  The thesis develops a view of design in a concept formation framework and
outlines a language to describe both the object of the design and the process
of designing. The unknown object at the outset of the design work may be seen
as an unknown concept that the designer is to define. Throughout the process,
she develops a description of this object by relating it to known concepts. The
search stops when the designer is satisfied that the design specification is
complete enough to satisfy the requirements from it once built. It is then a
collection of propositions that all contribute towards defining the design
object - a collection of sentences describing relationships between the object
and known concepts. Also, the design process itself may be described by
relating known concepts - by organizing known abilities into particular
patterns of activation, or mobilization. In view of the demands posed to a
language to use in this concept formation process, the framework of a Design
Process Language (DPL) is developed. The basis for the language are linguistic
categories that act as classes of relations used to combine concepts,
containing relations used for describing process and object within the same
general system, with some relations being process specific, others being object
specific, and with the bulk being used both for process and object description.
Another outcome is the distinction of modal relations, or relations describing
futurity, possibility, willingness, hypothetical events, and the like. The
design process almost always includes aspects such as these, and it is thus
necessary for a language facilitating design process description to support
such relationships to be constructed. The DPL is argued to be a foundation
whereupon to build a language that can be used for enabling computers to be
more useful - act more intelligently - in the design process.
