Library · Tag
Design Theory
An annotated collection of 2 books & papers on design theory, spanning 1964 to 1992. Featuring works by Christopher Alexander, Richard Buchanan — each with editorial commentary oriented to digital product practice.
Notes on the Synthesis of Form
Christopher Alexander, 1964 · Harvard University Press
Alexander's first book, written as his Harvard PhD, is the foundational text of design theory and the predecessor of his later work on pattern languages. The central argument is that design is the problem of achieving fi…
Wicked Problems in Design Thinking
Richard Buchanan, 1992 · Design Issues, Vol. 8, No. 2, MIT Press
Buchanan imports Rittel and Webber's concept of "wicked problems" into design theory and argues that contemporary design is defined by them. Wicked problems resist definition: formulating the problem is already a solutio…