From a design science to a design discipline

understanding designerly ways of knowing and thinking

Nigel Cross

pp. 41-54

in: Ralf Michel (ed), Design research now, Basel, Birkhäuser, 2007

Abstract

In the past couple of decades we have seen a significant shift in focus within the field of design research. It is a shift from the aim of creating a "design science" to that of creating a "design discipline". The focus is now on understanding the design process through an understanding of design cognition, or the "designerly" ways of knowing and thinking.