Information Systems and Service Design (Fall 2011) UC Berkeley, School of Information

Because the specific concepts, methods, and technologies of design differ
across contexts, we need to introduce some more abstract ways of
thinking about design. In particular, whenever we design something we
follow (implicitly or explicitly) some steps or techniques for scoping,
analysis, idea generation, and implementation. This design methodology
makes assumptions about which design questions can be separately
answered, the priorities and dependencies, and who can best answer them.
Some design methods prescribe activities in a fixed sequential order,
while others are more iterative or recursive. Artifact or work
product-centered design methods specify activities, but put more
emphasis on the artifacts or work products that result from them than on
the way in which they are created.

Traceability is an important goal because good designs not
only solve problems and satisfy stakeholder requirements; they can demonstrate
why they do so by explicitly relating design decisions to observations,
analysis, and other design activities,    If we record the dependencies, influences, and
causal relationships between design work and 
design outcomes we create designs that  are easier to justify to stakeholders and that
are easier to adapt to meet changed requirements.