Situation, Patterns, Exploration, and Exploitation in Engineering Design

In this article, I argue for an inclusive view of engineering design, and posit designing along with making, operating, maintaining, and disposing as key descriptors of humankind’s relationship with artifacts. Engineering design contributes to the definition of artifact characteristics to achieve desired artifact behavior, and includes outcomes ranging from the routine to the highly innovative. I argue for a worldview of engineering design that places greater emphasis on the routine, and suggest three directions that may guide us towards developing a better understanding of this based on a study of literature from design, management, and the history and philosophy of technology. First, we should explore the elements and practices used in different design situations, and the impact of differences in contextual factors. Second, design exploits the reuse and development of design patterns; understanding and exploiting such patterns is an important skill. I make the case that we might focus on distinctions—such as the one between exploiting old certainties and exploring new possibilities—to articulate our understanding of the differences between design activities with different degrees of novelty. Based on these arguments, I make suggestions regarding the relationship between design, science, and management, and for possible application of the arguments in wider design fields. •This article seeks to contribute to a worldview of engineering design that explains the relationships between design, technology, and the engineering sciences.•I posit designing alongside making, operating, maintaining, and disposing as key descriptors of our relationship with artifacts.•I argue for the importance of understanding engineering design practice in different situations, giving examples of these.•I develop arguments about the importance of patterns in engineering design, especially in adaptive and variant design, and distinguishes between exploitation of such patterns and exploration of new approaches.•Based on these arguments, I make proposals for the relationship between design, science, and management.