ABSTRACT
A design that rises from a foundation of solid research acquires an authority and inspires confidence by appealing to reason whereas a design based in pure form aspires only to emotional impact. Research is a necessary accomplice to design. Even though each research section stands alone, there needs to be an overall organizational structure. A simple, effective organization would be: program and program analysis, precedents, site, codes, sustainability opportunities, structures, systems and daylighting, exterior materials, and interior finishes. The incorporation of user stories as a guide to software design allows the initially hazily defined design task to be visualized and attacked incrementally. User stories require the designer to cultivate a subjective mindset, but it may also require some research to gain authority and depth. Some finished scenery will need to be stored before the stage is available for final assembly. Scenery production will need full communication with the front of house.
