9 : Defining Problems and Generating Solutions

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9 Defining Problems and Generating Solutions

• In Architecture, as in all other Operative Arts,
  the End must direct the Operation. The End is to
  Build Well. Well Building hath three conditions
  Commodity, Firmness and Delight
• Sir Henry
  Wotton, 1624

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Defining Problems and Generating Solutions

• tame and wicked problems
• solving the briefing problem
• solving the design problem
• the cult of wickedness
• the management of design
• tools for managing the briefing process

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Tame and Wicked Problems

• the conception and planning of the artificial
• problems with bounds and optimal solutions
• messy problems with robust solutions

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Tame and Wicked Problems
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Solving The Briefing Problem

• briefing as a problem in information
• public information
• private information
• blind information
• uncertainty
• reasons for impactedness
• the role of visualisation
• virtual
• physical
• the Johari window

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The Johari Window
known to client
unknown to client
public
blind
known to designer
feedback
uncertainty
disclosure
unknown to designer
private
unknown
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Solving the Design Problem

• the nature of scientific rationality
• the linear model
• tame problems
• the conjectural model
• wicked problems

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The Linear Model
tame problem
analysis
synthesis
evaluation
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The Conjectural Model
wicked problem
generator
conjecture
analysis
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The Cult of Wickedness

• the insistence that all design problems are
  wicked
• the dimensions of the model
• absolute uncertainty
• mission emphasis
• tameness and wickedness in the design problem

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Tameness and Wickedness in the Design Problem
mission uncertainty
high
low
incremental adaptation
push the envelope
specification
mission emphasis
wickedness
bright idea
iconic architecture
conception
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The Management of Design

• internal to the design practice
• the primary generator
• propose and dispose
• the crit
• within the project coalition
• managing the Johari window
• project reviews

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Tools for Managing Briefing and Design

• quality function deployment
• functional analysis (FAST)
• whole life costing

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Quality Function Deployment

• Japanese shipbuilding
• Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
• the voice of the customer
• market research data
• the voice of the supplier
• engineering possibility
• house of quality matrix
• possibility and desire

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Functional Analysis

• understanding the business process
• people and material flows
• verb/noun couplets

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Functional Analysis
provide pleasant environment
act as focal point for site
attract customers
be visible within building
be a world class research centre
facilitate interaction
be extendible
provide for future change
be flexible and adaptable
have low running costs
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Whole Life Costing

• the CAPEX/ OPEX trade-off
• a good idea, but difficult in reality
• problems in whole-life costing
• the problems of discounting to the future
• the lack of performance data
• the new opportunities for WLC
• low inflation
• the growth of concession contracting