Where Are the Design Methodologists?

Abstract

Methods still attract both confusion and dissension in design. "Design" and "method" are defined in order to carefully locate meaning in the following discussion. A brief reflection on the history of design methods, precedes reasons for supporting this investigation and reasons resistant to such work. An analogy is drawn to other domains such as thermodynamics, now thoroughly established with a useful body of knowledge, that originally suffered from the resistance of practitioners to codification of knowledge about the domain. An anatomy of method is offered that describes its key features and indicates possible areas for generation of new or improved method given the changing context of design performance. The essay argues that developing methods that are explicit, useful and whose efficacy can be measured is essential for the development of design as a discipline.