moving on to the next. Output (a “deliverable
document”) from one phase serves as input (requirements)
to the next phase. Kruchten noted, “Of paramount impor-
tance for certain projects is the issue of freezing the require-
ments specifications (together with some high-level design)
in a contractual arrangement very early in the lifecycle, prior
to engaging in more thorough design and implementation
work. This is the case when an organization has to bid a
firm, fixed price for a project.” Per Kroll (2004) noted, “Many
design teams would view modifying the design after Stage 1
as a failure of their initial design or requirements process.”
Kroll admitted, “In practice, most teams use a modified
waterfall approach, breaking a project down into two or more
parts, sometimes called phases or stages. This helps to
simplify integration, get testers testing earlier, and provide an
earlier reading on project status. This approach also breaks
up the code into manageable pieces and minimizes the inte-
gration code . . .”
According to Kruchten, “we inherited the waterfall lifecycle
from other engineering disciplines, where it has proven very
effective. It was first formally described by Winston Royce
in 1970.”

69
Rational Unified Process (RUP)
after Phillippe Kruchten (2003)
RUP follows an “iterative” lifecycle—as opposed to the “wa-
terfall” lifecycle—“developing in iterations that encompass
the activities of requirements analysis, design, implementa-
tion, integration, and tests. One of the best descriptions is in
Professor Barry Boehm’s paper on the “spiral” model. You
can summarize it with the catch phrase, ‘Analyze a little,
design a little, test a little, and loop back.’” (For more on
Boehm’s model, see page 122.)
Kruchten noted, “The process has two structures or,
if you prefer, two dimensions:
- The horizontal dimension represents time and shows the
lifecycle aspects of the process as it unfolds.
- A vertical dimension represents core process disciplines
(or workflows), which logically group software engineering
activities by their nature.”
Rational Software was an independent developer purchased
by IBM in 2003. Rational (and later IBM) developed and
sold a suite of software development tools built around the
Rational Unified Process (RUP). RUP was designed using the
Unified Modeling Language (UML) and has as its underlying
object model, the Unified Software Process Model (USPM).

70
Extreme Programming (XP) Process
after Don Wells (2000)
Kent Beck, founder of Extreme Programming, has described
how he created XP in 1996. Chrysler asked him to put a
payroll system project back on track. When they called him,
eighteen months into the project, the system still couldn’t
print a check. Three weeks later, Beck had them print their
ﬁrst one. “Up until then I believed better programming
would solve all the world’s ills. Yes, you can screw up the
programming so badly you kill the project. Usually, however,
the problem concerns relationships between the business
people and the programmers, the budget process, poor
communications—factors unrelated to the programming.
The context in which the software development takes place
proves as important to the project’s success as the program-
ming itself.”
At its core, XP is a simple process of experimentation and
improvement: Divide a project into “iterations”; in each itera-
tion, implement a few new features called “stories”; for each
story, write “acceptance tests” to demonstrate the story
meets customer expectations. Alan Cooper, however, argues

71
XP is not a design process—because it includes no mecha-
nism for understanding user goals. (For more on Cooper, see
pages 86-91.)
The models below are nested. The ﬁrst one shows the whole
project; the second “zooms in” on iteration; the third “zooms
in” on development; and the fourth on collective code
ownership. At the center of the last diagram is pair program-
ming, one of the primary distinguishing features of XP. Two
programmers work together at a single computer. Beck
claims this increases quality. It has to be a lot more fun than
coding alone. (For another model of extreme programming,
see page 127.)

72
V model
Paul Rock (~1980), IABG (1992)
The principle characteristic of the V model seems to be that
it weights testing equally with design and development.
Goldsmith and Graham (2002) note, “In fact, the V Model
emerged in reaction to some waterfall models that showed
testing as a single phase following the traditional develop-
ment phases . . . The V Model portrays several distinct test-
ing levels and illustrates how each level addresses a different
stage of the lifecycle. The V shows the typical sequence of
development activities on the left-hand (downhill) side and
the corresponding sequence of test execution activities on
the right-hand (uphill) side”
Accounts of this model’s origin vary. According to Gold-
smith and Graham, “Initially deﬁned by the late Paul Rook
in the late 1980s, the V was included in the U.K.’s National
Computing Centre publications in the 1990s with the aim
of improving the efﬁciency and effectiveness of software
development.” But according to Morton Hirschberg, formerly
of the Army Research Laboratory, “The V Model is a series
of General Directives (250, 251, and 252) that prescribe or
describe the procedures, methods to be applied, and the
functional requirements for tools to be used in developing
software systems for the German Federal Armed Forces.”

73
Joint Application Development (JAD)
after Jane Wood and Denise Silver (1995)
JAD sessions (sometimes jam sessions) are intensive work-
shops, usually three to five days long, in which various levels
of users meet with developers to hammer out requirements
for a system. Typically consultants use the process to quickly
lock down user requirements for automation projects—so
they can minimize the time needed to define requirements
and work within a fixed bid.
According to Carmel et al (1993), “JAD was conceived by
Chuck Moris and Tony Crawford of IBM in 1977. The JAD
approach was loosely derived from another IBM methodol-
ogy—BSP (Business Systems Planning). The first JAD meet-
ings . . . used the same basic JAD concepts still used today:
user participant meetings, magnetic visual displays, and
careful documentations of the meeting.”

74
PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge)
PMI (Project Management Institute) (1987)
Charbonneau wrote, “The PMBOK describes a set of gener-
ally accepted practices that PM practitioners can use to
manage all types of projects, including software develop-
ment and deployment projects.
The PMBOK defines a project as ‘a temporary endeavor
undertaken to create a unique product or service.’ It defines
PM as ‘the application of knowledge, skills, tools, and tech-
niques to project activities to meet project requirements.’
The PMBOK presents [thirty-nine] PM practices in logi-
cal groupings. One dimension describes [nine]‘knowledge
areas’ while the other dimension describes project manage-
ment processes split into five process groups.” The process
groups are shown in the model below.

75
ISO 13407 Human-centered design processes for interactive systems
Tom Stewart et al. (1999)
“ISO 13407 provides guidance on achieving quality in use
by incorporating user centered design activities throughout
the life cycle of interactive computer-based systems. It des-
cribes user centered design as a multi-disciplinary activity,
which incorporates human factors and ergonomics knowl-
edge and techniques with the objective of enhancing effec-
tiveness and productivity, improving human working condi-
tions, and counteracting the possible adverse effects of use
on human health, safety and performance.”

76
User-centered design process (UCD)
after Karel Vredenburg (2003)
Vredenburg describes this “simpliﬁed generic description of
the design process” as follows: “The design process starts
with the collection of relevant market deﬁnition information
to answer the basic question, ‘Who do we think will use this
offering?’ This involves understanding the target markets,
types of users, prime competitors, market trends, high level
needs and preferences, and so forth. Next, detailed informa-
tion is collected from representative users within the target
markets to understand their goals and tasks to answer the
question, ‘What are they looking for?’ Following this, we
attempt to understand how the tasks described in the prior
step are carried out today either with a competitor’s product
or an analog method. This answers the question, ‘What else
is out there?’
At this point, conceptual design of the user experience
starts, and early feedback is gathered from users, answering
the question, ‘How’s this for starters?’ This leads to several
cycles of iterative detailed design and user feedback through
design evaluation and validation sessions, answering the
questions, ‘Does this work?’ and ‘What would make it bet-
ter?’ At the end of the development cycle, a user feedback
benchmark assessment session is conducted to answer the
question, ‘How do we stack up?’”

77
Relation of UCD to IPD and Business Management
The model below illustrates how User Centered Design
(UCD) ﬁts into IBM’s integrated product development pro-
cess (IPD) and to its overall business management process.
Vredenburg noted, “Developing a new process and further
enhancing it is only one component, albeit an important one,
in the overall strategy of building ease of use into the total
user experience at IBM. Organizations need to be enabled
to carry out new processes and be provided with leadership
and guidance while executing them.
UCD is a core enabling process in the overall integrated
product development (IPD) process, which is the business
checkpoint mechanism used for all funding and project-
milestone reviews within IBM. Having UCD and UE included
directly in the corporate-wide IPD process ensures that deci-
sions made about an offering will be required to take UCD
and UE information into account.”
Vredenburg also noted creating new corporate-wide posi-
tions, development of education and training, communica-
tions, and collaboration programs, and provision of tools and
technology as part of IBM’s strategy for integrating UCD.

78
Sun Sigma Framework
DMADV methodology for new products

79
Sun Sigma Framework
DMAIC methodology for improving existing products

80
Sun Product Lifecycle (PLC)
Sun Software Development Framework (SDF)
“Mapped” processes for product instances

81
“Mapped” processes for product lines

Complex linear
models
Most of models of the design process
have three to seven steps.
If they contain more steps,
they’re typically organized into a tree
with three to seven major steps.
This may be another function
of George Miller’s famous “Magic Number 7.”
The next section includes
some very detailed models.
82

83
Vanguard Group
The model on the following spread comes from the design
team at the Vanguard Group. So far as I know, they have not
published it.

84
Web development process
after Vanguard Group (circa 1999)

86
Alan Cooper
Few people are good computer programmers and also good
interaction designers. Alan Cooper is one. Cooper’s favorite
topic is what’s wrong with the software that increasingly fills
our lives and how it came to be so bad. He holds forth on
the subject in two books, About Face: The Essentials of User
Interface Design (1995) and The Inmates Are Running the
Asylum: Why High-Tech Products Drive Us Crazy and How to
Restore the Sanity (1999).
In summary, Cooper’s argument is as follows: In software,
the cost of adding one more new feature is almost nothing;
no additional material or manufacturing costs restrain feature
creep. The trouble is: Each additional feature makes the
product more complicated to understand and more difficult
to use.
In the traditional software development process, many
people inside a company—and oftentimes customers as
well—ask for features. Thus, a list of features often becomes
the de facto product plan. Programmers make this approach
worse by picking or negotiating their way through the list,
often trading features for time. In such a process, Cooper
points out, it’s hard to know when a product is complete.
Cooper advocates five significant changes to conventional
methods of software development in his goal-directed de-
sign process:
1) Design first, program second.
2) Separate responsibility for design from responsibility
for programming.
3) Hold designers responsible for product quality and
user satisfaction.
4) Invent on specific user for your product—a persona.
Give that user a name and an environment and derive
his or her goals.
5) Work in teams of two: designer and design communicator
I developed the diagrams that follow based on a series of
conversations with Cooper and members of his staff, includ-
ing Dave Cronin, David Fore, Kim Goodwin, Jonathan Kor-
man, and Robert Reimann. The first two were first published
in the AIGA journal, Gain. The second two have not been
published previously.

87
Evolution of the software development process
after Alan Cooper (2001)
In 1975, Cooper borrowed $10,000 from his dad and started
a company with his high-school friend, Keith Parsons. They
began writing and selling software for personal computers.
The diagram below describes the evolution of the software
development process from the beginning of the personal
computer industry to the present, as Cooper saw it.

88
Goal-directed design process

90
Idealized process of developing buildings
Since high school, architecture has fascinated Cooper. His
view of how architecture should be practiced provides a
model for how he believes software development should be
practiced. Cooper organized the process of developing a
building into three domains: architecture, engineering, and
construction. In his view, architects determine what the
building will be like (how it will “behave”). Based on the archi-
tect’s plans, engineers determine how to make the building
stand up. And ﬁnally, the builders execute the architect’s and
engineer’s plans. Obviously, architects serve their clients and
consult with engineers and builders on what is possible and
practical.

91
Idealized process of developing software
After Alan Cooper (2004)
Following his ideal model of architecture, Cooper advocated
organizing the process of developing software into three
domains: interaction design, engineering, and programming.
Interaction designers determine what the software will be like
(how it will “behave”). Based on the interaction designer’s
plans, engineers determine how to make the software work
by writing many very short test programs—but no final code.
And finally, the programmers write real code to execute
the interaction designer’s and engineer’s plans. Here too,
Cooper acknowledges the need for feedback—for interac-
tion designers to observe users to understand their goals, to
consult with engineers to understand what’s possible, and
finally to consult with programmers to answer questions as
they program.
Cooper distinguishes engineers from programmers. Ac-
cording to him, engineers like to figure out how to solve
problems. They like to create and don’t want to be told what
to do. Programmers, he suggested, don’t like ambiguity.
They like to code and simply want to know what the code
is suppose to do. Cooper warned, putting an engineer in a
programming job or a programmer in an engineering job is a
recipe for unhappiness.

92
Morris Asimow
Asimow defines morphology of design as “the study of the
chronological structure of design projects.” He notes, “Each
design-project has an individual history which is peculiarly its
own. Nonetheless, as a project is initiated and developed, a
sequence of events unfolds in a chronological order forming
a pattern which, by and large, is common to all projects.” He
continues, “Design is a progression from the abstract to the
concrete. (This gives a vertical structure to a design project.)
. . . Design is [also] an iterative problem-solving process.
(This gives a horizontal structure to each design step.)”
Asimow defines the phases of a project (vertical) as
- Feasibility study
- Preliminary design
- Detailed design
- Planning for production
- Planning for distribution
- Planning for consumption
- Planning for retirement
He likened the design process (horizontal) to “the general
problem solving process,” describing these steps”
- analysis
- synthesis
- evaluation
- decision
- optimization
- revision
- implementation
In Introduction to Design, Asimow devotes more than 50
pages to describing engineering design and the design
process. He defines engineering design as “a purposeful
activity directed toward the goal of fulfilling human needs,
particularly those which can be met by the technological fac-
tors of our culture. . . . As a profession, Engineering is largely
concerned with design. What distinguishes the objects of
engineering design from those of other design activities is
the extent to which technological factors must contribute to
their achievement.”
Asimow, like Alexander, Jones, and Doblin, distinguishes
craft-based design, “design by evolution,” from “design by
innovation.” He notes, “Now more frequently than ever in the
past, products are designed de novo,” and suggests this cre-
ates greater risk and complexity and thus implies the need
for new design tools (the subject of his book.)
According to Rowe (1987), Asimow was “an industrial en-
gineer prominent in the 1950s and 1960s.” Two years after
Asimow first published his model, Tomas Maldonado and
Gui Bonsiepe introduced it to the design and architecture
community, including it in their seminal article “Science and
Design” published in the journal, Ulm 10/11 (1964).

93
Morphology of design (1 of 3)
after Morris Asimow (1962)

94

95

96
Bruce Archer
Cross (1984) notes, “One of the first tasks attempted by the
design methodologists was the development of new, sys-
tematic design procedures.” He calls out four authors as es-
pecially important: Jones, Alexander, Archer, and Rittel. (For
more on Jones, see pages 56-59; for more on Alexander, see
page 18.) This section presents three models from Archer.
(Rittel came to see design as a process of argumentation
aimed at coming to agreement on goals; as far as I know, he
presented no staged or procedural models of design.)
Archer taught at both the Royal College of Art (RCA) in
London and the Hochschule für Gestaltung in Ulm (HfG Ulm).
Rowe (1987) notes that at Ulm, “speculation moved beyond
description and explanation of design behavior and into the
realm of idealization. Not only was the possibility of a ‘scien-
tific’ and totally objective approach toward design seriously
entertained, it became a goal in itself. A confident sense of
rational determinism prevailed; the whole process of de-
sign, it was believed, could be clearly and explicitly stated,
relevant data gathered, parameters established, and an ideal
artifact produced.”
Archer’s statements about the design process contradict
Rowe’s critique, “The fact is that being systematic is not nec-
essarily synonymous with being automated.” Archer contin-
ues, “When all has been said and done about defining design
problems and analyzing design data, there still remains the
real crux of the act of designing—the creative leap from
pondering the question to finding a solution. . . . If we accept
that value judgments cannot be the same for all people, for
all places or all time, then it follows that neither the designer
nor his client (nor, eventually, the user) can abdicate the re-
sponsibility for setting up his own standards. Similarly, there
is no escape for the designer from the task of getting his own
creative ideas. After all, if the solution to a problem arises
automatically and inevitably from the interaction of the data,
then the problem is not, by definition, a design problem.”

97
Biological sequence of problem solving
after Bruce Archer (1963-1964)
Archer notes the similarity of biological response mecha-
nisms and problem solving in computer programming and
design. And he explicitly links these processes to cybernet-
ics.
“The study of control mechanisms of living organisms is
called cybernetics. In recent times, designers of highly
complicated control systems for machine tools, aeroplanes,
rockets and remote controlled instruments have turned to
cybernetics for inspiration.”
“A further line of thinking which does not quite fall into this
pattern but which has contributed to the development of
systematic methods for designers is the ‘heuristic’. an
ancient philosophical study of the method of intellectual
discovery which has been revitalized recently by Professor
[George] Polya of Stanford University, USA.”
“The method for solving design problems set out in this ar-
ticle owes something to both the heuristic and the cybernetic
approaches.” (See Polya’s model on page 36. See models
from cybernetics on pages 117-118.)

98
Basic design procedure
This diagram was reprinted in the journal Ulm (1964) and
several other places, e.g., Cross (1984, 2000) and Rowe
(1987). Archer proposed this model as representative of an
emerging “common ground” within the “science of design
method” even while acknowledging continuing “differences”.
Regarding the procedure, he points out, “In practice, the
stages are overlapping and often confused, with frequent
returns to early stages when difﬁculties are encountered and
obscurities found.”
He continues, “The practice of design is thus a very compli-
cated business, involving contrasting skills and a wide ﬁeld
of disciplines. It has always required an odd kind of hybrid to
carry it out successfully. The more sophisticated the de-
mands of function and marketing become, the harder the job
of the designer will get. Already it has become too compli-
cated for the designer to be able to hold all the factors in his
mind at once.”

114
Seven-step process as a cascade with feedback
In this model, Koberg and Bagnall have added feedback
to their seven-stage model. (See page 16.) They note “one
stage need not follow another . . . It is also possible that the
stages can be considered in other ways . . . It could be cir-
cular . . . Others see it as a constant feedback system where
you never go forward without always looping back to check
on yourself; where one progresses by constant backward
relationships; and where the stages of the process advance
somewhat concurrently until some strong determining vari-
able terminates the process (time, money, energy, etc.)”
Koberg and Bagnall go on to describe alternatives: viewing
the design process as a branching system, and then as a
“horse race” where each stage proceeds concurrently rather
than a “mule train” where each stage proceeds one after the
next. Finally, they note, “Process never ends . . . its ultimate
model is the spiral, a continuum of sequential round trips
that go on ad inﬁnitum.”

Cyclic models
We tend to think of a process
in terms of steps—as a sequence.
But designers require feedback,
and most design processes
include feedback loops.
In this section we examine models
emphasizing feedback
and continuous improvement.
115

116
Process with feedback (archetype)
This simple model recalls our ﬁrst process model. (See page
12.) What’s added is a feedback loop. More precisely, some
of the output signal is split off and “fed back” into the input
signal.
This happens all the time in design—at many levels. (See
the previous spread.) We should be careful not to mistake
this schematic diagram (or circuit diagram) for the actual
design process. I include it here to underscore the impor-
tance of feedback in designing.

117
Goal-action-feedback loops
after Pangaro (2002)
Paul Pangaro describes feedback loops in terms of a goal-
action-effect-measurement cycle. In this model, a system
acts to accomplish a goal within its environment. The system
measures the effect its actions have on the environment and
compares the effect to its goal. Then the system looks for
errors and acts (or re-acts) to correct them. By repeating the
cycle, the system converges on a goal or maintains a steady
state. Feedback is the information loop ﬂowing from the sys-
tem through the environment and back into the system. (For
example, a boat pilot tacking to reach port or a thermostat
turning a heater on and then off.)
Designers follow this cycle. They have goals, act to accom-
plish them, and measure their results to see if they meet their
goals—goal-action-feedback. We’ve seen several analogs of
this process—deﬁne-prototype-evaluate and design-build-
test. (See pages 50-51.)
Feedback is a central subject of cybernetics, the science of
goal-directed systems. Cybernetics has much to teach us
about fundamental structures of design.

118
Second-order feedback loops
measures the room temperature and decides whether to
raise or lower the set-point on the thermostat.)
As we’ve seen, designing involves not only achieving goals
but also defining them. Thus we may improve our model of
designing by nesting our original feedback loop within a sec-
ond feedback loop. See the next page for an example.
The model on the previous page assumes a constant goal.
That is, it provides no mechanism for changing or refining
the system’s goal. Typically, such systems are mechanical
(or electronic) and require humans to set their goals. (For
example, defining the set-point for a thermostat.) The human
creates a second loop in which the “action” is setting the
goal of the first loop. (Like the thermostat, the human also

119
Bootstrapping or improving improvement
after Douglas Engelbart (1992)
In 1992, Douglas Engelbart offered “an optimized bootstrap-
ping approach for drastically improving on any organization’s
already existing improvement processes.”
According to his foundation, Bootstrap.org, the process
works as follows, “Referring to an organization’s principal
work as an A-activity and to ordinary efforts at process im-
provement as a B-activity, he denotes bootstrapping as a C-
activity, which is an improving of the improvement process.
His paper ‘Toward High-Performance Organizations: A Stra-
tegic Role for Groupware’ argues that highest payoff comes
from engaging in that C-activity.”
Levels A, B, and C are analogous to ﬁrst-, second-, and
third-order feedback loops.

120
Product development process
after Stuart Pugh (1990)
Pugh published this model in his book, Total Design: Inte-
grated Methods for Successful Product Engineering. His
reasons for presenting it as a cylinder are not clear from
the diagram itself.

121
Iconic model of the design process
after Mihajlo D. Mesarovic (1964)
In this model, Mesarovic employs a helix as the central struc-
ture, suggesting both a repeated cycle of steps and progress
through time.
Peter Rowe (1987) notes that Mesarovic’s model is similar
in structure to Asimow’s. (See pages 92-95.) “Throughout
this kind of account runs the assumption that it is possible
to discriminate distinct phases of activity and, further more,
that such distinctions have relevance to our understanding of
design.” Rowe continues, “The very maintenance of distinct
phases of activity, with a beginning and an end, and with
feedback loops among them, requires that objective per-
formance criteria can be explicitly stated in a manner that
fundamentally guides the procedure. Moreover, there is a
strong implication that the eventual synthesis of information
in the form of some designed object follows in a straightfor-
ward fashion from analysis of the problem at hand together
with likely performance criteria. Therefore, once a problem
has been deﬁned, its solution is made directly accessible in
terms of that deﬁnition.” Rowe describes this view as “be-
haviorist” and also links it to “operations research”.

122
Boehm represented repeating cycles of design with a spiral
path moving away from a center starting point.
In addition to the spiral shape, Boehm introduces a focus on
risk reduction. Gary Schmidt of Washburn University offers
this description of Boehm’s model, “The radial dimension of
the model represents the cumulative costs when ﬁnishing the
steps. The angular dimension represents the progress made
in completing each cycle. Each loop of the spiral from x-axis
clockwise through 360 represents one phase. One phase is
split roughly into four sectors of major activities
- Objective setting
- Risk assessment and reduction
- Development and validation
- Planning the next phases”
Spiral model of software development
after Barry Boehm (1986)

123
BodyMedia product development process
after Chris Pacione (2002)
In his book, What Is Web Design?, Nico MacDonald (2003)
published a similar model Pacione developed for his compa-
ny, BodyMedia. MacDonald notes, “The model requires that
the product must be the right thing to make, posits designers
as synthesizers and indicates the relationship with users is
on-going.” Note also Pacione’s variation on the 4Ds—in this
case deﬁne-design-delve-determine. (See page 62.)

124
Souza also used a spiral path to represent repeating cycles
in the design process. In Boehm’s model, the spiral travels
out from the center suggesting—though perhaps not inten-
tionally—that the process diverges. Traveling outward could
also suggest adding increasing amounts of detail. In Souza’s
model, the path travels in toward the center suggesting the
process converges on a goal.
Design process
after Paul Souza (1996)

125
Innovation planning
after Vijay Kumar (2003)
Kumar presented this model at the 2003 HITS Conference
(Humans, Interaction, Technology, Strategy) in Chicago. He
described modes of planning (rather than steps) emphasizing
the iterative and interconnected nature of the design pro-
cess. He has also mapped tools and methods onto each of
the modes. He spoke of innovation as the jump from insight
to concept—from aha to eureka—describing it as a revela-
tion, magic, genius, intuition, a hunch.
Kumar teaches at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s Insti-
tute of Design; his teaching and research includes a focus
on understanding innovation.

126
Rational Unified Process iteration cycle
after Per Kroll (2004)
Iteration is a central principle of the Rational unified process.
Kroll notes, “Each iteration includes some or most of the
development disciplines (requirements, analysis, design,
implementation and [testing activities]. Each iteration also
has a well-defined set of objectives and produces a partial
working implementation of the final system. And each suc-
cessive iteration builds on the work of previous iterations
to evolve and refine the system until the final product is
complete. Early iterations emphasize requirements as well as
analysis and design; later iterations emphasize implementa-
tion and testing.”
Knoll suggests four principles:
1. Build functional prototypes early.
2. Divide the detailed design, implementation and test
phases into iterations.
3. Baseline an executable architecture early on.
4. Adopt an iterative and risk-driven management process.
Kroll is director of the Rational Unified Process development
and product management teams at IBM. (For another model
of RUP, see page 67.)

127
Extreme programming planning/feedback loops
Extremeprogramming.org published this hypertext model
depicting nested feedback loops within the XP development
process. The length of each loop increases from bottom to
top of the model. The model also serves as a sort of table of
contents for key ideas in extreme programming. (For other
models of extreme programming, see pages 70-71.)

128
after Atila Ertas and Jesse C. Jones (1996)
This model is interesting in its use of the gear metaphor.
Did the authors intend to frame design as a mechanical pro-
cess? It’s also unusual to see a model begin with synthesis—
or include “materials selection” at the same level of abstrac-
tion. The inclusion of the six considerations or constraints is
also unusual.

129
Product development process: overview
after Hewlett Packard (circa 2000)
Loops or circular layouts are curiously rare in design process
models—with the notable exception of the PDCA cycle on
the next page. Koberg and Bagnall provide another example
by simply turning their seven-step process into a circle.

130
PDCA quality cycle
after Walter A. Shewart (1939)
Edward Deming worked with Shewhart at Bell Laboratories
and later popularized the PDCA cycle, especially in Japan.
Deming substituted “study” for “check”. PDCA and PDSA
have many incarnations and many definitions. For example,
the ISO 9001 standard includes the PDCA cycle. Over the
last 20 years, the focus of quality management has expand-
ed from manufacturing processes to include a systemic view
of customer satisfaction.
PDCA stands for plan-do-check-act cycle of continuous
improvement, a standard principle of quality assurance and
management. It is also known as the Shewhart cycle or the
Deming cycle.
The mathematician Walter A. Shewhart was concerned
with what he called “the formulation of a scientific basis for
securing economic control.” In 1939, he published Statistical
Method from the Viewpoint of Quality Control, the first place
he discussed the PDCA concept, according to the American
Society for Quality (ASQ).

131
Adaptability loop
after Stephan H. Haeckel (2003)
Haeckel proposed this process for managing within a chang-
ing environment. At ﬁrst, it appears to be a classic feed-
back-based control loop. But the options for action include
changing goals and thus suggest a more complex process
than is represented in the model.
Haeckel’s model may also be interpreted as a variation
on the classic PDCA cycle. It’s interesting to note that the
PDCA cycle also implies but does not represent a process
for changing goals. (Some variations on the model include
it.) The authors may have chosen a simpler representation
to make it easy to communicate and remember.

132
Complete list of models
Introducing process
10
Design Process
12
Process archetype
13
14
15
Problem, Solution
16
17
18
Analysis synthesis evaluation
20
Oscillation
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Problem to solution: sequence or parallel process or loop?
Academic models
28
Walking process
after Lawson (1980)
30
Four-stage design process
31
32
VDI 2221: System Approach to the Design of Technical
Systems and Products
33
Design process
34
Architect’s Plan of Work (schematic)
after the Royal Institute of British Architects Handbook (1965)
35
Architect’s Plan of Work, (detailed)
36
37
38

133
39
Criteria of validation of scientiﬁc explanations (CVSE)
40
41
Design Process and Practice
42
Creative process
43
Primary generator
44
Design process
45
Design process
47
48
by Nathan Felde (2003)
49
51
Design, build, test (1 of 3)
after Alice Agogino
52
after Alice Agogino
53
after Alice Agogino
54
55
57
Design Process
58
Value analysis
59
Consultant models
60
62
4D software process
and variations
63
65
IDEO
(2004)
66
Trees
Software development models
68
Waterfall lifecycle
69

134
70
72
V model
73
74
75
ISO 13407 Human-centered design processes for interactive
systems
76
77
78
Sun Sigma Framework
79
Sun Sigma Framework
80
81
Complex linear models
84
87
88
90
91
93
Morphology of design
97
98
99
Check list for product designers
Bruce Archer (1963-1964)
Cyclic models
114
116
117
118
119
Complete list of models
continued

135
120
121
122
123
124
Design process
Paul Souza (1999?)
125
Innovation planning
126
Per Kroll (2004)
127
128
129
Hewlett Packard (circa 2000)
130
PDCA quality cycle
131
Adaptability loop

136
Chronological list
130
PDCA quality cycle
36
18
93
97
98
99
121
34
35
15
Problem, Solution
45
Design process
21
57
Design Process
58
Value analysis
59
14
16
114
37
43
Primary generator
44
Design process
40
28
Walking process
after Lawson (1980)
42
Creative process
26

137
33
Design process
31
122
17
39
74
32
10
Design Process
23
120
119
72
V model
55
73
24
128
41
124
Design process
Paul Souza (1999?)
75
systems
84
129
25
30
70
127
87

138
Chronological list
continued
88
123
117
118
47
48
49
131
Adaptability loop
69
125
Innovation planning
76
77
90
91
65
IDEO
(2004)
126
Per Kroll (2004)
68
Waterfall lifecycle

139
Dates not found
51
after Alice Agogino
52
after Alice Agogino
53
after Alice Agogino
54
60
62
4D software process
and variations
63
66
Trees
78
Sun Sigma Framework
79
Sun Sigma Framework
80
81
Produced for this book (2004)
116
12
Process archetype
13
19
*Analysis synthesis evaluation
20
Oscillation
22
27
38

140
Author list
51
after Alice Agogino
52
after Alice Agogino
53
after Alice Agogino
18
97
98
99
93
24
122
10
Design Process
37
41
87
88
90
91
25
30
43
Primary generator
44
Design process
17
119
55
128
48

141
49
131
Adaptability loop
15
Problem, Solution
31
40
129
65
IDEO
(2004)
57
Design Process
58
Value analysis
59
14
16
114
126
Per Kroll (2004)
69
68
Waterfall lifecycle
125
Innovation planning
28
Walking process
after Lawson (1980)
42
Creative process
45
Design process
39
121
63
47
26
123

142
Author list
continued
33
Design process
117
118
21
74
36
120
34
35
72
V model
130
PDCA quality cycle
124
Design process
Paul Souza (1999?)
75
systems
78
Sun Sigma Framework
79
Sun Sigma Framework
80
81
84
76
77
32
23
70
127
73

143
Authors not identiﬁed
54
60
62
4D software process
and variations
66
Trees
Produced for this book (2004)
116
12
Process archetype
13
19
*Analysis synthesis evaluation
20
Oscillation
22
27
38

144
Bibliography
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Archer, L. Bruce.
“Systematic Method for Designers”.
Design magazine, 1963-1964.
Asimow, Morris.
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Bagnall, Jim and Koberg, Don.
Universal Traveler.
2d ed., rev. Crisp Publications, 1990.
Banathy, Bela H.
Designing Social Systems in a Changing World.
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Carmel, Erran, Whitaker, Randall D., and George, Joey F.
“PD and Joint Application Design: A Transatlantic
Comparison.”
Communications of the ACM, Vol. 36, No. 4, June 1993.
Cooper, Alan.
About Face: The Essentials of User Interface Design
IDG Books, 1995.
Cooper, Alan.
The Inmates Are Running the Asylum: Why High-Tech
Products Drive Us Crazy and How to Restore the Sanity
SAMS, 1999.
Cross, Nigel.
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John Wiley & Sons, 1984.
Cross, Nigel.
Engineering Design Methods: Strategies for Product Design.
3d ed. John Wiley & Sons, 2000.
Dubberly, Hugh.
“Alan Cooper and the Goal-directed Design Process,”
AIGA Gain, Volume 1, Number 2, 2001
Ertas, Atila , and Jones, Jesse C.
The Engineering Design Process.
2d ed., John Wiley & Sons,1996.
Goldsmith, Robin F. and Graham, Dorothy.
“The Forgotten Phase.”
Software Development, July, 2002.
Hirschberg, Morton.
“The V Model.”
CrossTalk, The Journal of Defense Software Engineering,
June, 2000.
ISO 13407: 1999, Human-centered design processes for
interactive systems.
Jones, John Chris.
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2d ed., rev. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1992.
Kroll, Per.
“Transitioning from waterfall to iterative development.”
IBM developerWorks web site, 2004.
Kruchten, Philippe.
“Going Over the Waterfall with the RUP.”
Kruchten, Philippe.
“What Is thee Rational Uniﬁed Process?”
The Rational Edge e-zine, 2003.
Lawson, Brian.
How Designers Think: The Design Process Demystiﬁed.
2d ed. The University Press: Cambridge, 1991.
Maturana, Humberto R. and Varela, Francisco J.
The Tree of Knowledge: The Biological Roots of Human
Understanding.
Shambhala Publications, 1998.
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What Is Web Design?
RotoVision, 2003.
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4th ed. John Wiley & Sons, 2001.
Plamondon, Scott.
“Working smarter, not harder: An interview with Kent Beck.”
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PMI, 1996.

145
Poyla, George.
How to Solve It: A New Aspect of Mathematical Method.
2d ed. Princeton University Press, 1988.
Rowe, Peter G.
Design Thinking.
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2d ed. John Wiley & Sons, 1995.
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146
Dubberly Design Office developed this book over many
months. It began as a manilla folder with copies of
processes. We completed the first “book” version as part of
a project undertaken for Elaine Coleman and Sun’s Virtual
Center for Innovation. Sun’s Noel Franus and Cindy Yepez
were infinitely patient with the slow pace of work and politely
pushed us to add descriptions to each model.
Greg Baker, Ryan Reposar, Audrey Crane, and Hugh
Dubberly drew the models. It was Greg who patiently redrew
Archer’s huge model bringing the diagram and Archer’s
descriptive text together for the first time. Ryan assembled
the book and handled the many changes.
We present this version for educational purposes only.
We have obtained no permissions to reproduce any of the
models. Copyrights remain with their owners.
Copyright © 2004 Dubberly Design Office

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