Going Meta : Design Space and Evaluation Space in Software Design

Design is an exploratory activity, and there are many ways to get lost or stuck. There is no pre-existing map – the map is built through the design process. We first discuss design space - the space of possible choices in creating something new - and how it can be visualized. We then discuss evaluation space - the space that measures a particular design along different criteria - and how it can be visualized. Just as in any form of exploring, it is difficult to take stock, to go meta and consider the situation from a different level of abstraction - that is, to engage in metacognition. We argue this is an essential part of any design process. A normative model of design conversation is developed and compared to what happens in a particular professional software design conversation