Designerly Ways of Knowing and Thinking

This book is an edited collection of key lectures and foundational publications by Professor Nigel Cross on creative design thinking. This is an expanded and updated new edition of the previous version, with three additional chapters. The book investigates and explains the nature of designerly ways of knowing and thinking, and offers rich insights into a field of study that provides important foundations for design education, research and practice.

The view that designers have and use particular designerly ways of knowing and thinking developed from new approaches in design education and new empirical studies of design processes. The concept was first clearly articulated by Professor Cross, one of the most respected design researchers internationally. Since then, the field of study has grown considerably, as both design education and design research have developed together into a practice-based discipline influential across many spheres of design and innovation.

As an extensive review of scholarship and research, and a resource for studying designerly ways of knowing and thinking, the book will be of value to researchers, teachers, students and practitioners across all fields of design, including engineering and architectural design, industrial and product design, software and service design. It will also be of interest to those engaging in creative developments across a wide range of social and technological innovation.