Design systems and paradigms

This paper looks first at three well-known texts that describe design systems, focusing on their treatment of design strategy. Inadequacies in the treatments are uncovered. The rational problem-solving paradigm of design is examined in the light of some recent work in automatic problem-solving. The paradigm is developed so as to deal with the inadequacies in the treatment of strategy. Consideration of these developments indicates a convergence with the reflection in action paradigm.