DESIGN MODEL: C1 C2 C3 F1 F2 F3

ALEXANDER the synthesis of form

DESIGN MODEL: Designing requires some level of invention; it cannot be performed mechanically via the process of selection. Designers have a lot of information to consider and a formal picture/model of their mental model can help them parse through it.

actual world

CONTEXT

FORM

C1

F1

The number of potential misfits between context and form

C similar to Peirce's sign:

F M = misfit

M (misfit)

e.g.,

(link) L

A network field

or to show density, clustering / grouping

= Object

hierarchy

can be

mental picture

C2

F2

= Interpretant

formal picture of mental picture

C3

F3

= Representamen

Based on it’s structure, the model tells the designer which subsets are the most important / significant to address

visualized with

Conceptual models & abstraction

MODEL OF WHAT “IS”

MODEL OF WHAT “COULD BE”

abstract

similar to

Ryan Morrill Information Design Theory 2/18/16

synthesis–analysis bridge model

WHAT “IS”

WHAT “COULD BE”

concrete