ABSTRACT
Investigating a new and evolutionary design domain is a challenging task which requires the selection of a critical strategy with an awareness of the possible contradictions between past understandings and emerging characteristics about design. There is a critical balance between the extent to which we allow established preconceptions to influence our inquiry and the extent to which we are open to the emergent concepts that will challenge established understandings about design and design knowledge. This has been an initial motivation for our research, which has led us to the following question: ‘How can we conceptualize the digitally mediated design domain in order to understand and identify the knowledge content it entails specific to its unique context?’ Any attempt to answer this question necessitates a recognition of the key themes which distinguish the new domain from the conventional designs:
• the extent to which digital technologies are integrated into the design and production processes;
• the emerging formal/tectonic qualities and varieties; • the changing socio-organizational roles and responsibilities of stake-
holders.
