The descriptive step is much too detailed for my study and I intend to reduce it to a simple description of how department stores generally look. I am drawn to Prown's methodology primarily for the second stage of deduction, which offers a unique analytical perspective. This second stage considers the relationship between an object and its perceiver. Sensory engagement is the first component of this step. In the case of architecture one must empathetically imagine moving through the building and note how it would be experienced in terms of sight, sound, smell, taste, and feeling.
Intellectual engagement is the second step that considers intellectual apprehension of objects.
Prown suggests that one ask questions about pictures taken of objects in order to place oneself within the picture environment. The third component considers the emotional response triggered by objects. Prown's three stages of deduction are very valuable for my study because they allow me to imagine and describe department stores in terms of their effect on people. This leads to an understanding of department stores' cultural meaning and impact. Prown's final stage is speculation where the collected information is reconsidered and hypotheses formed.