Framework development

As a newer profession, with its roots in arts and crafts, design has not historically had a body of fundamental theories and frameworks to underly and support its practice. Unlike other professions like law, medicine and business management, this paradigm means most knowledge about design practice is informal, contained in the talent and intuition of respected elders and "star" designers.

Since at least the 1950s, one of the Institute of Design's goals has been to formalize the body of knowledge of design so it can be extended more broadly and understood more clearly by non-practitioners. In 1993, with support from the GE Foundation, we created the country's first PhD in design program as a way to further this goal. In our classes and research, both at the doctoral and masters level, ID continues to develop and refine frameworks and theories of design.