Domain Independent Description of Design Situations

To date, having a good overview of the whole situation during multidisciplinary design processes is very important. However, existing design theory does not offer this overview because it is often based on only one discipline, does not use the same terminology as the design practice, and concentrates on one aspect of designing. A more general and concrete design theory is necessary. The domain independent design frame described in this article can be seen as a step towards an adequate general design theory. The design frame is a generic conceptual model for describing design situations and their transition in time. The research methodology to develop the design frame and the design frame itself are described briefly. These descriptions are followed by a comparison with related work and a conclusion with further research.