A Structure for Design Theory

Abstract

The field of engineering design research is being pulled in two opposing directions-towards scientific rigor on one hand, and a greater relevance for professional practice on the other. The development of design theories in the field reflects this dichotomy. We have formal design theories deriving from mathematical roots that rarely influence practice. And we have a plethora of process models that serve as scaffolds for professional designing, but lack scientific validity. Can we create design theory that resolves this dichotomy and displays scientific rigor while being useful to professionals? In this chapter, we propose a structure for design theory that attempts to answer this question. Building on the structure of scientific theory from philosophy of science and the perception-action perspective from ethnographic research, we suggest a two-dimensional structure for design theory. The first dimension describes the theoretical constructs and relationships between them, and the second dimension provides the perceptual field and action repertoire that makes the theory relevant in situations of professional practice. We explain these two dimensions of design theory, while focusing on the second perception action dimension that is our contribution to design research. We illustrate this by developing the perception-action dimension of CK theory.