A Hierarchical Model of Design Knowledge

Despite the central role of knowledge in design, there is a dearth of research on the typology, intrinsic structure and composition of design knowledge. This results in an indeterminate epistemological picture of design outcomes. To address the need for effective conceptualizations, I propose a hierarchical model of design knowledge, which stratifies the different bodies of knowledge into ranked levels. I illustrate some of the benefits of the model and compare it with existing hierarchical models of knowledge in non-design fields of inquiry.