ABSTRACT
In design, the content of a problem is the contextural information defining the goals to be achieved, the constraints and considerations necessary for solving the problem, and the materials and components available for constructing a solution. The process of design involves the sequence in which decisions are made, the means in which alternatives are generated, and the methods of evaluation. This chapter reviews the premises of information processing models of problem solving and presents in detail one of its applications to design. It outlines the background information useful for introducing problem solving processes as an explicit part of design education. The premises used in most research of design processes are those of complex information processing. Means-ends analysis seems to be a prevalent means for solving the type of design problem. Top-down planning is common in most large design projects.
