Feelings in Design – A Neuroevolutionary Perspective On Process And Knowledge

This paper advances an alternative perspective on the perennial debate over design method, design decision-making and the design process. Its fundamental contention is that advances in a number of scientific fields indicate that our decision-making processes are not as amenable to introspective scrutiny as conventional wisdom would suggest. On the contrary, we appear to be remarkably oblivious to the decision-making strategies that we engage in. This is not denigrating design decision-making: rather, it places the locus of operation largely outside of consciousness. Neurological and evolutionary evidence is presented that suggests a process of high sophistication, but one that questions fundamental assumptions in this field. As practical illustration, the Act of Designing and the notion of Design Principles are examined.