ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the way designers converse with the situation through a variety of media. It introduces the notion that expert designers do this in different ways. In particular, they use recognition rather than analysis to see situations and they have known design gambits that can be effectively used in these situations. The use of relatively small formats for design drawings seems to help this recognition process.
The need to find ways to start the conversation is discussed as is the way designers often start drawing on paper that is not blank as a way of getting going. Expert designers seem to be able to alter the speed of working, sometimes fast, sometimes slow, in response to the situation.
The use of physical models and models in computers is discussed and the ways designers can converse with them are explored.
