three models of engineering design process through a case study: hubble space telescope

design process is one of the main processes practiced in engineering. in this paper, after demonstrating the place of engineering among the topics discussed about technology, design process is studied from the perspective of three different models. the first model, vincenti’s model, provides an abstract explanation of the design process; the second model, bucciarelli’s model, has a sociological view and considers the design process in its cultural context; and the third model, which is pitt’s model, is based on humans and their rational decision makings. after describing these three models, the hubble space telescope project is taken into account as a practical case and the capability of models for explaining it is compared with each other.