And design is recognized as an activity where science meets art, where some criteria can be clearly stated, but that others are judgmental and subjective. These issues are intrinsic to design, but often ignored in engineering education. Another interest is in the use of design as a real-world application for use in general education. Design problems are real and tangible. Their structure is not closed, as in a book problem.
Students much identify issues and sort out what they are.
They then are called upon to apply math, physics and chemistry principles to solve problems. Thus design provides a grounding that can enhance learning. In this paper, I wish to stake out another position, separate from those emphasize that design as a cultural activity, or is a good grounding for general learning, or involves unstructured problem-solving. I want to address the more. The position builds upon the views of some people working in design research that attempt to not only address design education, but also develop fundamental improvements to the capability to achieve creative and expert design within our society.