ABSTRACT
The purpose of this research is to study the cognitive process in architectural design problem solving. It also will explore a cognitive structure (model) capable of representing the problem solver's cognitive behavior. The goal plan, schemata, perceptual-test, and generate-and-test are regarded as cognitive mechanisms that evolved in the problem solving process. They were observed in an experiment in which an experienced architectural designer was asked to do a residential design. Results from protocol analysis showed that an invariant cognitive structure could be built upon these cognitive mechanisms to explain the problem solving behavior. This cognitive structure (model) also provides a framework for future simulation.
