The last few years have seen the beginning of a shift in emphasis in the study of design — from the end product as such and the components, materials and knowledge which come together in the evolution of its form, to the process itself and the methods of reasoning and imagination by which the form is conceived and refined. Many factors may have contributed to this change: the increasing complexity of techniques and function and the widening and sophistication of user requirements are forcing the use of a more systematic approach; the low standard of much recent design is focusing attention on the decision processes which may have led to this outcome; the entry of the computer offers the possibility of automatic design in suitable cases, but to do this the process has to be broken down into its bare essentials. There has also arisen a feeling that the technological tower of Babel created by over-specialization in the pursuit of facts is probably inimical to good design, and this is leading to a search for generalized methods of training which will emphasize and develop the common features of the design process, even if it means relying more on machine methods of information storage and retrieval to provide the detailed knowledge, experience and philosophy required.