Design as a Synthesis of Spaces : Using the P-S Framework

Designing is a multi-dimensional phenomenon and is difficult to describe through one disciplinary research lens only. This paper uses a framework within which multiple theories of designing could be informed of their role and explanatory power. The Product space and Social Space framework describes the scope of designing activities and it allows for incorporating insights from cognition sciences. This framework is the basis for analysis of the three case studies presented in this paper. The analysis illustrates the power of the framework to integrate insights from role of cognitive structures to explain the failures or successes in the case study. These case studies are a beginning of an effort to prove the utility of the framework for pragmatic use in being able to draw insights from a multiplicity of theories of human activity to understand designing.